The MSU-Northern football team is set to face No. 9 Carroll College on Saturday afternoon. New Media Broadcasters got to speak with Fightin’ Saints coach Troy Purcell.
The Carroll alum is also an alum of Montana High School Football and more specifically, the Havre Blue Ponies. Purcell was the head coach of the 2004 Havre team that won the state championship with key contributors like wide receiver Marc Mariani and quarterback Gary Wagner.
Purcell said his two previous trips as Carroll head coach to MSU-Northern have prompted a recall of the memories he made while on the Hi-Line.
“I love Havre; love the people up there,” Purcell said. “They’re very supportive of their athletics. The whole community comes together.”
“The sunrises and the sunsets and the storms that come all the way from as far as you can see,” Purcell continued. “Great memories up there. My daughter was born up there. We had a lot of fun coaching some football over there during that five-year period.”
The Saints come into this game as the No. 9 ranked team in the NAIA and have an undefeated (4-0) record, the best start under coach Purcell since he took over prior to the 2019 season. Purcell said that the team has been resilient, especially in close ballgames early on in the season with a razor-thin two-point victory over Montana Tech to open the season followed by back-to-back comeback wins against St. Thomas and Rocky Mountain.
“I’m just impressed by the culture of our kids around here,” Purcell said. “We always talk about winning the fourth quarter and I think our offseason conditioning also has been showing up.”
“We have a never-quit attitude,” Purcell continued. “When things get chaotic, we just stay the course and get to the next play and continue to move forward. I know that is all coach talk, but it really came ot light in the first few games and especially the tight games.”
For more on the full conversation with Carroll Coach Troy Purcell, click on the sports podcasts tab. Carroll and MSU-Northern kick off at 1pm on Saturday from Tilleman Field. You can also hear the game on KPQX-92.5FM with Noah Friedman calling the game.
