Even though it’s Brent Vigen’s first time being a head coach, he has quickly set the expectation for the future of Montana State Football. 

“Making the quarters, making the semis is great, that’s a part of the ride, but winning the national championship is what we have to be all about,” Vigen said in his first meeting with the team this week. 

The first-year head coach spoke with the media on Wednesday about his plans to take Bobcat Football’s winning mentality to the next level. 

“Daily improvement is going to be the foundation of it, but having that [national championship] as a clear vision is what I want our guys to see,” Vigen said. “There’s a lot of ability here, there’s a hunger, and now it’s about putting together a plan so come 2021 we can put ourselves in the best position to reach those heights.” 

The former University of Wyoming Assistant Coach has experienced those heights first-hand, after guiding the Cowboys to three of their last four bowl games, and winning three straight FCS Championships as the Offensive Coordinator at North Dakota State University. 

Bobcat Athletic Director, Leon Costello, also spoke to the media on Wednesday about the unique process of hiring a head coach during Covid-19. 

“What really made it interesting was the timing,” Costello said. “You’ve got coaches starting up spring camp…we went through signing day so there was a little delay in our search process because some of the coaches we were talking to had to get their recruits signed at their current institutions…there was just a lot of different variables at play during this one.” 

Ultimately Vigen was the best fit for MSU, and a big reason being his success in recruiting and coaching quarterbacks. During his time at NDSU he brought in current Philadelphia Eagles QB, Carson Wentz, and while at Wyoming he brought in current Buffalo Bills QB, Josh Allen.  

“His style matches our roster. I think there’s not a lot of changes we’re going to see right away, probably some tweaks here and there, but I think the continuity with our coaching staff, with our style of play, and with our current roster were some things that really stood out.”

Now the 33rd Head Coach of Montana State, Vigen has already started working on bringing the program to new heights. 

“My family and I are thrilled about the opportunity for me to be a head coach, but for us to also be at Montana State and move to Bozeman and enjoy this tremendous community.” 

Vigen is currently solidifying his coaching staff and hopes to have his group set in stone by next week. 

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