MISSOULA — Every year the holidays come early for football fans as the early signing day got underway on Wednesday.
For the Grizzly football team, that was also the case, and the University of Montana welcomed its first members from the Class of 2024.
The Montana football program added 16 new members to its team on Wednesday as players put pen to paper to make their commitments to the Grizzlies official.
Eight players in the class hail from the Treasure State while eight more signed from outside of Montana. The local recruits include Missoula Sentinel's Grady Walker and Danny Sirmon, Kalispell Glacier's Kash Goicoechea and Isaac Keim, Loyola's Talen Reynolds, Cody Schweikert of Columbia Falls, Tommy Running Rabbit of Browning, and Owen Reynolds of Red Lodge.
UM signed a pair of players both from Washington and California and also added talents from Idaho, Hawaii, Texas and North Carolina. UM signed three players as athletes, three more as defensive backs, two each at offensive line, wide receiver, running back and tight end, as well as one quarterback and one defensive end.
To see more information about UM's signees, check out the bio breakdowns below.
The following information is provided from a University of Montana media release
2024 Signing Class Bios
Colin Amick, OT, 6-6, 255, Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline HS
Amick is a two-star prospect out of Skyline High School… Was a two-way player for the Spartans on the offensive line and at defensive tackle… Earned second-team all-league honors at tackles as a senior… A two year starter on the offensive line, played tight end early in his high school career… Helped the Spartans to a 4-2 conference record and a second-place finish in the 4A KingCo standings… Also helped Skyline average 170 rushing yards per game and nearly 30 points per game… Chose Montana over offers from Idaho and Eastern Washington.
Lekeldrick Bridges, WR, 5-11, 175, Cedar Hill, Texas / Cedar Hill HS
Totaled 187 yards receiving on 21 catches with four touchdowns as a senior… Averaged 8.9 yards per catch in nine games played… Also carried the ball nine times for 41 yards… Caught six passes for 78 yards as a junior on the varsity squad as well… Helped Cedar Hill advance to the regional final… Also ran track where he helped Cedar Hill’s 4x1 and 4x2 sprint teams advance to regionals…Chose Montana over offers from Kent State, Marshall, and Toledo… Also received interest from Texas Tech.
Brooks Davis, WR, 6-0, 180, Brentwood, Calif. / Heritage HS
In just his second year playing football Davis earned first-team all-league honors… Named Team MVP at Heritage … Also earned the team’s Game Ball Award his senior season… Set a new school record for single game receiving yards with 168 and owns five of the top 11 single-game marks in program history… As a junior caught 18 passes for 428 yards… As a senior caught 54 passes for 987 yards and six touchdowns… Totaled 1415 yards on 72 catches in just 22 games in two seasons… Finished with 11 career touchdown catches and averaged nearly 20 yards per catch… Also had offers from Air Force, Army, and San Diego.
Luke Flowers, Qb, 6-1, 185, Rigby, Idaho / Rigby HS
Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports… In first season as starter in 2022, passed for 3,009 yards and 37 touchdowns in leading Trojans to a Class 5A title… Named Idaho’s top quarterback in the class of 2024… Also held an offer from Arizona… Dad Aaron Flowers played football at Cal State Northridge and set a school single-game passing mark against UM in 1996 and coached QBs at Montana State… Carries a 3.9 GPA
Malae Fonoti, RB, 5-11, 205, Palolo Valley, Hawaii / Kahuku HS
Helped lead Kahuku to the program’s 11th Hawaii open division state title as a senior as the team’s leading rusher… Racked up 1,102 rushing yards on 164 carries with 14 touchdowns… Averaged 6.7 yards per carry… Also caught eight passes for 138 yards and a TD as a senior for a personal haul of 90 points – a team high… Earned first-team All-Hawaii honors after the season… Helped the Red Raiders to a No. 1 state ranking with a 12-2 record as a junior… Ran for 810 yards on 158 carries to average 5.1 yards per tote and 62.3 yards per game with 14 touchdowns that season… Also caught eight passes for 80 yards and one TD his junior year… Invited to participate in the 2024 Polynesian Bowl All-Star game… Chose Montana over offers from Army and Portland State… Also had interest from Hawaii and San Diego State
Kash Goicoechea, S, 6-1, 195, Kalispell, Mont. / Glacier HS
Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports… As a senior he earned All-State honors at safety, kick returner, and as an all-purpose player for state runner-up Glacier High… Earned first-team all-conference honors in Western AA at safety and on special teams as a returner and all-purpose player… A two-way player, he also led the team in total touchdowns with 17 as a running back, racking up 104 total points… Defensively, totaled 48 tackles (24 solo, 24 assisted) with five tackles for loss in his final year at Glacier… Returned 11 kickoffs for 488 yards as well, averaging 44.36 yards per return… Prep coach was former Grizzly quarterback Grady Bennett… Dad Sean Goicoechea was a three-year letterman for the Griz and was a member of the ’95 national championship team… Uncle Mike also lettered for the Griz.
Brenton Handsford, DE, 6-3, 240, Asheville, N.C. / Ashville HS
Played in eight games his senior season for Ashville High… A two way player… Totaled five pancake blocks on the offensive line… Logged 13 tackles (9 solo) and recovered a fumble… Before moving to Ashville, played two seasons on the varsity team at Capital High in Olympia, Wash…. Logged 7 total tackles with two tackles for loss in four games… Named No. 8 on the Asheville Citizen Times and Hendersonville Times News Elite Eight, a collection of WNC's top college football prospects for the Class of 2024… Also competed in track and field in the 100-meter dash, shot put and discus… Chose Montana over offers from Appalachian State and Catawba, with interest from East Carolina, Kennesaw State and Elon.
Isaac Keim, TE, 6-4, 245, Kalispell, Mont. / Glacier HS
Ranked a two-star prospect from 247Sports…. Earned first-team all-state honors at defensive end and at long snapper for the state runner-up Glacier Wolfpack… Named Western AA defensive MVP as a D-End to go along with first-team all-conference honors… On offense caught nine passes for 157 yards and 1 TD, averaging 14.9 yards per catch… Also carried the ball six times for seven total yards and three touchdowns… Missed five games due to injury as a junior… Still logged 31 tackles and three sacks defensively… Also caught six passes for 85 yards with a long of 32 yards… Carries a 4.0 GPA… Also had interest from Montana State… Dad David played football at Drake… Also played lacrosse, ran track, and was a swimmer.
Kyon Loud, DB, 6-2, 180, San Mateo, Calif. / Junipero Serra HS
Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports… Played both ways and was a standout on special teams… Logged 32 total career tackles with four sacks… Also picked off one pass as a senior and returned it for a touchdown… On offense he caught 23 career passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns… Also caried the ball nine times for 32 yards… Contributed on special teams as a kick and punt returner… Totaled 10 returns for a combined 81 yards… A four-year player on the varsity squad… Named team captain as a sophomore… Was a candidate for the all-metro sophomore of the year… Second-team all-league at wide receiver as a sophomore… Earned a WCAL honorable mention… Also held offers from Idaho, Portland State, and UC Davis… First name pronounced KEY-on… Holds a 3.48 GPA
Owen Reynolds, S, 6-0, 185, Red Lodge, Mont. / Red Lodge HS
Helped Red Lodge to the State B semifinal as a senior with an 11-1 record… Earned all-state honors… first-team all-conference honors as both an athlete on offense and a defensive back… Also second team all-conference as a kicker… Prep coach was former Grizzly John Fitzgerald
Talen Reynolds, RB, 5-11, 185, Missoula, Mont. / Loyola Sacred Heart HS
Earned all-state honors his senior season… A four year varsity squad member at Loyola… Rushed for 3,305 yards on 645 carries in 37 games for the Rams… Averaged 5.1 yards per carry and had 17 100-plus yard rushing games… totaled 50 career rushing touchdowns… Also caught 31 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown his senior year… Handled special teams return duties as well with 841 combined yards… Also ran track for Loyola… Dad is Grizzly great Chase Reynolds
Tommy Running Rabbit, ATH, 6-1, 190, Browning, Mont. / Browning HS
A two-way star, earned second-team all-conference honors on the offensive side of the ball as a wide receiver and tight end and on the defensive side of the ball as a outside linebacker… Rushed for 762 yards and seven career TDs on 169 carries… Caught 40 passes for 589 career yards and five TDs… Defensively he totaled 103 tackles with six sacks… Also picked off three passes his senior year, returned one for a TD… Forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles, and blocked a field goal as well… Also returned a kickoff for a TD as a senior… Plays basketball and runs track… Could be Montana’s first-ever letterman from Browning.
Cody Schweikert, ATH, 6-3, 220, Columbia Falls, Mont. / Columbia Falls HS
Earned first-team all-state honors as a senior as a QB and linebacker… Also earned first-team all-conference honors on both sides of the ball… Helped Columbia Falls reach the 2023 State A championship game where they lost in OT… In two seasons threw for 5,266 yards and 49 TDson 524 attempts… Completed .739 percent of his passes and averaged 239 yards per game passing… Also rushed for 1,027 yards on 260 carries with 29 TDs, averaging 4 yards per carry… On defense he logged 215 tackles in two seasons, averaging nearly 10 per game with 81 solo tackles… Also had five pass deflections and two interceptions… Was all-state in baseball and all-conference in basketball… Also played tennis… Dad Jaxon Schweikert was his head coach at Columbia Falls.
Danny Sirmon, TE, 6-6, 240, Missoula, Mont. / Sentinel HS
Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports… Earned all-state honors as a tight end and punter, also earned first-team all-conference honors in the same positions as a senior… Played on the varsity squad two seasons… Caught 38 passes for 480 yards and 6 touchdowns… Also rushed the ball 39 times for 100 yards and three TDs… Also played QB, throwing 51 passes for 329 yards and 1 TD… Punted the ball 11 times for 456 yards, an average of 41.5 his senior season… Also received offers from Idaho, Montana State, and Northern Colorado… His dad David Sirmon helped Montana win the ’95 national championship and his cousin Cy Sirmon was a three-year letterman from 2016-19.
Trevor Steinbach, OL, 6-5, 284, Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline HS
A two-star prospect according to 247Sports… A two-way player on the offensive and defensive line at Skyline… Earned a 2023 4A KingCo All-League honorable mention at guard… Helped Skyline to a 2022 KingCo Championship as a junior… Also had an offer from the University of San Diego and Central Washington, with interest from Montana State… Carries a 3.3 GPA
Grady Walker, ATH, 6-4, 195, Missoula, Mont. / Sentinel HS
Rated a two-star prospect by 247Sports… Earned all-state and first-team all-conference honors at wide receiver for the Spartans… Caught 80 passes his senior year for 1,076 yards and five TDs… Also handled kickoff returns, totaling 1,663 yards on 31 attempts… Also plays basketball and runs track… Dad Travis Walker lettered for the Griz between 1996-1999 and is one of Montana’s top-30 all-time leaders in receiving yards.
