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Montana Grizzlies wide receiver Junior Bergen (5) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown during the Big Sky Conference football game between the Griz and Idaho at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. He’s this week’s Griz Q&A subject.
MISSOULA – Junior Bergen is the epitome of “swiss army knife” when referring to someone who can do it all. Once a high school quarterback recruited as a collegiate wide receiver that played a chunk of his freshman year at running back, it goes without saying, the Billings native has already showed off his versatility.
After a flurry of tailback injuries in the fall of 2021, the speedster broke onto the scene as a true freshman by transitioning to running back. Despite returning to the receivers’ room midway through the year, Bergen finished the season as the team’s second-leading rusher with 498 yards.
He still had time to make his mark through the air, pulling down 21 catches for 230 yards, not to mention his second-best Big Sky punt-returning average of 17.5 yards.
“He can return punts, he can return kicks, he can catch it, he can throw it, he can run it,” Griz head coach Bobby Hauck said. “Good to have guys like that.”
But most recently, Bergen left Griz fans with a reminder that he’s still here. While his numbers haven’t popped off the stat sheet yet with the team back to full strength, the sophomore passes the eye test every time the ball comes in his direction.
During the team’s Week 7 loss to Idaho, Bergen made a spectacular one-handed grab in the back of the end zone. His reward was the very top spot on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays the next morning.
For an offense that has been sluggish of late, that type of playmaking could get your number called on a much more regular basis. Get to know Bergen more, on and off the field, before the next time he makes a jaw-dropping effort.
Bergen met with 406mtsports.com to discuss his reaction to being SportsCenter’s No. 1 play, how the team is handling its first loss, and some off-the-field topics.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Q: Where in the offense do you feel most effective and why?
A: That’s a tough one. I think wherever the team needs me I feel like I’m at my best.
Q: How’d it feel to wake up Sunday morning and see yourself on SportsCenter Top 10?
A: It was cool. I didn’t really know where it landed or if it was on SportsCenter or not but a lot of people told me in the morning and it was pretty cool. But we lost, so it doesn’t really matter.
Q: Right, but walk me through that play. Exactly how did it break down?
A: They went man and I kind of tried to sneak behind Keelan (White) and use him kind of as a rub and I kind of got held up a bit and I just tried to run through that then I saw the ball in the air and I thought, ‘Oh shoot, I got to make a play on this’ and luckily I did.
Q: You mention your guys’ first loss, how are you personally and the team approaching it?
A: It was a struggle at first. I had to let it resonate for those first 24 hours and think about it. But we have to move on to the next one. We have a good Sac State team this week and we’ve been preparing our butts off and we’re getting ready for those guys.
Q: Now looking at your recruiting history, I know you had an offer to Montana State as well so I have to ask, why Missoula over Bozeman?
A: I love Missoula, I love my coaches and teammates and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Q: Last year you were at running back for a bit, and exploded. Was it always the plan to go back to wide receiver or were there discussions of staying at running back?
A: Coach P (Brent Pease) always told me, ‘don’t get too comfortable over there, you’re going to be back with us here soon,’ so I kind of knew I had to go back but I wasn’t sure when or how much I’d play.
Q: Now getting into more of the fun stuff, what’re you taking up in school and what do you want to do with that?
A: I’m a psychology major and I’d like to be a sports psychologist. Something related to sports somehow.
Q: What are your interests or hidden talents off the field?
A: I wouldn’t call it a hidden talent, but me and my buddies like to golf quite a bit. So we spend most of the summer golfing and I’ve kind of started getting into video games lately.
Q: What kind of games are you playing and where do you golf? What’s your top score?
A: I play PS4 but I’ve been playing Skate 3 a lot on the Xbox. For golf, I think the University is the course I play the most but I played the country club and I shot a 92 with Pat (O’Connell) and Marty Mornhinweg.
Q: What’s your go to meal?
A: Chicken Alfredo or shrimp Alfredo, somewhere in there but I eat out quite a bit. Maybe some time when the season slows down or is over I’ll start cooking up but it’s kind of hectic right now so I just eat whenever I can and whatever I can right now.
Q: Last question. Favorite song and artist?
A: Favorite song is too tough (to pick), but I’ll probably say Lil Baby is my favorite artist.
Lucas Semb is the Griz football beat writer for the Missoulian. Follow him on Twitter @Lucas_Semb or email him at lucas.semb@406mtsports.com.
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Montana Grizzlies wide receiver Junior Bergen (5) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown during the Big Sky Conference football game between the Griz and Idaho at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. He’s this week’s Griz Q&A subject.
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