Grizzlies' Reynolds 'grateful'

Chase Reynolds wasn't sure what to expect when he got to the University of Montana. He certainly didn't expect to have more than 3,000 rushing yards and 44 rushing touchdowns before his junior season was finished.

"I kind of came to Montana just not really knowing what I was getting myself into," Reynolds said. "Early in my senior year (of high school) I was just hoping to maybe to go to an NAIA school and see if I could get some playing time there.

"I wanted to be a running back and so I came here and figured I'd try my best, and if I didn't make it I could always say I tried. Obviously it's turned out well, and I'm pretty grateful for what I got."

The 6-foot, 195-pound Reynolds has a lot to be grateful for on and off the field.

The 22-year-old redshirt junior from Drummond, Mont., a town of about 300 people 50 miles southeast of Missoula, got married right out of high school, and he and his wife, Kila, have a 4-year-old son named Talen.

"He's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me," Reynolds said.

In Friday night's NCAA national championship game against Villanova (13-1), Reynolds and the Grizzlies (14-0) will try to complete a perfect season. He knows something about going undefeated, having done so his last three seasons at Drummond High School, where he played eight-man football.

In his three seasons playing at Montana, the Grizzlies have gone 39-3. Reynolds was mostly a special-teams player in his first season, but he's been among the nation's top running backs ever since.

Last season, after being moved to running back from wide receiver the previous spring, he rushed for 1,583 yards and 22 touchdowns, setting a school single-season rushing touchdown record.

Reynolds has run for 1,438 yards on 306 carries this season and again has 22 touchdowns. He's also caught 33 passes for 319 yards and two scores. His combined 24 touchdowns this season is a Montana single-season record, surpassing the mark of 23 he set a year ago.

His average of 102.7 yards per game is eighth-best in the nation, and he's second in the country in scoring with 10.3 points per game.

"Coming from where I came from to here, and to have success, has just been great," said Reynolds, whose younger brother, Tel, is a redshirt freshman running back at Montana.

In 30 career games at running back, Reynolds has 15 100-yard games. He rushed for 193 on 23 carries in last Saturday's 24-17 semifinal win over Appalachian State.

"He's just a rough, tough guy and a terrific running back," Villanova coach Andy Talley said. "He's a guy you can hang your hat on and just know that from an opposition standpoint, you're going to have to deal with him on every play."

Reynolds, who was held to 47 yards on 12 carries in last year's championship game against Richmond, will need to run well Friday if the Grizzlies are to win the program's third national title. That won't be easy against a Wildcats defense that is third in the nation against the run, holding opponents to 67.2 yards per game.

"They've got a tough, tough defense," Reynolds said. "We're just going to try to keep doing what we've been doing the last couple of weeks and see if that works."