By Danny Waldo
Longtime Bozeman Hawk head football coach Troy Purcell tendered his resignation recently and will be taking an assistant coaching position with the University of Idaho Vandals in Moscow. Purcell, who came to Bozeman in 2005 after leading the Havre Blue Ponies to their first state championship in 34 years during the 2004 season, leaves Bozeman after guiding the Hawks to the state title this past season. Purcell’s time in Bozeman has been one of unrivaled success. In 10 seasons guiding the red and black, Purcell led Bozeman to three state titles (2010, 2013, 2015), and mentored three Gatorade Players of the Year (Tanner Roderick, Will Dissly, Balue Chapman). The Hawks also took a runner-up trophy home following the 2012 season. Much like his reasoning for leaving Havre back in 2005, the opportunity to coach at the highest level of college football was simply too good of an offer to pass up. Purcell will join the coaching staff of Paul Petrino, a native Montanan, and will join up with one of his former assistants and all-time Bobcat greats, Bobby Daly, who is on staff as Director of Football Operations. Purcell has stated that he will coach Inside Linebackers for the Vandals. So Bozeman will once again be looking for a new football coach with the search expected to begin immediately, although the position has not been officially posted on the district’s website..
The Hawks will be looking to replace a plethora of players on next year’s squad as well. Gone to graduation are Bennett Hostetler, Payton O’Reilly, Peyton Guenther, Trace Bradshaw, DJ Perdaems and Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Montana, Balue Chapman who served as the backbone of this year’s state title winning team. Perdaems, Bradshaw and Chapman formed the three-headed monster that was Bozeman’s backfield, while Hostetler has been a three-year starter in the defensive backfield and was a key contributor on both of Bozeman’s most recent state titles. The incoming coach will not face an empty cupboard by any means, but they will have some big shoes to fill in the wake of Purcell’s departure. Stay tuned for updates on potential candidates
