MSU's 2013 seniors includes some of the most productive Treasure State products ever to play a Cat-Griz game
Bobcat Game Day Notebook vs. UM: Cats Boast Many Montanans
11/23/2013 9:32:00 AM | Football
Former MSU great Joey Thomas spoke to the team on Friday
Today dawns as the most important public event on the annual calendar. For the 113th time, the Bobcats and Grizzlies get together, this year in Bobcat Stadium. Many call it the Treasure State's Super Bowl.
But for Bobcat players and MSU coach Rob Ash, the Cat-Griz is much more than an afternoon in late November. It is an event that dominates permeates every single day.
"It affects everything we do," Ash said in the hours leading to this year's Cat-Griz game. "If you win that game it makes everything in the program seem a little better. And if you don't come out on top, it is a strong, strong motivator to get better."
For Ash, picking one side or the other is way more than wearing blue or maroon. "It is a life decision."
* * * * *
Former Bobcat great Joey Thomas addressed the team after Friday's walk-through in the stadium he performed so brilliantly in for four years. But perhaps Thomas' greatest moment came 200 miles west, on the campus of Montana State's arch-rival.
Ironically, it happened 11 years ago today. November 23, 2002, the Bobcats entered the 102nd Cat-Griz game having lost 16 straight to the Treasure State's other Division I. And it drove home that night – to raucous celebrating and eternal gratitude – with a one-game winning streak.
Grizzly quarterback John Edwards finished the day just 8-for-32 passing, including one completion during a first half in which it was apparent to everyone in the stadium that UM was going to attack Thomas. Meanwhile, Montana State played rode the sturdy legs of Ryan Johnson, who rambled for 132 yards, and a lightning-like, legend-making strike from Travis Lulay to Junior Adams on the first drive of the second half to a stunning, thrilling 10-7 win.
And Joey Thomas? The slick Seattle product registered two tackles, blocked what would have been the game-tying field goal, and absolutely decimated Montana's passing game.
* * * * *
Cat-Griz always brings talk of roster construction, so here are this year's numbers. For the 70-man active roster of each squad, MSU has 29 players from Montana and the Grizzlies have 26. Narrowing it down to the main players in today's game – those on the two-deep – skews the battle for the Treasure State even more toward the Cats: 18 of MSU's players on the depth chart are from home-grown. For UM, that number is nine. The full depth chart breakdown is as follows (counting players only once no matter how many times they appear, and using only 11 positions per side)…
MONTANA STATE: Montana – 13, California – 9, Texas – 8, Oregon – 1, Iowa – 1, Nevada – 1, Colorado – 1, Washington – 1, Illinois – 1.
MONTANA: Washington – 13, Montana – 9, California – 8, Arizona – 4, Oregon – 3, Colorado – 1.
But for Bobcat players and MSU coach Rob Ash, the Cat-Griz is much more than an afternoon in late November. It is an event that dominates permeates every single day.
"It affects everything we do," Ash said in the hours leading to this year's Cat-Griz game. "If you win that game it makes everything in the program seem a little better. And if you don't come out on top, it is a strong, strong motivator to get better."
For Ash, picking one side or the other is way more than wearing blue or maroon. "It is a life decision."
* * * * *
Former Bobcat great Joey Thomas addressed the team after Friday's walk-through in the stadium he performed so brilliantly in for four years. But perhaps Thomas' greatest moment came 200 miles west, on the campus of Montana State's arch-rival.
Ironically, it happened 11 years ago today. November 23, 2002, the Bobcats entered the 102nd Cat-Griz game having lost 16 straight to the Treasure State's other Division I. And it drove home that night – to raucous celebrating and eternal gratitude – with a one-game winning streak.
Grizzly quarterback John Edwards finished the day just 8-for-32 passing, including one completion during a first half in which it was apparent to everyone in the stadium that UM was going to attack Thomas. Meanwhile, Montana State played rode the sturdy legs of Ryan Johnson, who rambled for 132 yards, and a lightning-like, legend-making strike from Travis Lulay to Junior Adams on the first drive of the second half to a stunning, thrilling 10-7 win.
And Joey Thomas? The slick Seattle product registered two tackles, blocked what would have been the game-tying field goal, and absolutely decimated Montana's passing game.
* * * * *
Cat-Griz always brings talk of roster construction, so here are this year's numbers. For the 70-man active roster of each squad, MSU has 29 players from Montana and the Grizzlies have 26. Narrowing it down to the main players in today's game – those on the two-deep – skews the battle for the Treasure State even more toward the Cats: 18 of MSU's players on the depth chart are from home-grown. For UM, that number is nine. The full depth chart breakdown is as follows (counting players only once no matter how many times they appear, and using only 11 positions per side)…
MONTANA STATE: Montana – 13, California – 9, Texas – 8, Oregon – 1, Iowa – 1, Nevada – 1, Colorado – 1, Washington – 1, Illinois – 1.
MONTANA: Washington – 13, Montana – 9, California – 8, Arizona – 4, Oregon – 3, Colorado – 1.
Thursday, July 31
Monday, May 19
Wednesday, May 03
Wednesday, May 03
