MSU's only First Team All-Big Sky #99, Dick Lyman
Photo by: MSU Sports Information
Bobcats by the Numbers: 99
5/23/2013 8:31:00 AM | Football
With 99 days until kickoff, a look at MSU players who have worn #99
Every day we look at players who donned the jersey number corresponding to the number of days until the Bobcats open the 2013 season on August 29 against Monmouth. The list of MSU football players by the jersey number is based on preseason rosters. The set of available rosters is complete from 1946-81 and '83-present. Only the 1926-27, 1934, 1937 and 1941 rosters are available in the pre-WWII years. Corrections, additions, or rosters that fill out the set are welcome to blamberty@msubobcats.com.
#99
Dallas Hayes, DL: A talented newcomer from the Seattle area who was highly recruited and highly decorated. Rob Ash said last winter that “we'll line him up at the nose and tell (Hayes) to protect the A gap” once he arrives at MSU. He is listed at 290 lbs, but at the same time is lauded for his quickness.
Spotlight Player: One of the most engaging and pleasant Bobcats in recent memory, Aaron Papich followed an improbable path to a very productive career at MSU. A standout football player and wrestler at Great Falls High, he did not fully qualify initially. He enrolled at MSU in January of 2004 as a walk-on, and turned heads during the spring. He played in all 11 games in the fall of 2004, contributing immediately. Papich became a starter as a sophomore in 2005, but battled a rash of injuries in 2006. He was a Second Team All-Big Sky defensive tackle as a sophomore and senior, finishing with 27.5 career tackles-for-loss. He was appointed team captain as a senior.
Bonus Player: One of the most engaging and pleasant Bobcats in recent memory, Aaron Papich followed an improbable path to a very productive career at MSU. A standout football player and wrestler at Great Falls High, he did not fully qualify initially. He enrolled at MSU in January of 2004 as a walk-on, and turned heads during the spring. He played in all 11 games in the fall of 2004, contributing immediately. Papich became a starter as a sophomore in 2005, but battled a rash of injuries in 2006. He was a Second Team All-Big Sky defensive tackle as a sophomore and senior, finishing with 27.5 career tackles-for-loss. He was appointed team captain as a senior.
Notable #99s in the Bobcat Past: Willie Kofe turned in an outstanding freshman campaign as a Bobcat in 2000, but after completing an LDS mission he ended up playing at Arizona State, and now coaches at Sacramento State… Nick Barbero played only six games as a defensive end-turned-tight end for the Cats, and caught just two passes. But one of them was a monster – on MSU's first possession of a crucial 2003 conference game at Weber State, Barbero leaked out as the second tight end and caught a 62-yard scoring strike from Travis Lulay. That set career highs for Lulay to that point of 324 yards and four TD passes. Barbero caught only one other pass at MSU and left after that season.
Through the years: Dick Lyman (1974), Tom Powell (1975), Dick Lyman (1976), Chris Jensen (1977), Jim Missel (1979-80), Gregg Wilks (1984), Tom Jacobs (1985-87), Matt Christiansen (1988-91), Dallen Bjerkness (1992-96), Jarrod Beekley (1997-98), Carson Souter (1999), William Kofe (2000), Aaron Ware (2001), Nick Barbero (2002-03), Aaron Papich (2004-07), Brian Bignell (2008-11)
Other 99 Notes: No player wearing the number 99 has ever earned All-America honors for the Bobcats… the only First Team All-Big Sky choice to wear 99 for MSU was Dick Lyman in the school's 1976 National Championship season.
#99
Dallas Hayes, DL: A talented newcomer from the Seattle area who was highly recruited and highly decorated. Rob Ash said last winter that “we'll line him up at the nose and tell (Hayes) to protect the A gap” once he arrives at MSU. He is listed at 290 lbs, but at the same time is lauded for his quickness.
Spotlight Player: One of the most engaging and pleasant Bobcats in recent memory, Aaron Papich followed an improbable path to a very productive career at MSU. A standout football player and wrestler at Great Falls High, he did not fully qualify initially. He enrolled at MSU in January of 2004 as a walk-on, and turned heads during the spring. He played in all 11 games in the fall of 2004, contributing immediately. Papich became a starter as a sophomore in 2005, but battled a rash of injuries in 2006. He was a Second Team All-Big Sky defensive tackle as a sophomore and senior, finishing with 27.5 career tackles-for-loss. He was appointed team captain as a senior.
Bonus Player: One of the most engaging and pleasant Bobcats in recent memory, Aaron Papich followed an improbable path to a very productive career at MSU. A standout football player and wrestler at Great Falls High, he did not fully qualify initially. He enrolled at MSU in January of 2004 as a walk-on, and turned heads during the spring. He played in all 11 games in the fall of 2004, contributing immediately. Papich became a starter as a sophomore in 2005, but battled a rash of injuries in 2006. He was a Second Team All-Big Sky defensive tackle as a sophomore and senior, finishing with 27.5 career tackles-for-loss. He was appointed team captain as a senior.
Notable #99s in the Bobcat Past: Willie Kofe turned in an outstanding freshman campaign as a Bobcat in 2000, but after completing an LDS mission he ended up playing at Arizona State, and now coaches at Sacramento State… Nick Barbero played only six games as a defensive end-turned-tight end for the Cats, and caught just two passes. But one of them was a monster – on MSU's first possession of a crucial 2003 conference game at Weber State, Barbero leaked out as the second tight end and caught a 62-yard scoring strike from Travis Lulay. That set career highs for Lulay to that point of 324 yards and four TD passes. Barbero caught only one other pass at MSU and left after that season.
Through the years: Dick Lyman (1974), Tom Powell (1975), Dick Lyman (1976), Chris Jensen (1977), Jim Missel (1979-80), Gregg Wilks (1984), Tom Jacobs (1985-87), Matt Christiansen (1988-91), Dallen Bjerkness (1992-96), Jarrod Beekley (1997-98), Carson Souter (1999), William Kofe (2000), Aaron Ware (2001), Nick Barbero (2002-03), Aaron Papich (2004-07), Brian Bignell (2008-11)
Other 99 Notes: No player wearing the number 99 has ever earned All-America honors for the Bobcats… the only First Team All-Big Sky choice to wear 99 for MSU was Dick Lyman in the school's 1976 National Championship season.
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