Ray Sebestyrn and MSU's extraordinary 2003 defense beat the Grizzlies
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcats by the Numbers: 58
7/2/2013 11:52:00 AM | Football
58 days before kickoff, the spotlight falls on a pair of great D-linemen
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.
#58
Rhett Young, LB: Rhett Young enters the season third on the depth chart at the Mike linebacker position. He has battled injuries and when healthy has been productive on kick teams. If healthy, Young could become a contributor in scrimmage plays this year.
Spotlight Player: So here's a young, first-year player, being dressed down after practice right off the Bobcat practice fields in August of 2000 by a gentleman with obvious military bearing, and the head coach says casually and quietly, "Rookie wants to go home. Dad won't let him." And you think to yourself, Wow, this kid is either going to be gone in a matter of minutes, or he's going to be a great player. Fast forward five seasons, and Ray Sebestyen is everything a program hopes for when a new recruit lands on campus – a fine person who handled himself impeccably off the field. On the field, Sebestyen was a beast. Mike Kramer's staff found gold many times by moving defensive ends inside to tackle, and Sebestyen was one of the early data points in favor of that process. He started once in 2001 as a redshirt freshman after moving inside, then earned Second Team All-Big Sky honors as a sophomore. That 2002 season began a phenomenal two-year run by the Bobcat defense, producing a pair of Big Sky Championships with an unforgettable group of defensive linemen – Jon Montoya, Beau Clark, Adam Cordeiro, Chad Gluhm. The 2002-03 Bobcats were littered with great players and remarkable characters, but you can make the case that those two defensive lines were the engine that drove the whole train. Sebestyen earned First Team All-Big Sky honors as a junior (2003) and senior ('04). He finished his career with 25.5 tackles-for-loss and 13 sacks – very good totals for a defensive tackle. He forced seven fumbles in his career, tied for second in school history, and his five forced fumbles in 2004 stands second on the school's single-season list. Ray Sebestyen later made it abundantly clear that staying and playing at MSU were great decisions for him. Bobcat fans and those around the program remain grateful, as well.
Other #58s of Note: Among the pantheon of Montana State's great defensive linemen, Jason Hicks is sometimes under-recognized. As much as any player in the Bobcat program in 1991, Hicks likely benefitted from the arrival of Cliff Hysell and his pressure defense as much as anyone in the program, and for four seasons – one of which was injury-riddled – he was a dominant player for the Bobcats. His 14 sacks as a sophomore in 2003 unofficially led the Big Sky, which didn't compile quarterbacks downed as an official statistic at that time, and remains the fourth-best season in school history. His 29 career sacks stands tied for fourth in school history. He was twice chosen Honorable Mention All-America, although he was inexplicably never chosen All-Big Sky (yeah, football coaches often specialize in inexplicable). Jason Hicks was a terrific player, and his ever-present smile made him a favorite.
Through the Years: Todd Vasey (1982-83), Tom Jacobs (1984), Joel Long (1985-89), Jason Stene (1990), Mike Kenny (1991), Jason Hicks (1992-95),Nate O'Brien (1996), Brian Lutz (1998-99), Ray Sebestyen (2000-04), Ryan Cerise (2005-09), Rhett Young (2010-)
#58
Rhett Young, LB: Rhett Young enters the season third on the depth chart at the Mike linebacker position. He has battled injuries and when healthy has been productive on kick teams. If healthy, Young could become a contributor in scrimmage plays this year.
Spotlight Player: So here's a young, first-year player, being dressed down after practice right off the Bobcat practice fields in August of 2000 by a gentleman with obvious military bearing, and the head coach says casually and quietly, "Rookie wants to go home. Dad won't let him." And you think to yourself, Wow, this kid is either going to be gone in a matter of minutes, or he's going to be a great player. Fast forward five seasons, and Ray Sebestyen is everything a program hopes for when a new recruit lands on campus – a fine person who handled himself impeccably off the field. On the field, Sebestyen was a beast. Mike Kramer's staff found gold many times by moving defensive ends inside to tackle, and Sebestyen was one of the early data points in favor of that process. He started once in 2001 as a redshirt freshman after moving inside, then earned Second Team All-Big Sky honors as a sophomore. That 2002 season began a phenomenal two-year run by the Bobcat defense, producing a pair of Big Sky Championships with an unforgettable group of defensive linemen – Jon Montoya, Beau Clark, Adam Cordeiro, Chad Gluhm. The 2002-03 Bobcats were littered with great players and remarkable characters, but you can make the case that those two defensive lines were the engine that drove the whole train. Sebestyen earned First Team All-Big Sky honors as a junior (2003) and senior ('04). He finished his career with 25.5 tackles-for-loss and 13 sacks – very good totals for a defensive tackle. He forced seven fumbles in his career, tied for second in school history, and his five forced fumbles in 2004 stands second on the school's single-season list. Ray Sebestyen later made it abundantly clear that staying and playing at MSU were great decisions for him. Bobcat fans and those around the program remain grateful, as well.
Other #58s of Note: Among the pantheon of Montana State's great defensive linemen, Jason Hicks is sometimes under-recognized. As much as any player in the Bobcat program in 1991, Hicks likely benefitted from the arrival of Cliff Hysell and his pressure defense as much as anyone in the program, and for four seasons – one of which was injury-riddled – he was a dominant player for the Bobcats. His 14 sacks as a sophomore in 2003 unofficially led the Big Sky, which didn't compile quarterbacks downed as an official statistic at that time, and remains the fourth-best season in school history. His 29 career sacks stands tied for fourth in school history. He was twice chosen Honorable Mention All-America, although he was inexplicably never chosen All-Big Sky (yeah, football coaches often specialize in inexplicable). Jason Hicks was a terrific player, and his ever-present smile made him a favorite.
Through the Years: Todd Vasey (1982-83), Tom Jacobs (1984), Joel Long (1985-89), Jason Stene (1990), Mike Kenny (1991), Jason Hicks (1992-95),Nate O'Brien (1996), Brian Lutz (1998-99), Ray Sebestyen (2000-04), Ryan Cerise (2005-09), Rhett Young (2010-)
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