Bobcats By the Numbers: #98
5/28/2015 4:21:00 PM | Football
A look at the number 98 through MSU history...
Every day we look at players who donned the jersey number corresponding to the number of days until the Bobcats open the 2015 season on September 3 against Fort Lewis College. 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 will be welcomed enthusiastically via e-mail at: blamberty@msubobcats.com. Complaints about featured players also welcome, but possibly with less enthusiasm.
98
Current #98 – Riley Griffiths, DL, 6-3, 260, Fr, Issaquah, WA. Riley Griffiths is a big, physical defensive lineman who logged 83 tackles with 13.5 for a loss and 9.5 sacks as a senior at Skyline High School.
Spotlight Player: Here at Bobcats by the Numbers, we refuse to pass up an opportunity to say something nice about Beau Clark, who wore #98 from 2000-04. The local product (Belgrade High) continues to contribute to Bobcat lore as one of the school's rodeo coaches. In this little corner of Bobcat Nation Clark remains an all-time favorite. The walk-on tight end from Belgrade moved across the line of scrimmage after his first season and for four years was an extremely productive player. As a sophomore Clark logged 5.5 tackles-for-loss in spite of starting only three games, and the next season posted five sacks while starting only two games. He added four more sacks as a senior. Clark's finest moment came in the final regular season game of 2003, when he recorded nine tackles, three for a loss, with two sacks, to lead the Bobcats to a championship-clinching win over the Grizzlies. He was lauded by the Big Sky as Player of the Week for his efforts, and that contest remains a testimony to Clark's career – he didn't start that game, and in fact playing time was scarce for his first three seasons because he played behind some of the great Bobcats of that era on the defensive line. But when called upon, he came up huge every time. Clark's pride in Bobcat football and his quiet intensity resound through the program to this day. Since his playing days ended Clark has found success as a steer wrestler on the pro rodeo circuit, and he has qualified for the NFR.
Notable #98s in the Bobcat Past: History of the number 98 goes back only to 1980 at MSU, but a couple recent notables Casey Dennehy, who became a standout offensive guard, began his career as a redshirt defensive lineman wearing #98 back in 2007. Christian Keli'i became an outstanding, if oft-injured, interior lineman in that number for the ensuing four years.
Through the years: Bart McCool (1980-83), Kip Halvorson (1984-86), Monty Peretto (1988-92), Jamie Roark (1993-94), Alex Silicz (1995-99), Beau Clark (2000-04), Matt Peebles (2005-06), Casey Dennehy (2007), Christian Keli'i (2008-11), Kris Cooper (2012), Luke Halliburton (2012-13), Riley Griffiths (2015-)
98
Current #98 – Riley Griffiths, DL, 6-3, 260, Fr, Issaquah, WA. Riley Griffiths is a big, physical defensive lineman who logged 83 tackles with 13.5 for a loss and 9.5 sacks as a senior at Skyline High School.
Spotlight Player: Here at Bobcats by the Numbers, we refuse to pass up an opportunity to say something nice about Beau Clark, who wore #98 from 2000-04. The local product (Belgrade High) continues to contribute to Bobcat lore as one of the school's rodeo coaches. In this little corner of Bobcat Nation Clark remains an all-time favorite. The walk-on tight end from Belgrade moved across the line of scrimmage after his first season and for four years was an extremely productive player. As a sophomore Clark logged 5.5 tackles-for-loss in spite of starting only three games, and the next season posted five sacks while starting only two games. He added four more sacks as a senior. Clark's finest moment came in the final regular season game of 2003, when he recorded nine tackles, three for a loss, with two sacks, to lead the Bobcats to a championship-clinching win over the Grizzlies. He was lauded by the Big Sky as Player of the Week for his efforts, and that contest remains a testimony to Clark's career – he didn't start that game, and in fact playing time was scarce for his first three seasons because he played behind some of the great Bobcats of that era on the defensive line. But when called upon, he came up huge every time. Clark's pride in Bobcat football and his quiet intensity resound through the program to this day. Since his playing days ended Clark has found success as a steer wrestler on the pro rodeo circuit, and he has qualified for the NFR.
Notable #98s in the Bobcat Past: History of the number 98 goes back only to 1980 at MSU, but a couple recent notables Casey Dennehy, who became a standout offensive guard, began his career as a redshirt defensive lineman wearing #98 back in 2007. Christian Keli'i became an outstanding, if oft-injured, interior lineman in that number for the ensuing four years.
Through the years: Bart McCool (1980-83), Kip Halvorson (1984-86), Monty Peretto (1988-92), Jamie Roark (1993-94), Alex Silicz (1995-99), Beau Clark (2000-04), Matt Peebles (2005-06), Casey Dennehy (2007), Christian Keli'i (2008-11), Kris Cooper (2012), Luke Halliburton (2012-13), Riley Griffiths (2015-)
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