Frank Green
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcats By the Numbers: 87
6/9/2015 3:11:00 PM | Football
Connor Sullivan is another talented in-state pass-catcher
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.
#87
Connor Sullivan, WR: One of the revelations of Montana State's spring practice session in 2015, Connor Sullivan is a tall, physical receiver who made the jump from eight-man football at Class C Ennis to potential contributor at MSU in one short year. The former Great Falls Tribune Superstate receiver was named MSU's Offensive Scout of the Week once last fall, and was sensational during the spring. He enters the fall among three players battling for playing time behind Mitchell Herbert at the X receiver position.
Spotlight Player: Like everyone else, Bobcats By The Numbers has its favorites, and a couple of them were making their first-ever airplane trips on Montana State's trip to Southwest Texas State September, 1997. Frank Green, a tough and talented tight end from Butte who wore #87, and Arie Grey were true freshmen on that Bobcats team that flew into San Antonio for that contest. While the memory of that trip is a little fuzzy, the memory of Green's career isn't. He caught 28 passes for 350 yards during an injury-riddled career, and the Butte product was as solid as he could be in every way. He and Grey were two of four seniors during the difficult 2000 season which helped pave the way for MSU's 21st century rennaissance. Another BBTN favorite is Lee Carter, was a Wyoming transfer from Helena Capital who wore #87 and was a solid player on the team's 1990 and '91 defensive units.
Spotlight Player #2: It was pretty clear from the beginning that Cliff Hysell's staff inherited a player in former Bozeman High star Brian Pepper for whom it didn't have a ready-made role. He was recruited by the previous staff as an athlete and projected as a tight end, and spent his first two years there, but never really fit. When he was moved to linebacker in the spring of 1994, though, it was obvious that he had found a home. He contributed 16 tackles, one for a loss, as a junior, and the ease with which he played linebacker foreshadowed other future Bozeman High state hurdles champions that starred on the Cat defense in years to come. Pepper blossomed into a star as a senior, leading the Bobcats with 118 tackles and earning First Team All-Big Sky honors. At a time when MSU struggled to gain traction against its in-state rival, Pepper followed fellow BHS alum Corey Widmer to the Bobcat program and led the way for other local products such as Nick Marudas and Beau Clark (Belgrade High) that would be great Bobcats in years to come. Pepper was a great source of local pride for everyone in Blue and Gold but especially those in Bozeman. And in his work for Universal Athletic Service in Bozeman he remains active in supporting the Hawks and Bobcats.
Through the years: Bob Black (1956), John Kinker (1957), Bob Surdam (1958-59), Gary Decolati (1963-64), Bob Stephan (1965-66), Bill Fieldstead (1967-68), Gary Beller (1969), Lynn Schenk (1970-72), Bob Grabb (1973), Bob Lubig (1974), Dennis Mizelle (1975), Butch Damberger (1976-79), Bill Bishop (1980), Tod Kasten (1982), Jame Todd (1983-86), Shawn Sulff (1987), Lee Carter (1990-91), Brian Pepper (1992-95), Jake Headlee (1996), Frank Green (1997-2000), Justin Reber (2001), Kolby Drube (2002), Sean Kelley (2003), Toby Rundle (2004-05), Deon Toliver (2006), Daniel Malison (2008), Gregory Oswood (2010-11), Shadeed Crockett (2012-13), Connor Sullivan (2014-present)
#87
Connor Sullivan, WR: One of the revelations of Montana State's spring practice session in 2015, Connor Sullivan is a tall, physical receiver who made the jump from eight-man football at Class C Ennis to potential contributor at MSU in one short year. The former Great Falls Tribune Superstate receiver was named MSU's Offensive Scout of the Week once last fall, and was sensational during the spring. He enters the fall among three players battling for playing time behind Mitchell Herbert at the X receiver position.
Spotlight Player: Like everyone else, Bobcats By The Numbers has its favorites, and a couple of them were making their first-ever airplane trips on Montana State's trip to Southwest Texas State September, 1997. Frank Green, a tough and talented tight end from Butte who wore #87, and Arie Grey were true freshmen on that Bobcats team that flew into San Antonio for that contest. While the memory of that trip is a little fuzzy, the memory of Green's career isn't. He caught 28 passes for 350 yards during an injury-riddled career, and the Butte product was as solid as he could be in every way. He and Grey were two of four seniors during the difficult 2000 season which helped pave the way for MSU's 21st century rennaissance. Another BBTN favorite is Lee Carter, was a Wyoming transfer from Helena Capital who wore #87 and was a solid player on the team's 1990 and '91 defensive units.
Spotlight Player #2: It was pretty clear from the beginning that Cliff Hysell's staff inherited a player in former Bozeman High star Brian Pepper for whom it didn't have a ready-made role. He was recruited by the previous staff as an athlete and projected as a tight end, and spent his first two years there, but never really fit. When he was moved to linebacker in the spring of 1994, though, it was obvious that he had found a home. He contributed 16 tackles, one for a loss, as a junior, and the ease with which he played linebacker foreshadowed other future Bozeman High state hurdles champions that starred on the Cat defense in years to come. Pepper blossomed into a star as a senior, leading the Bobcats with 118 tackles and earning First Team All-Big Sky honors. At a time when MSU struggled to gain traction against its in-state rival, Pepper followed fellow BHS alum Corey Widmer to the Bobcat program and led the way for other local products such as Nick Marudas and Beau Clark (Belgrade High) that would be great Bobcats in years to come. Pepper was a great source of local pride for everyone in Blue and Gold but especially those in Bozeman. And in his work for Universal Athletic Service in Bozeman he remains active in supporting the Hawks and Bobcats.
Through the years: Bob Black (1956), John Kinker (1957), Bob Surdam (1958-59), Gary Decolati (1963-64), Bob Stephan (1965-66), Bill Fieldstead (1967-68), Gary Beller (1969), Lynn Schenk (1970-72), Bob Grabb (1973), Bob Lubig (1974), Dennis Mizelle (1975), Butch Damberger (1976-79), Bill Bishop (1980), Tod Kasten (1982), Jame Todd (1983-86), Shawn Sulff (1987), Lee Carter (1990-91), Brian Pepper (1992-95), Jake Headlee (1996), Frank Green (1997-2000), Justin Reber (2001), Kolby Drube (2002), Sean Kelley (2003), Toby Rundle (2004-05), Deon Toliver (2006), Daniel Malison (2008), Gregory Oswood (2010-11), Shadeed Crockett (2012-13), Connor Sullivan (2014-present)
Players Mentioned
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