Bobcats By the Numbers: #55
7/10/2015 1:58:00 PM | Football
John Weidenaar has been rock-solid for the Cats
For every day of the summer we will 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.
#55
John Weidenaar, OT: John Weidenaar has been an excellent player for the Bobcats for so long – he's started every game during the first three seasons of his varsity career – that it's easy to take his presence for granted. Big John doesn't say a lot, but he's protected the back side of DeNarius McGhee, Jake Bleskin and Dakota Prukop relentlessly for the past 38 games. Weidenaar's height (6-7) and long arms make him a formidable pass blocker, and while he's worked ferociously at gaining strength and size during his career, he's sacrificed working on his family's potato farm this summer to make football his sole focus. Weidenaar enters the season as a likely preseason All-Big Sky selection and his 38 career and consecutive starts are 10 from the top of the MSU start in each category.
Total Starts
Starts Player, Pos. Years
1. 48 DeNarius McGhee, QB 2010-13
1. 48 Brent Swaggert, OT 2000-03
1. 48 Jon Montoya, DE 2000-03
4. 47 Jody Owens, LB 2009-12
4. 47 Kane Ioane, SS 2000-03
6. 46 Darius Jones, CB 2009-12
7. 45 Deonte Flowers, CB 2011-14
8. 44 Everett Gilbert, WR 2009-12
9. 43 Travis Lulay, QB 2002-05
9. 43 Peder Jensen, OT 2004-07
38 John Weidenaar, OT 2012-present
Consecutive Starts
Starts Player, Pos. Years
1. 48 Brent Swaggert, OT 2000-03
1. 48 Jon Montoya, DE 2000-03
3. 47 Kane Ioane, SS 2000-03
3. 47 Jody Owens, LB 2009-12
5. 43 DeNarius McGhee, QB 2010-13
5. 43 Travis Lulay, QB 2002-05
38 John Weidenaar, OT 2012-present
Spotlight Player: Montana State's 7-4 1993 season was the only winning campaign in the program between 1984 and 1996, and there are a lot of pretty good reasons for it. Running backs Fred Moore and Clint Morton ran wild, Brock Spencer emerged as a productive quarterback, Sean Hill and Morgan Ryan combined one of the best defensive back duos in Division I-AA. One element that might not make many lists but should is the play of Jim Michalczik's offensive line. And the man in the middle of that effort was First Team All-Big Sky center Tim Hanson. Known for his ebullient, infectious personality, Hanson played defensive line as a freshman but by 1991 the Spokane product proved his value across the line of scrimmage by playing every O-line position. Cliff Hysell plugged Hanson in at center upon arriving at MSU in 1992, and Hanson's two-year run at that position was stellar. The Rogers high product became known in later years for his skydiving, which landed him at midfield of Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula several times – often wearing his Bobcat gear!
Through the Years: Ed Ritt (1954-55), Bob Allen (1960), Dick Vollmer (1961), Dave Kenworthy (1963-64), Dan Duff (1965-67), Jerry McCormick (1968), Walt Kelly (1969-71), Joe Johnson (1972-74), Bill Hansen (1975-77), Larry Rubens (1978), John Janosko (1979), Brent Mackie (1980), Robb Fellows (1981-84), Rick Hilder (1985-86), Andy Holmlund (1987), Jon Skelton (1988-90), Tim Hanson (1991-93), Brawn Lausen (1994-95), Quinn Taylor (1996), Max Seppi (1997), Charles Joe (1999), Bo Espinoza (2000-01), Travis Nellermoe (2003-04), Michael Rogers (2005), Josh Peterson (2006-07), Andrew Verlanic (2008), Shonquille Dorsey (2009-10), John Weidenaar (2012-)
#55
John Weidenaar, OT: John Weidenaar has been an excellent player for the Bobcats for so long – he's started every game during the first three seasons of his varsity career – that it's easy to take his presence for granted. Big John doesn't say a lot, but he's protected the back side of DeNarius McGhee, Jake Bleskin and Dakota Prukop relentlessly for the past 38 games. Weidenaar's height (6-7) and long arms make him a formidable pass blocker, and while he's worked ferociously at gaining strength and size during his career, he's sacrificed working on his family's potato farm this summer to make football his sole focus. Weidenaar enters the season as a likely preseason All-Big Sky selection and his 38 career and consecutive starts are 10 from the top of the MSU start in each category.
Total Starts
Starts Player, Pos. Years
1. 48 DeNarius McGhee, QB 2010-13
1. 48 Brent Swaggert, OT 2000-03
1. 48 Jon Montoya, DE 2000-03
4. 47 Jody Owens, LB 2009-12
4. 47 Kane Ioane, SS 2000-03
6. 46 Darius Jones, CB 2009-12
7. 45 Deonte Flowers, CB 2011-14
8. 44 Everett Gilbert, WR 2009-12
9. 43 Travis Lulay, QB 2002-05
9. 43 Peder Jensen, OT 2004-07
38 John Weidenaar, OT 2012-present
Consecutive Starts
Starts Player, Pos. Years
1. 48 Brent Swaggert, OT 2000-03
1. 48 Jon Montoya, DE 2000-03
3. 47 Kane Ioane, SS 2000-03
3. 47 Jody Owens, LB 2009-12
5. 43 DeNarius McGhee, QB 2010-13
5. 43 Travis Lulay, QB 2002-05
38 John Weidenaar, OT 2012-present
Spotlight Player: Montana State's 7-4 1993 season was the only winning campaign in the program between 1984 and 1996, and there are a lot of pretty good reasons for it. Running backs Fred Moore and Clint Morton ran wild, Brock Spencer emerged as a productive quarterback, Sean Hill and Morgan Ryan combined one of the best defensive back duos in Division I-AA. One element that might not make many lists but should is the play of Jim Michalczik's offensive line. And the man in the middle of that effort was First Team All-Big Sky center Tim Hanson. Known for his ebullient, infectious personality, Hanson played defensive line as a freshman but by 1991 the Spokane product proved his value across the line of scrimmage by playing every O-line position. Cliff Hysell plugged Hanson in at center upon arriving at MSU in 1992, and Hanson's two-year run at that position was stellar. The Rogers high product became known in later years for his skydiving, which landed him at midfield of Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula several times – often wearing his Bobcat gear!
Through the Years: Ed Ritt (1954-55), Bob Allen (1960), Dick Vollmer (1961), Dave Kenworthy (1963-64), Dan Duff (1965-67), Jerry McCormick (1968), Walt Kelly (1969-71), Joe Johnson (1972-74), Bill Hansen (1975-77), Larry Rubens (1978), John Janosko (1979), Brent Mackie (1980), Robb Fellows (1981-84), Rick Hilder (1985-86), Andy Holmlund (1987), Jon Skelton (1988-90), Tim Hanson (1991-93), Brawn Lausen (1994-95), Quinn Taylor (1996), Max Seppi (1997), Charles Joe (1999), Bo Espinoza (2000-01), Travis Nellermoe (2003-04), Michael Rogers (2005), Josh Peterson (2006-07), Andrew Verlanic (2008), Shonquille Dorsey (2009-10), John Weidenaar (2012-)
Players Mentioned
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OL
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