BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 92 Days Until the Cats Play Football Again!
5/30/2018 3:36:00 PM | Football
Tucker Yates is a handful for opposing offensive lines
May 30: Bobcat by the Numbers takes a look at current and past Bobcats whose jersey numbers correspond to the number of days remaining before Montana State opens the 2018 football season against Western Illinois in Bobcat Stadium's annual Gold Rush game on August 30.
#92
Tucker Yates, NT: The long, curly locks, the wry smile, the easy laughter – Tucker Yates' exterior comfortably masks what makes him a 'War Daddy' in MSU defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak's parlance. His burning competitive motor pushed him through a couple of injury-marred seasons early in his career, and his relentlessness last fall drove him to 41 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, remarkable productivity for a nose tackle. He is a stout run defender, and befitting a former high school wrestling star – he was a three-time state champ, and may or may not still throw people around the mats in Colstrip during rare moments in his hometown – he draws double-teams and occupies opposing centers and guards. It isn't often Yates finds himself in headlines, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a player more respected by his coaches and teammates.
Spotlight: Devlan Geddes and teammates Chad Mayer and Scott Matthews were three of a kind. They were hard-working kids that came to Bobcat football in Cliff Hysell's first recruiting class as raw athletes. They survived the ups-and-downs of Cliff Hysell's early years as MSU's head coach, and left as part of a group that helped restore pride in the Bobcat football program. Those three also shared another distinction – they were the first captains selected on a season-long basis during the Hysell era. Geddes, who wore #92 with distinction, could pretty easily be the poster boy for the concept of student-athlete. He was an All-America and Academic All-America who patiently built the strength and explosiveness that would define his excellent play and brilliant legacy. Geddes' 22 career sacks was third-most in Bobcat history upon the completion of his career, and remains 10th on MSU's all-time list, and he returned to Bozeman for a career as a distinguished attorney.
Chronology: Mark Stromberg (1982), Tate Kopp (1983), Shane Quilling (1984), Shane Powell (1985-86), Ken Buss (1987), Scott Eaton (1988), Tim Hanson (1989-90), Terry Phelan (1991), Devlan Geddes (1992-96), Aaron Nava (1997), Nathan Schmidt (1999), Adam Cordeiro (2000-03), Daryl Rogers (2004-05), Kody Swartz (2006), Brad Smith (2007-10), Nate Bignell (2012-13), Tucker Yates (2014-)
Other 92 Notes: The big guy wearing #92 snagged the ball on a hop and headed toward paydirt. A dozen or so strides into his gallop toward Eastern Washington's end zone he noted that no one was really chasing him. The thought popped into Adam Cordeiro's mind that maybe the pass was incomplete and not a lateral, but he knew what he knew so he kept rolling. Several Eagles caught on and began the chase, but Cordeiro's head start was too big and he eventually crossed the goal line with what was ruled a 76-yard fumble return for touchdown that clinched a stunning Bobcat win. Honestly, that game was part of a string of five straight stunners for the Bobcats that gave MSU the 2002 Big Sky title. Cordeiro was a freakish athlete from Boulder, with a whimsical outlook on life. Asked during the 2002 and '03 seasons to move inside to tackle from his more natural defensive end position, he unselfishly made the transition while understanding exactly what it meant to his own station in life. And he remained a stud. Playing primarily end in 2002 he logged 10.5 tackles-for-loss, including 5.5 sacks. He recovered four fumbles and forced two. A year later playing defensive tackle his stats were essentially halved, but his impact resonated more strongly. MSU's defensive front of Cordeiro and Ray Sebestyen inside, flanked by Jon Montoya and Clive Lowe, was remarkable, with Cordeiro's presence inside creating pass rush opportunities that led to MSU's 43 sacks.
#92
Tucker Yates, NT: The long, curly locks, the wry smile, the easy laughter – Tucker Yates' exterior comfortably masks what makes him a 'War Daddy' in MSU defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak's parlance. His burning competitive motor pushed him through a couple of injury-marred seasons early in his career, and his relentlessness last fall drove him to 41 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, remarkable productivity for a nose tackle. He is a stout run defender, and befitting a former high school wrestling star – he was a three-time state champ, and may or may not still throw people around the mats in Colstrip during rare moments in his hometown – he draws double-teams and occupies opposing centers and guards. It isn't often Yates finds himself in headlines, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a player more respected by his coaches and teammates.
Spotlight: Devlan Geddes and teammates Chad Mayer and Scott Matthews were three of a kind. They were hard-working kids that came to Bobcat football in Cliff Hysell's first recruiting class as raw athletes. They survived the ups-and-downs of Cliff Hysell's early years as MSU's head coach, and left as part of a group that helped restore pride in the Bobcat football program. Those three also shared another distinction – they were the first captains selected on a season-long basis during the Hysell era. Geddes, who wore #92 with distinction, could pretty easily be the poster boy for the concept of student-athlete. He was an All-America and Academic All-America who patiently built the strength and explosiveness that would define his excellent play and brilliant legacy. Geddes' 22 career sacks was third-most in Bobcat history upon the completion of his career, and remains 10th on MSU's all-time list, and he returned to Bozeman for a career as a distinguished attorney.
Chronology: Mark Stromberg (1982), Tate Kopp (1983), Shane Quilling (1984), Shane Powell (1985-86), Ken Buss (1987), Scott Eaton (1988), Tim Hanson (1989-90), Terry Phelan (1991), Devlan Geddes (1992-96), Aaron Nava (1997), Nathan Schmidt (1999), Adam Cordeiro (2000-03), Daryl Rogers (2004-05), Kody Swartz (2006), Brad Smith (2007-10), Nate Bignell (2012-13), Tucker Yates (2014-)
Other 92 Notes: The big guy wearing #92 snagged the ball on a hop and headed toward paydirt. A dozen or so strides into his gallop toward Eastern Washington's end zone he noted that no one was really chasing him. The thought popped into Adam Cordeiro's mind that maybe the pass was incomplete and not a lateral, but he knew what he knew so he kept rolling. Several Eagles caught on and began the chase, but Cordeiro's head start was too big and he eventually crossed the goal line with what was ruled a 76-yard fumble return for touchdown that clinched a stunning Bobcat win. Honestly, that game was part of a string of five straight stunners for the Bobcats that gave MSU the 2002 Big Sky title. Cordeiro was a freakish athlete from Boulder, with a whimsical outlook on life. Asked during the 2002 and '03 seasons to move inside to tackle from his more natural defensive end position, he unselfishly made the transition while understanding exactly what it meant to his own station in life. And he remained a stud. Playing primarily end in 2002 he logged 10.5 tackles-for-loss, including 5.5 sacks. He recovered four fumbles and forced two. A year later playing defensive tackle his stats were essentially halved, but his impact resonated more strongly. MSU's defensive front of Cordeiro and Ray Sebestyen inside, flanked by Jon Montoya and Clive Lowe, was remarkable, with Cordeiro's presence inside creating pass rush opportunities that led to MSU's 43 sacks.
Players Mentioned
DT
/ FootballLeon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
