BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 80 Days until Bobcat Football Returns
6/11/2018 5:04:00 PM | Football
Clint Bryan was an electric receiver for the Cats in the early '90s
June 11: Bobcats by the Numbers takes a look at current and past Bobcats that 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.
#80
Curtis Amos, Jr.: Curtis Amos Jr. enters his senior season as part of a group of tight ends that fill specific roles within the Bobcat offense. Amos is the 'move' tight end, a player capable of transitioning from a motion or shift into a physical blocker that springs backs into the defensive secondary. He is also a capable pass-catcher who moves well in the pass game. He has five catches as a Bobcat, a number likely to go up this fall.
Spotlight: By the time the 1993 season rolled around, Clint Bryan – playing in jersey number 80 for the first time after three seasons in #25 - had been through plenty during his career as a Bobcat. Recruited to MSU in 1989 as a fleet-footed H-back in tailback in Earle Solomonson's veer offense, he quickly nailed down a starter's job at H-back in the hybrid spread approach Bart Andrus brought to Bozeman as Solomonson's offensive coordinator one year later, catching 34 passes. He caught 33 more passes as a junior in 1991, and by that point in his career had amassed 738 receiving yards. A knee injury shelved him in 1992, Cliff Hysell's first season at MSU, but Bryan returned as a receiver in '93. He caught a dozen passes for 265 yards and a TD as a senior during MSU's turnaround 7-4 campaign. Bryan eventually completed his chiropractic degree an returned to the Gallatin Valley, where he maintains a practice in Belgrade.
Chronology: Brad Lowell (1956), Del Layman (1957), Bill Townsend (1959), Dan Greer (1960-61), Bob Haines (1962), Doug Boyd (1963-66), Robin Stiff (1967-68), Mike Begley (1969), Hans Pidino (1970), Steve Harris (1971), Ron McCullough (1974-77), Wade Abel )1978), Bill Walker (1979), Ron Torchia (1980), Paul Williamson (1983), Pat Bergman (1984-88), Mark Crews (1990-91), Chris Clark (1992), Clint Bryan (1993), Brent Ludwig (1996), Brian Lutz (1997), Brandon Brooks (1999-2000), Brandon Bassett (2001-02), Kellen Alley (2003-04), Derek Green (2005-08), Jordan Rorich (2009), Tiai Salanoa (2011-14), Curtis Amos (2015-)
Bonus Note for #80: The subject of yesterday's spotlight, Bill Cords, was involved in a notable play involving the number 80 during his senior season of 1962. Cords caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in MSU's 21-20 win over Fresno State. It was one of the longest plays by an NCAA member school that season, but was only the third-longest play by the Bobcats – Bill Mulcahy ran a punt back 85 yards for a TD, and quarterback Ken Christison also teamed with Russ Powers for an 80-yard scoring strike… another star tight end, Tiai Salanoa's career at Montana State was nothing short of brilliant. The team captain as a senior in 2014 earned First Team All-Big Sky honors that season after landing second team kudos as a junior. Now a coach at Ventura College in his native southern California, T, as he was known, caught 61 passes for nearly 600 yards during his career, excelling at all the skills his position demanded. But he will always be remembered at MSU for his quick smile, endearing swagger, and a piercing sense of humor.
#80
Curtis Amos, Jr.: Curtis Amos Jr. enters his senior season as part of a group of tight ends that fill specific roles within the Bobcat offense. Amos is the 'move' tight end, a player capable of transitioning from a motion or shift into a physical blocker that springs backs into the defensive secondary. He is also a capable pass-catcher who moves well in the pass game. He has five catches as a Bobcat, a number likely to go up this fall.
Spotlight: By the time the 1993 season rolled around, Clint Bryan – playing in jersey number 80 for the first time after three seasons in #25 - had been through plenty during his career as a Bobcat. Recruited to MSU in 1989 as a fleet-footed H-back in tailback in Earle Solomonson's veer offense, he quickly nailed down a starter's job at H-back in the hybrid spread approach Bart Andrus brought to Bozeman as Solomonson's offensive coordinator one year later, catching 34 passes. He caught 33 more passes as a junior in 1991, and by that point in his career had amassed 738 receiving yards. A knee injury shelved him in 1992, Cliff Hysell's first season at MSU, but Bryan returned as a receiver in '93. He caught a dozen passes for 265 yards and a TD as a senior during MSU's turnaround 7-4 campaign. Bryan eventually completed his chiropractic degree an returned to the Gallatin Valley, where he maintains a practice in Belgrade.
Chronology: Brad Lowell (1956), Del Layman (1957), Bill Townsend (1959), Dan Greer (1960-61), Bob Haines (1962), Doug Boyd (1963-66), Robin Stiff (1967-68), Mike Begley (1969), Hans Pidino (1970), Steve Harris (1971), Ron McCullough (1974-77), Wade Abel )1978), Bill Walker (1979), Ron Torchia (1980), Paul Williamson (1983), Pat Bergman (1984-88), Mark Crews (1990-91), Chris Clark (1992), Clint Bryan (1993), Brent Ludwig (1996), Brian Lutz (1997), Brandon Brooks (1999-2000), Brandon Bassett (2001-02), Kellen Alley (2003-04), Derek Green (2005-08), Jordan Rorich (2009), Tiai Salanoa (2011-14), Curtis Amos (2015-)
Bonus Note for #80: The subject of yesterday's spotlight, Bill Cords, was involved in a notable play involving the number 80 during his senior season of 1962. Cords caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in MSU's 21-20 win over Fresno State. It was one of the longest plays by an NCAA member school that season, but was only the third-longest play by the Bobcats – Bill Mulcahy ran a punt back 85 yards for a TD, and quarterback Ken Christison also teamed with Russ Powers for an 80-yard scoring strike… another star tight end, Tiai Salanoa's career at Montana State was nothing short of brilliant. The team captain as a senior in 2014 earned First Team All-Big Sky honors that season after landing second team kudos as a junior. Now a coach at Ventura College in his native southern California, T, as he was known, caught 61 passes for nearly 600 yards during his career, excelling at all the skills his position demanded. But he will always be remembered at MSU for his quick smile, endearing swagger, and a piercing sense of humor.
Players Mentioned
TE
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