BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: In 79 Days, Bobcat Football is Back!
6/12/2018 12:05:00 PM | Football
Teammates are forever, and if you don't believe that check out the Decrepit Bobcats
June 12: 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.
#79
Donny Long, OL: During the college football recruiting process there are various ways to gauge the success of a program's signing class. There are the experts and analysts, of course, and factors fans can glean on their own, like stats and with the right internet access game film. Coaches provide official quotes, which as you'd expect are unfailingly positive, and it's often possible to find comments from assistant coaches and others more closely tied to the players. Then there are whispers, quiet internal comments that aren't necessarily important except for which new players are generating those private comments. Donny Long generated some whispers, a player that Pac 12 schools showed some interest in last year after he's already committed to MSU. Long could compete for time this season on the interior of the offensive line for the Cats, his strength and explosiveness standing out.
Spotlight: If you hang around Montana State football long enough you'll hear about a nearly-mythical group of guys called The Decrepit Bobcats. This is a group of players, mostly from the '60s, who get together every year, usually in the Flathead, and laugh about old times, and each other, and toast their members who are no longer around, tell a few stories, some of which are undoubtedly true. Kayo Trepanier is one of the ringleaders of this group, a junior college transfer in 1966 who wore #79 on the first two of three straight Montana State Big Sky title teams. He was a part-time starter after transferring in 1966 from Yakima Junior College, and a year later earned All-Big Sky Conference honors. More than a terrific player on multiple championship-winning teams, Trepanier and his friends are testimony to what's great about college athletics. Teammates are forever. Regardless the era, regardless the sport, that is always true. But nothing forms that bond more strongly than success, and nothing preserves the concept more strongly than a program of great tradition. Those Decrepit Bobcats enjoyed great success, and the Montana State teams from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s enjoyed a run of greatness – including three National Championships – rare in college football. That they celebrate their friendship, their teams and their school is a wonderful thing.
Chronology: Chuck Klunder (1956), Kayo Trepanier (1966-67), Kerry Pickett (1970), Wally Bailey (1971), Jim Boyle (1972-74), Mark Sullivan (1975), John Beach (1976), Jay Jackman (1977-80), Tate Kopp (1982), Tim Northway (1983-84), Robert Kowalski (1985-87), Mike Burns (1988-89), Dave Dukart (1992), James Hoskins (1993), Justin Marthaller (1994-96), Josh Leigh (1998-2000), Kimball Bowden (2001-02), Adam DeCock (2003-06), Michael Erickson (2007-09), Quinn Catalano (2010-14), Chris Robinson (2015), Wilson Brott (2016-17), Donny Long (2018-)
#79
Donny Long, OL: During the college football recruiting process there are various ways to gauge the success of a program's signing class. There are the experts and analysts, of course, and factors fans can glean on their own, like stats and with the right internet access game film. Coaches provide official quotes, which as you'd expect are unfailingly positive, and it's often possible to find comments from assistant coaches and others more closely tied to the players. Then there are whispers, quiet internal comments that aren't necessarily important except for which new players are generating those private comments. Donny Long generated some whispers, a player that Pac 12 schools showed some interest in last year after he's already committed to MSU. Long could compete for time this season on the interior of the offensive line for the Cats, his strength and explosiveness standing out.
Spotlight: If you hang around Montana State football long enough you'll hear about a nearly-mythical group of guys called The Decrepit Bobcats. This is a group of players, mostly from the '60s, who get together every year, usually in the Flathead, and laugh about old times, and each other, and toast their members who are no longer around, tell a few stories, some of which are undoubtedly true. Kayo Trepanier is one of the ringleaders of this group, a junior college transfer in 1966 who wore #79 on the first two of three straight Montana State Big Sky title teams. He was a part-time starter after transferring in 1966 from Yakima Junior College, and a year later earned All-Big Sky Conference honors. More than a terrific player on multiple championship-winning teams, Trepanier and his friends are testimony to what's great about college athletics. Teammates are forever. Regardless the era, regardless the sport, that is always true. But nothing forms that bond more strongly than success, and nothing preserves the concept more strongly than a program of great tradition. Those Decrepit Bobcats enjoyed great success, and the Montana State teams from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s enjoyed a run of greatness – including three National Championships – rare in college football. That they celebrate their friendship, their teams and their school is a wonderful thing.
Chronology: Chuck Klunder (1956), Kayo Trepanier (1966-67), Kerry Pickett (1970), Wally Bailey (1971), Jim Boyle (1972-74), Mark Sullivan (1975), John Beach (1976), Jay Jackman (1977-80), Tate Kopp (1982), Tim Northway (1983-84), Robert Kowalski (1985-87), Mike Burns (1988-89), Dave Dukart (1992), James Hoskins (1993), Justin Marthaller (1994-96), Josh Leigh (1998-2000), Kimball Bowden (2001-02), Adam DeCock (2003-06), Michael Erickson (2007-09), Quinn Catalano (2010-14), Chris Robinson (2015), Wilson Brott (2016-17), Donny Long (2018-)
Players Mentioned
TE
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