BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: With 41 Days Left Until Kickoff, Grant Collins is Poised for a Sensational Senior Season
7/20/2018 12:23:00 PM | Football
July 20: Bobcats 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.
#41
Grant Collins, DL: The what-ifs from Grant Collins' 2017 season loom large. Collins was injured during the team's sixth game after the best half-season of his three as a Bobcat starter, moving between the Buck and Mike positions. His 11 tackles against Weber State was the second-most of his career. Collins' injury removed one of the defense's most productive playmakers, and tossed the Buck position into a bit of a rotating cast. Collins missed most of the spring, but participated in summer workouts in full health and appears ready to return to form. He likely rejoins the defense as its starter at Mike. Collins had started all 28 of his games as a Bobcat before last season's injury.
Spotlight – Matt Engelking: Positive feelings surrounded Montana State's run game entering the 1995 season, but anyone who says now that they saw Matt Engelking's meteoric starburst coming would be engaging in revisionist history. A third-year tailback from northern Colorado, Engelking had all of 13 career carries to his name when his junior season dawned, having spent his career behind the exceptional duo of Fred Moore and Clint Morton. By the time he was finished he'd gained 2,462 yards in his career, fourth-most in Bobcat history to that point, and he had posted two of the school's top seven single seasons in that category. Engelking was not a flashy runner, didn't have game-breaking speed, and wasn't the prototypical power back. But, he brilliantly blended all three of those elements, fusing a broad skill set with the kind of assets – intelligence, vision, running hard – that don't really show up except in games. Running behind a veteran offensive line and benefitting from fullback TT Ryan's blocking, Engelking showed an amazing knack for hitting holes at the right time, utilizing a burst that coaches often describe as 'football speed.' Matt Engelking was a quiet kid, but his grin always gave the impression he knew more than he was letting on. Watching Engelking was a pleasure, and analyzing how his particular skills and savvy played out was a window into understanding the offensive system that Dave Telford and Jim McElwain built for Cliff Hysell.
Chronology: Earl Gregory (1926), George Alquist (1940), Art Dougan (1941), Mark Hampton (1946), John Mora (1947-49), Tom Bleakly (1950), Vic Berra (1953-54), Jim Corder (1955), Loren Sax (1956), Dick Posewitz (1957), Chuck Bovan (1958), Harry Stagnito (1959), Harry Stagnito (1960), Terry Meo (1962-63), Dale Jackson (1965-66), Don Duntsch (1968-70), Sam McCullum (1971-73), Dave Stengel (1974), Ron Muri (1975-78), Mark Sansaver (1979-81), Jeff Effland (1982), Mark Harwood (1983-86), Steve Haugeberg (1987-88), Jeremy Wicht (1989-92), Matt Engelking (1993-96), AJ Stoneburner (1999-2000), Jason Guerrero (2001), Isaac Gardner (2002), Jeff Galloway (2003), Shane Cavallini (2004), Tom Adolfae (2005), Will Claggett (2006-07), Zach Coleman (2008), Na'a Moeakiola (2010), Brad Daly (2009, 2011-13), Grant Collins (2014-)
Bonus #41 – Earl "Pop" Gregory: Pop Gregory, was a star as Montana State fought to relevance in the mid-1920s after a dormant decade. The Bobcats' 5-4 record in 1923, Gregory's freshman season, was the program's first over .500 since 1915. The Cats finished with a winning record in each of Gregory's four seasons, and as a senior in 1926 the Lewistown product served as team captain. Gregory also offers some insight into one of the truly significant aspects of campus life on 'the hill' in the school's early years. He was inducted into Les Bouffons, a men's honorary of the top 10 upperclassmen who, late in the fall semester, dressed in costumes and acted out skits and pranks near Montana Hall. Membership was a mark of prestige, and it featured many well-respected athletes.
#41
Grant Collins, DL: The what-ifs from Grant Collins' 2017 season loom large. Collins was injured during the team's sixth game after the best half-season of his three as a Bobcat starter, moving between the Buck and Mike positions. His 11 tackles against Weber State was the second-most of his career. Collins' injury removed one of the defense's most productive playmakers, and tossed the Buck position into a bit of a rotating cast. Collins missed most of the spring, but participated in summer workouts in full health and appears ready to return to form. He likely rejoins the defense as its starter at Mike. Collins had started all 28 of his games as a Bobcat before last season's injury.
Spotlight – Matt Engelking: Positive feelings surrounded Montana State's run game entering the 1995 season, but anyone who says now that they saw Matt Engelking's meteoric starburst coming would be engaging in revisionist history. A third-year tailback from northern Colorado, Engelking had all of 13 career carries to his name when his junior season dawned, having spent his career behind the exceptional duo of Fred Moore and Clint Morton. By the time he was finished he'd gained 2,462 yards in his career, fourth-most in Bobcat history to that point, and he had posted two of the school's top seven single seasons in that category. Engelking was not a flashy runner, didn't have game-breaking speed, and wasn't the prototypical power back. But, he brilliantly blended all three of those elements, fusing a broad skill set with the kind of assets – intelligence, vision, running hard – that don't really show up except in games. Running behind a veteran offensive line and benefitting from fullback TT Ryan's blocking, Engelking showed an amazing knack for hitting holes at the right time, utilizing a burst that coaches often describe as 'football speed.' Matt Engelking was a quiet kid, but his grin always gave the impression he knew more than he was letting on. Watching Engelking was a pleasure, and analyzing how his particular skills and savvy played out was a window into understanding the offensive system that Dave Telford and Jim McElwain built for Cliff Hysell.
Chronology: Earl Gregory (1926), George Alquist (1940), Art Dougan (1941), Mark Hampton (1946), John Mora (1947-49), Tom Bleakly (1950), Vic Berra (1953-54), Jim Corder (1955), Loren Sax (1956), Dick Posewitz (1957), Chuck Bovan (1958), Harry Stagnito (1959), Harry Stagnito (1960), Terry Meo (1962-63), Dale Jackson (1965-66), Don Duntsch (1968-70), Sam McCullum (1971-73), Dave Stengel (1974), Ron Muri (1975-78), Mark Sansaver (1979-81), Jeff Effland (1982), Mark Harwood (1983-86), Steve Haugeberg (1987-88), Jeremy Wicht (1989-92), Matt Engelking (1993-96), AJ Stoneburner (1999-2000), Jason Guerrero (2001), Isaac Gardner (2002), Jeff Galloway (2003), Shane Cavallini (2004), Tom Adolfae (2005), Will Claggett (2006-07), Zach Coleman (2008), Na'a Moeakiola (2010), Brad Daly (2009, 2011-13), Grant Collins (2014-)
Bonus #41 – Earl "Pop" Gregory: Pop Gregory, was a star as Montana State fought to relevance in the mid-1920s after a dormant decade. The Bobcats' 5-4 record in 1923, Gregory's freshman season, was the program's first over .500 since 1915. The Cats finished with a winning record in each of Gregory's four seasons, and as a senior in 1926 the Lewistown product served as team captain. Gregory also offers some insight into one of the truly significant aspects of campus life on 'the hill' in the school's early years. He was inducted into Les Bouffons, a men's honorary of the top 10 upperclassmen who, late in the fall semester, dressed in costumes and acted out skits and pranks near Montana Hall. Membership was a mark of prestige, and it featured many well-respected athletes.
Players Mentioned
LB
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