BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 13 Days Remain Until MSU Hosts Western Illinois
8/17/2018 1:23:00 PM | Football
Today we look at a former star cornerback, and a possible star of the future
August 17: 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.
#13
Karl Tucker II, RB: Sometimes it takes a while for a football player to find the combination of good timing and good luck in landing at the most appropriate position for his ability. That may be the case with Karl Tucker, who came to MSU as a receiver but has impressed since moving to running back in the spring. A physical, hard-working football player, Tucker has taken to the pass protection element of his new position, and is good with the ball in his hands. Good health could boost him to an excellent junior season in 2018.
Ty'Rese Gibson, CB: The stories about The Twins emanate from the Bobcat program almost daily – the ability of Ty'Rese and Ty'Rhae Gibson, their almost-constant bickering (they're twins, after all), their physical skill. But the fact of the matter is that Ty'Rese is part of a wave of incoming talent on the edge of the Bobcat defense that could present the MSU coaching staff the opportunity to play a completely different style of football as this season passes. Gibson and the Gibson's and Greg Filer and others could emerge as MSU's best cover corners since…
Spotlight – Darius Jones: The story circulated, possibly apocryphal but probably not, that a young freshman was disinterested at the beginning of his redshirt season to the point of falling asleep in team meetings. The resolution was the promote Darius Jones to the active roster early in September, and Jones responded by breaking up four passes and recovering a fumble. He jumped into the starting lineup late that season and never left. He was Second Team All-Big Sky twice, and intercepted four passes his senior season. He picked off a pass that boosted MSU to the win over New Hampshire in 2011. He finished with five career picks, it's not a stretch to say he was one of Montana State's most talented corners in at least the last quarter-century, and he was a pleasure to have in the program.
Chronology: Arthur Olson (1927), William Anderson (1930), Fred Mills (1930), Herbert Dowell (1931), Bob O'Brien (1934), Cliff Norris (1937), Kelly Sherwin (1983-87), Craig Vest (1988), Antonio Anderson (1989), Brandon Page (1990), Shannon Collins (1991), Mark Grimmer (1992), Jeff Alexander (1993-97), Arie Grey (1998-00), Junior Adams (2001-02), Kory Austin (2003-07), Darius Jones (2009-12), Mitch Griebel (2013-15), Karl Tucker II (2016-), Ty'Rese Gibson (2018-)
Other #13 Notes: It is hard to imagine a jersey number randomly generating a longer stretch of really good players than #13 has at Montana State. For a quarter-century, since Jeff Alexander first pulled that number over the shoulder pads the Cats have fielded an all-conference caliber player. He and Arie Grey were both all-league gype guys, Junior Adams was an All-America, Kory Austin was a terrific player, Darius Jones was all-conference and at the same time underrated, Mitch Griebel was all-league caliber, and Karl Tucker has that ability, and early returns on Ty'Rese Gibson are positive. That's a pretty impressive run of talented dudes.
#13
Karl Tucker II, RB: Sometimes it takes a while for a football player to find the combination of good timing and good luck in landing at the most appropriate position for his ability. That may be the case with Karl Tucker, who came to MSU as a receiver but has impressed since moving to running back in the spring. A physical, hard-working football player, Tucker has taken to the pass protection element of his new position, and is good with the ball in his hands. Good health could boost him to an excellent junior season in 2018.
Ty'Rese Gibson, CB: The stories about The Twins emanate from the Bobcat program almost daily – the ability of Ty'Rese and Ty'Rhae Gibson, their almost-constant bickering (they're twins, after all), their physical skill. But the fact of the matter is that Ty'Rese is part of a wave of incoming talent on the edge of the Bobcat defense that could present the MSU coaching staff the opportunity to play a completely different style of football as this season passes. Gibson and the Gibson's and Greg Filer and others could emerge as MSU's best cover corners since…
Spotlight – Darius Jones: The story circulated, possibly apocryphal but probably not, that a young freshman was disinterested at the beginning of his redshirt season to the point of falling asleep in team meetings. The resolution was the promote Darius Jones to the active roster early in September, and Jones responded by breaking up four passes and recovering a fumble. He jumped into the starting lineup late that season and never left. He was Second Team All-Big Sky twice, and intercepted four passes his senior season. He picked off a pass that boosted MSU to the win over New Hampshire in 2011. He finished with five career picks, it's not a stretch to say he was one of Montana State's most talented corners in at least the last quarter-century, and he was a pleasure to have in the program.
Chronology: Arthur Olson (1927), William Anderson (1930), Fred Mills (1930), Herbert Dowell (1931), Bob O'Brien (1934), Cliff Norris (1937), Kelly Sherwin (1983-87), Craig Vest (1988), Antonio Anderson (1989), Brandon Page (1990), Shannon Collins (1991), Mark Grimmer (1992), Jeff Alexander (1993-97), Arie Grey (1998-00), Junior Adams (2001-02), Kory Austin (2003-07), Darius Jones (2009-12), Mitch Griebel (2013-15), Karl Tucker II (2016-), Ty'Rese Gibson (2018-)
Other #13 Notes: It is hard to imagine a jersey number randomly generating a longer stretch of really good players than #13 has at Montana State. For a quarter-century, since Jeff Alexander first pulled that number over the shoulder pads the Cats have fielded an all-conference caliber player. He and Arie Grey were both all-league gype guys, Junior Adams was an All-America, Kory Austin was a terrific player, Darius Jones was all-conference and at the same time underrated, Mitch Griebel was all-league caliber, and Karl Tucker has that ability, and early returns on Ty'Rese Gibson are positive. That's a pretty impressive run of talented dudes.
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