BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 2 Days Left! Let's Talk About a Couple of CBs in #2 that Helped Beat the Grizzlies!!
8/28/2018 4:07:00 PM | Football
Joey Thomas helped beat the Grizzlies a couple times as a CB in #2, Tyrel Thomas did it in 2017
August 28: 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!
#2
Tyler Natee, RB: The first thought for most Bobcat fans after learning about Tyler Natee's transfer to Montana State last winter was probably a quiet prayer of thanks for the presence of another Euless Trinity product on the Bozeman campus. DeNarius McGhee, Tray Robinson, Na'a Moekiola… there are plenty of reasons for Cat fans to love Trinity. The second was likely a double-take at the listed playing weight of 260 lbs. And the third had to be, did that dude really play quarterback in high school? He did, as an option quarterback who ran the entire offense and not just a slimmed-down wildcat scheme, so he has the sense and savvy that comes with that background. A productive season in the Big 10, followed by a redshirt campaign at Indiana (he was honorable mention on the All-Big 10 Freshman Team in 2016), give him a level of maturity and experience that can only benefit the Bobcat offense. And also, his nickname is Big Bacon. Seriously. How could you want more?
Tyrel Thomas, CB: The last memory of Montana State's 2017 season will forever be Tyrel Thomas reaching around a Grizzly receiver to knock away a pass that ended Montana State's 31-23 win over Montana. That capped an up-and-down season for Thomas, who started three mid-season games but also lost a chunk of the season to injuries. But his season was mostly up. He showed signs of brilliance, and always seemed up to the rigors of defending Big Sky passing attacks. He is part of a talented young secondary that will be one of the truly fun and interesting things to watch as 2018 unfolds.
Spotlight – Joey Thomas, CB: A confident young cornerback named Thomas wearing #2 in the Blue and Gold? Sign BBTN up for that guy any time. Tyrel Thomas fits that mold, and so did Joey Thomas, one of the program's true stars and personalities 15 years ago. Thomas was among the players who helped Mike Kramer transform the MSU program from one which at best treaded water after the 1984 National Championship to a championship-caliber operation. Joey Thomas began his career at Washington, but never made it to his first season, transferring to MSU in the summer of 2000. The Seattle product broke the Bobcat starting lineup as a true freshman, and by 2001 was a First Team All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America choice. He led the Cats In 2002 he missed all of five games and parts of two others with a knee injury. Famously, he began MSU's home loss to Central Washington in the coach's booth in the press box before suiting up at halftime and trying to save the squad from defeat. Thomas' most memorable moment of 2002, maybe of his career, came in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Presented the opportunity to end MSU's long losing streak to their in-state rivals, Thomas was a key cog as the Cats suffocated Montana's offense. And just to prove his point, he also blocked a field goal to preserve the stunning, exhilarating, championship-clinching, program-changing victory. Thomas finished his career in 2003 as a First Team All-Big Sky corner, picking off a pass and breaking up another in MSU's second straight win over the Grizzlies. And Thomas' contributions to the Bobcat program didn't end with his playing days. An accomplished high school coach in Seattle, two of Joey's proteges – Davine Tullis and Mekhi Metcalf – are on MSU's current roster. Ironically, they're both receivers. No word on whether he made the lives of receivers who played for him as miserable as he did of those who lined up across from him.
Chronology: Jim Ario (1926), Kenneth Dyer (1930), Frank Dyer (1931), Tenney Babcock (1932), Dick Purdam (1934), Arnold Berglund (1937), Tommy White (1982-85), Craig Walle (1986), Joe Sternhagen (1987), Dereck Didrikson (1988-89), Clarence McKinney (1990), Matt Huffield (1991-92), Fred Moore (1993-94), Marquez Lewis (1995), Duncan McLean (1996-99), Phil Davey (2000), Joey Thomas (2001-03), Luke Holden (2004), Chris Davis (2005), David Taylor (2007-08), Elvis Akpla (2009), Chris Wilson (2010), Na'a Moeakiola (2011-14), Jake Bleskin (2011-15), Shiloh LaBoy (2015-16), Gunnar Brekke (2016), Jake Roper (2017), Tyrel Thomas (2017-), Tyler Natee (2018-)
Other #2 Notes: The phrase 'impact player' is thrown around in the sports world, but in 1993 Fred Moore was truly an impact player for the Cats. Originally recruited by Fresno State, when that fell through Moore ended up at MSU late enough in the off-season that he wasn't on the team's preseason roster or depth chart. By the season opener against nationally-ranked Western Illinois Moore had vaulted himself into a premium role. His impact was immediate. Moore gained 182 yards on 32 carries, the best debut by a Bobcat back on record, and never really looked back. He finished the season with 1,005 yards, become the program's first 1,000-yard rushing in six seasons. Moore combined with Clint Morton to form an exceptional one-two punch at running back, and powered the Cats to a 7-4 record, which was its first winning season since the 1984 National Championship.
#2
Tyler Natee, RB: The first thought for most Bobcat fans after learning about Tyler Natee's transfer to Montana State last winter was probably a quiet prayer of thanks for the presence of another Euless Trinity product on the Bozeman campus. DeNarius McGhee, Tray Robinson, Na'a Moekiola… there are plenty of reasons for Cat fans to love Trinity. The second was likely a double-take at the listed playing weight of 260 lbs. And the third had to be, did that dude really play quarterback in high school? He did, as an option quarterback who ran the entire offense and not just a slimmed-down wildcat scheme, so he has the sense and savvy that comes with that background. A productive season in the Big 10, followed by a redshirt campaign at Indiana (he was honorable mention on the All-Big 10 Freshman Team in 2016), give him a level of maturity and experience that can only benefit the Bobcat offense. And also, his nickname is Big Bacon. Seriously. How could you want more?
Tyrel Thomas, CB: The last memory of Montana State's 2017 season will forever be Tyrel Thomas reaching around a Grizzly receiver to knock away a pass that ended Montana State's 31-23 win over Montana. That capped an up-and-down season for Thomas, who started three mid-season games but also lost a chunk of the season to injuries. But his season was mostly up. He showed signs of brilliance, and always seemed up to the rigors of defending Big Sky passing attacks. He is part of a talented young secondary that will be one of the truly fun and interesting things to watch as 2018 unfolds.
Spotlight – Joey Thomas, CB: A confident young cornerback named Thomas wearing #2 in the Blue and Gold? Sign BBTN up for that guy any time. Tyrel Thomas fits that mold, and so did Joey Thomas, one of the program's true stars and personalities 15 years ago. Thomas was among the players who helped Mike Kramer transform the MSU program from one which at best treaded water after the 1984 National Championship to a championship-caliber operation. Joey Thomas began his career at Washington, but never made it to his first season, transferring to MSU in the summer of 2000. The Seattle product broke the Bobcat starting lineup as a true freshman, and by 2001 was a First Team All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America choice. He led the Cats In 2002 he missed all of five games and parts of two others with a knee injury. Famously, he began MSU's home loss to Central Washington in the coach's booth in the press box before suiting up at halftime and trying to save the squad from defeat. Thomas' most memorable moment of 2002, maybe of his career, came in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Presented the opportunity to end MSU's long losing streak to their in-state rivals, Thomas was a key cog as the Cats suffocated Montana's offense. And just to prove his point, he also blocked a field goal to preserve the stunning, exhilarating, championship-clinching, program-changing victory. Thomas finished his career in 2003 as a First Team All-Big Sky corner, picking off a pass and breaking up another in MSU's second straight win over the Grizzlies. And Thomas' contributions to the Bobcat program didn't end with his playing days. An accomplished high school coach in Seattle, two of Joey's proteges – Davine Tullis and Mekhi Metcalf – are on MSU's current roster. Ironically, they're both receivers. No word on whether he made the lives of receivers who played for him as miserable as he did of those who lined up across from him.
Chronology: Jim Ario (1926), Kenneth Dyer (1930), Frank Dyer (1931), Tenney Babcock (1932), Dick Purdam (1934), Arnold Berglund (1937), Tommy White (1982-85), Craig Walle (1986), Joe Sternhagen (1987), Dereck Didrikson (1988-89), Clarence McKinney (1990), Matt Huffield (1991-92), Fred Moore (1993-94), Marquez Lewis (1995), Duncan McLean (1996-99), Phil Davey (2000), Joey Thomas (2001-03), Luke Holden (2004), Chris Davis (2005), David Taylor (2007-08), Elvis Akpla (2009), Chris Wilson (2010), Na'a Moeakiola (2011-14), Jake Bleskin (2011-15), Shiloh LaBoy (2015-16), Gunnar Brekke (2016), Jake Roper (2017), Tyrel Thomas (2017-), Tyler Natee (2018-)
Other #2 Notes: The phrase 'impact player' is thrown around in the sports world, but in 1993 Fred Moore was truly an impact player for the Cats. Originally recruited by Fresno State, when that fell through Moore ended up at MSU late enough in the off-season that he wasn't on the team's preseason roster or depth chart. By the season opener against nationally-ranked Western Illinois Moore had vaulted himself into a premium role. His impact was immediate. Moore gained 182 yards on 32 carries, the best debut by a Bobcat back on record, and never really looked back. He finished the season with 1,005 yards, become the program's first 1,000-yard rushing in six seasons. Moore combined with Clint Morton to form an exceptional one-two punch at running back, and powered the Cats to a 7-4 record, which was its first winning season since the 1984 National Championship.
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