BOBCAT FOOTBALL IN THE 2010s: The Quarterbacks and Specialists

Like DeNarius McGhee at the start of the decade, Troy Andersen earned All-America honors at quarterback

Photo by: Garrett Becker

BOBCAT FOOTBALL IN THE 2010s: The Quarterbacks and Specialists

1/1/2020 12:41:00 PM | Football

Montana State's quarterback and kickers at the start of the decade set the bar pretty high...

By: Bill Lamberty

Rather than ranking the top Bobcat football players, games, and other moments from the decade that's coming to a close, let's take a look back position group by position group, and all that the 2010s brought Bobcat fans. It was quite a decade!

QUARTERBACKS
The whispers began in the late summer of 2009, a bunch of freshmen scout players that the varsity had a difficult time handling. They grew louder throughout the season, and by the spring of 2010 everyone deeply interested in Bobcat football knew about a couple of in-state redshirts, receiver Tanner Bleskin from Great Falls and running back Cody Kirk of Frenchtown. But the player that drew the most interest was a precocious quarterback from Texas.

DeNarius McGhee came to MSU in a historic wave of talent that was mined by assistant coach Justin Gaines, and by August of 2010 he had won the starting quarterback job. And he never looked back. McGhee won two Big Sky MVP awards and set a fair share of the program's passing records. He led MSU to three Big Sky titles, and only an injury during his senior season hampered his efforts for an unprecedented (by MSU standards) fourth title. He became the 14^th player in college football history to throw for over10,000 yards while rushing for over 1,000, and his place in the pantheon of Bobcat stars is unquestionable.

But the list of brilliant play by Bobcat quarterbacks in the decade doesn't end with McGhee. Dakota Prukop earned All-America honors in 2015 as a dynamic dual-threat quarterback before moving to Oregon in 2016 as a graduate transfer. Prukop rushed for over 1,700 yards and threw for more than 5,500 in his two seasons as MSU's starter. Prukop's exit led to Chris Murray's eventual emergence in the fall of 2016. The mercurial Murray rushed for 860 yards and threw for 778 as a true freshman, earning Big Sky Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-America honors. The next year he rushed for 1,124 yards and threw for 1,597, accounting for 25 touchdowns and earning Sophomore All-America honors. But when academic ineligibility closed the book on Murray's Bobcat career it opened the door for another brilliant athlete. Troy Andersen led the Cats back to the FCS Playoffs as a sophomore in 2018, again giving MSU a 1,000-yard rusher at quarterback (1,412). He bulldozed his way to 21 rushing touchdowns that season, earning 3^rd Team All-America honors. And when Andersen moved to linebacker in 2019, Tucker Rovig eventually grabbed the job and evolved into signal caller that led the Cats to 11 wins.

Here is a look at Montana State's quarterbacks during the 2010s…

PRIMARY STARTERS (Those who started the most games at a position for each season from 2010-19)
QUARTERBACK: DeNarius McGhee (2010-13), Dakota Prukop (2014-15), Chris Murray (2016-17), Troy Andersen (2018), Tucker Rovig (2019)

BIG SKY HONORS: DeNarius McGhee – Big Sky Offensive MVP/Newcomer of Year, 2010; DeNarius McGhee – Big Sky Offensive MVP, 2012; Chris Murray – Big Sky Freshman of the Year, 2016.
ALL-AMERICA: DeNarius McGhee (1^st Team, 2012), Dakota Prukop (1^st Team AP, 2015), Troy Andersen (3^rd Team All-Purpose, 2018).
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG SKY: DeNarius McGhee (2010, '12), Troy Andersen (2018).
QUARTERBACKS COACHES: Brian Wright (2010-11), Kevin McGiven (2012), Tim Cramsey (2013-15), Courtney Messingham (2016), DeNarius McGhee (2017), Bob Cole/Matt Miller (2018), Matt Miller (2019)

SPECIALISTS
Jason Cunningham, Montana State's kicker from 2008-11, recorded one of the finest careers in Bobcat history. His 69 career field goals is far and away the most in school history, and he also holds school records for the most consecutive kicks made (14), and the most of 50 yards or more in a career (six). He made five field goals against Eastern Washington in 2011, including two of longer than 50 yards, to spur MSU's 36-21 win.

Here is a look at Montana State's kicking game specialists during the 2010s…

PRIMARY STARTERS (Those who started the most games at a position for each season from 2010-19)
KICKER: Jason Cunningham (2010-11), Rory Perez (2012-13), Luke Daly (2014-15), Gabe Peppenger (2016-17), Tristan Bailey (2018-19)
PUNTER: Rory Perez (2010-13), Trevor Bolton (2014-15), Jered Padmos (2016-19)
SNAPPER: Nate Bignell (2012-13), Austin Barth (2013-15), Rocky Hogue (2014-17), Logan MacDonald (2018-19), Kyle Finch (2018-19)
PRIMARY RETURNERS: Everett Gilbert (2010-12), Elvis Akpla (2010-11), Shawn Johnson (2011-14), Gunnar Brekke (2014-15), Mitch Griebel (2015), Logan Jones (2015-19), Kevin Kassis (2016-18), Tyrell Burgess (2017), Jahque Alleyne (2018-19), Coy Steel (2019)

ALL-AMERICA: K Jason Cunningham (1^st Team, 2010), RS Shawn Johnson (3^rd Team, 2013).
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG SKY: K Jason Cunningham (2010), RS Shawn Johnson (2013), ST Chad Newell (2014).
SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR: Erik Link (2011-12), Daniel DaPrato (2013-15), BJ Robertson (2016-19).