BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 65 Days Til Kickoff, and an Early 6-5 Season
6/27/2019 3:00:00 PM | Football
Justus Perkins arrives at MSU as a Bobcat legacy in #65
June 27: In addition to a quick look at players wearing the jersey number corresponding to the number of days remaining until Montana State's season opener at Texas Tech on August 31, Bobcats by the Numbers brings you another tidbit or two aligning with that number.
#65
Justus Perkins, OL: One of four Bobcat legacies on the 2019 MSU football roster, Justus Perkins enters his first season in the programs as a developmental interior lineman. Known as an intense, scrappy competitor during his days in Bozeman High's outstanding program, Perkins earned all-state honors as a senior offensive lineman. His father Josh, a Bozeman businessman, was a tremendous cornerback for the Cats in the '90s.
6(-)5 – Montana State's record in 1925 under Ott Romney was 6-5, the most wins a Bobcat team would post (tied with the Schube Dyche's 1929 and '30 teams) until 1954.
Montana State's success on the gridiron came in fits and starts in the first half of the 20th century (until Tony Storti's arrival in 1952, really), so the team's record in 1925 stands out in some ways. The Cats showed steady improvement under Romney's direction, finishing 4-4 in 1922 and 5-4 the next season. Montana State's 5-1-1 mark in 1924 excitement was at an all-time high entering 1925. The team got out of the gates quickly, winning five of its first six and roaring through the soft spot in the schedule. The loss at Colorado was sandwiched by wins against Centerville and Englewood (a pair of club teams), and in-state squads from Montana Tech, Intermountain Union, and Carroll. The only remaining win on the schedule was against Colorado Mines, while the team lost to Wyoming, Utah State, BYU and the Grizzlies. That 1925 team featured some of the great names in Bobcat history. Val Glynn, an MSU Hall of Famer, was among the school's all-time greats on that squad. He earned Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Conference honors, the only Bobcat so decorated that season, and went on to a fantastic senior season and even more glory on the hardwood. Van Dobeus was the team captain in 1925, and along with Glynn, tackle Bill Bawden and halfback Tenney Babcock earned all-state honors from the UM Kaimin. Among the players wrapping up their Bobcat careers that fall was Hugh Cottam, who would fill the role of Graduate Athletic Manager – a forerunner of the Assistant Athletic Director/Business Manager position – for many years. Said the Exponent on December 1,1925: "Hugh Cottam, the Fergus flash, has played his last game at halfback and will check in his suit for the last time. His open field running was spectacular and could be counted on to pile up the score. He played his usual good game this year and we are sorry to lose him." Cottam earned at least nine (possibly 10) varsity letters as a Bobcat, and after a distinguished coaching career – which included a 1947 state championship at Hardin that included his son Don Hammer, a future Bobcat star – he returned to Montana State to serve his alma mater for the next 20 years in a variety of roles, including time as Director of Married Student Housing.
Chronology: Rex Workman (1957), Steve Sobonya (1959-61), Jerry Ross (1964), Wayne Purdom (1965-66), Frank Kalfoss (1967-69), Curt Brandon (1970), Greg Maurer (1971-74), John Close (1975-78), John Blackman (1979-82), Jeff Gorski (1983-84), Jamie Smith (1985), Bryan Ratzburg (1986-89), Jeff Brickert (1990), Cory Brye (1991-93), Mike McGrath (1994), Jon Eckberg (1995), Harold Powers (1998), Matt Horlacher (1999), Mataio Toilolo (2000-03), Adam Brockway (2004-05), Tim Garcia (2006-10), Christian Williams (2012-13), Doug Hanson (2014-15), Patrick Carroll (2016), Brody McKnight (2017-18), Justus Perkins (2019-)
Other #65 Notes: Hang around a college football program long enough and things start to run together a little bit. But some images remain forever. For some, the vision of an injured offensive lineman cranking his legs on the stationary bike at halftime of the school's first playoff game in nearly two decades will never fade. The first the thought was that Mataio Toilolo, who suffered an injury in the championship-clinching win in Missoula the week before, was just keeping warm. Except, it was noted, he had shoulder pads on. Sure enough, when the Bobcat offense entered the field in the second half, Toilolo was at center. Injuries and inexperience had thinned the ranks and MSU was without an effective pivot man. With Toilolo snapping in the second half MSU fought the good fight, but dropped a narrow 21-14 decision. Toilolo started for three excellent Bobcat offensive units, most at his natural guard position. … Spokane has historically been strong recruiting territory for Montana State University – not just for athletic programs, but university-wide – but never was that more evident than in the 1970s. John Close was among the many talented players that left three football programs of a similar scope to become Bobcats, arriving from Lewi & Clark High School in the fall of 1975 and immediately impacting the program. A sprinter in high school, Close was a productive defensive end who moved into the starting lineup late in his freshman season and never really left. That he played on teams that finished as low as third in the Big Sky only once in his Bobcat career shouldn't have been surprising, as Close played on title-winning football and basketball teams as a prep star, but he was an important piece of the puzzle on MSU's 1976 National Championship team.
#65
Justus Perkins, OL: One of four Bobcat legacies on the 2019 MSU football roster, Justus Perkins enters his first season in the programs as a developmental interior lineman. Known as an intense, scrappy competitor during his days in Bozeman High's outstanding program, Perkins earned all-state honors as a senior offensive lineman. His father Josh, a Bozeman businessman, was a tremendous cornerback for the Cats in the '90s.
6(-)5 – Montana State's record in 1925 under Ott Romney was 6-5, the most wins a Bobcat team would post (tied with the Schube Dyche's 1929 and '30 teams) until 1954.
Montana State's success on the gridiron came in fits and starts in the first half of the 20th century (until Tony Storti's arrival in 1952, really), so the team's record in 1925 stands out in some ways. The Cats showed steady improvement under Romney's direction, finishing 4-4 in 1922 and 5-4 the next season. Montana State's 5-1-1 mark in 1924 excitement was at an all-time high entering 1925. The team got out of the gates quickly, winning five of its first six and roaring through the soft spot in the schedule. The loss at Colorado was sandwiched by wins against Centerville and Englewood (a pair of club teams), and in-state squads from Montana Tech, Intermountain Union, and Carroll. The only remaining win on the schedule was against Colorado Mines, while the team lost to Wyoming, Utah State, BYU and the Grizzlies. That 1925 team featured some of the great names in Bobcat history. Val Glynn, an MSU Hall of Famer, was among the school's all-time greats on that squad. He earned Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Conference honors, the only Bobcat so decorated that season, and went on to a fantastic senior season and even more glory on the hardwood. Van Dobeus was the team captain in 1925, and along with Glynn, tackle Bill Bawden and halfback Tenney Babcock earned all-state honors from the UM Kaimin. Among the players wrapping up their Bobcat careers that fall was Hugh Cottam, who would fill the role of Graduate Athletic Manager – a forerunner of the Assistant Athletic Director/Business Manager position – for many years. Said the Exponent on December 1,1925: "Hugh Cottam, the Fergus flash, has played his last game at halfback and will check in his suit for the last time. His open field running was spectacular and could be counted on to pile up the score. He played his usual good game this year and we are sorry to lose him." Cottam earned at least nine (possibly 10) varsity letters as a Bobcat, and after a distinguished coaching career – which included a 1947 state championship at Hardin that included his son Don Hammer, a future Bobcat star – he returned to Montana State to serve his alma mater for the next 20 years in a variety of roles, including time as Director of Married Student Housing.
Chronology: Rex Workman (1957), Steve Sobonya (1959-61), Jerry Ross (1964), Wayne Purdom (1965-66), Frank Kalfoss (1967-69), Curt Brandon (1970), Greg Maurer (1971-74), John Close (1975-78), John Blackman (1979-82), Jeff Gorski (1983-84), Jamie Smith (1985), Bryan Ratzburg (1986-89), Jeff Brickert (1990), Cory Brye (1991-93), Mike McGrath (1994), Jon Eckberg (1995), Harold Powers (1998), Matt Horlacher (1999), Mataio Toilolo (2000-03), Adam Brockway (2004-05), Tim Garcia (2006-10), Christian Williams (2012-13), Doug Hanson (2014-15), Patrick Carroll (2016), Brody McKnight (2017-18), Justus Perkins (2019-)
Other #65 Notes: Hang around a college football program long enough and things start to run together a little bit. But some images remain forever. For some, the vision of an injured offensive lineman cranking his legs on the stationary bike at halftime of the school's first playoff game in nearly two decades will never fade. The first the thought was that Mataio Toilolo, who suffered an injury in the championship-clinching win in Missoula the week before, was just keeping warm. Except, it was noted, he had shoulder pads on. Sure enough, when the Bobcat offense entered the field in the second half, Toilolo was at center. Injuries and inexperience had thinned the ranks and MSU was without an effective pivot man. With Toilolo snapping in the second half MSU fought the good fight, but dropped a narrow 21-14 decision. Toilolo started for three excellent Bobcat offensive units, most at his natural guard position. … Spokane has historically been strong recruiting territory for Montana State University – not just for athletic programs, but university-wide – but never was that more evident than in the 1970s. John Close was among the many talented players that left three football programs of a similar scope to become Bobcats, arriving from Lewi & Clark High School in the fall of 1975 and immediately impacting the program. A sprinter in high school, Close was a productive defensive end who moved into the starting lineup late in his freshman season and never really left. That he played on teams that finished as low as third in the Big Sky only once in his Bobcat career shouldn't have been surprising, as Close played on title-winning football and basketball teams as a prep star, but he was an important piece of the puzzle on MSU's 1976 National Championship team.
Players Mentioned
OL
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