BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 42 Days Until Kickoff!
7/20/2019 3:02:00 PM | Football
A look at number 42 in Bobcat history...
July 20: 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.
#42
RJ Fitzgerald, RB: Statistics, in many ways, make the modern sports world go 'round. Fans participate in fantasy leagues, pour over opponent team and of individual performances as a rough scouting method, and generally obsess over stats as a way to cling to a favorite team. One of the great things about football, though, is the variety of ways a player can positively contribute without compiling stats. R.J. Fitzgerald's best days as a Bobcat lie ahead of him, but as a true freshman special teams stalwart in 2017 he fell into that category. Jeff Choate and his staff brought Fitzgerald to Bozeman because of his work ethic and his dynamic energy. He slots as a fullback, a versatile piece of the Bobcat offense because of a willingness to block and potentially gain tough yards in the middle of the line. Fitzgerald's father Greg and an uncle (John) played football for the Grizzlies, but his sister Brynley spent a season as a Bobcat women's basketball player. RJ Fitzgerald missed 2018 with an injury, but appears ready to contribute again in 2019.
42 – Pass completions by Kelly Bradley vs. Eastern Washington in 1985, still an MSU record
Chronology: Joe Wellington (1926), Richard Jarvi (1940), Dan Mizner (1941), Don Driscoll (1946-49), Jim Mitchell (1950), Neal Egan (1953-55), Jim McLeod (1956), Bob Rudio (1957, '59), Kip Croskrey (1960), Terry Meo (1961), Bill Coombs (1962-64), Fred Schafer (1965), Jon McElroy (1966-68), Bob Banaugh (1969-71), Steve Dodds (1972-74), Jim Janhunen (1975-78), Kevin Brown (1979), Skip Higgins (1980), Kirk Timmer (1982-86), Jason Hakert (1987-1991), Gary Smith (1992), Lonnie Franklin (1993), Travis Wright (1994-99), Bo Espinoza (2000), Ross Shores (2001), Clive Lowe (2002-06), Clay Bignell (2007-11), AJ Silva (2012), Trevan Timmer (2013), Joey Michael (2014-16), RJ Fitzgerald (2017-)
Other #42 Notes: It probably wasn't apparent in 1971 when Steve Dodd joined the Bobcat football program as a scrappy linebacker – he eventually transitioned to safety – how important his legacy would become. One of Sonny Holland's first recruiting splashes in Spokane, which would become crucial to the program's championship pedigree, Dodds earned All-Big Sky honors as a junior and senior. He starred alongside some of the program's best players ever, brilliant performers such as Bill Kollar and Brad Daws and Ron Ueland, but even after his fine career he continued to contribute. Two brothers eventually played for the Cats, with Vince earning All-Big Sky honors as a senior on MSU's 1976 National Championship team, while Stu earned All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America honors in 1979. Each of the three Dodds brothers earned All-Big Sky honors and started on a Big Sky championship team at MSU, an amazing record of success that began when Steve Dodds joined the Bobcats in the decade's second year…. A singular, unique athlete, Clive Lowe's final impression on Bobcat fans was sensational. He registered six tackles, including two for a loss with one sack, and forced a fumble in his final MSU home game. That came against Furman in the FCS Playoffs, when the Bobcats earned their first post-season victory since the 1984 National Championship run. He registered 9.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks as a senior, forcing two fumbles and recovering one, and his pleasant demeanor and sweet personality belied a difficult youth. In addition to a great final impression, he made wonderful first impressions, as well. There remains at least one teddy bear in Bozeman named for him, and countless memories of interactions with the teddy bear of a man and local youngsters.
#42
RJ Fitzgerald, RB: Statistics, in many ways, make the modern sports world go 'round. Fans participate in fantasy leagues, pour over opponent team and of individual performances as a rough scouting method, and generally obsess over stats as a way to cling to a favorite team. One of the great things about football, though, is the variety of ways a player can positively contribute without compiling stats. R.J. Fitzgerald's best days as a Bobcat lie ahead of him, but as a true freshman special teams stalwart in 2017 he fell into that category. Jeff Choate and his staff brought Fitzgerald to Bozeman because of his work ethic and his dynamic energy. He slots as a fullback, a versatile piece of the Bobcat offense because of a willingness to block and potentially gain tough yards in the middle of the line. Fitzgerald's father Greg and an uncle (John) played football for the Grizzlies, but his sister Brynley spent a season as a Bobcat women's basketball player. RJ Fitzgerald missed 2018 with an injury, but appears ready to contribute again in 2019.
42 – Pass completions by Kelly Bradley vs. Eastern Washington in 1985, still an MSU record
Chronology: Joe Wellington (1926), Richard Jarvi (1940), Dan Mizner (1941), Don Driscoll (1946-49), Jim Mitchell (1950), Neal Egan (1953-55), Jim McLeod (1956), Bob Rudio (1957, '59), Kip Croskrey (1960), Terry Meo (1961), Bill Coombs (1962-64), Fred Schafer (1965), Jon McElroy (1966-68), Bob Banaugh (1969-71), Steve Dodds (1972-74), Jim Janhunen (1975-78), Kevin Brown (1979), Skip Higgins (1980), Kirk Timmer (1982-86), Jason Hakert (1987-1991), Gary Smith (1992), Lonnie Franklin (1993), Travis Wright (1994-99), Bo Espinoza (2000), Ross Shores (2001), Clive Lowe (2002-06), Clay Bignell (2007-11), AJ Silva (2012), Trevan Timmer (2013), Joey Michael (2014-16), RJ Fitzgerald (2017-)
Other #42 Notes: It probably wasn't apparent in 1971 when Steve Dodd joined the Bobcat football program as a scrappy linebacker – he eventually transitioned to safety – how important his legacy would become. One of Sonny Holland's first recruiting splashes in Spokane, which would become crucial to the program's championship pedigree, Dodds earned All-Big Sky honors as a junior and senior. He starred alongside some of the program's best players ever, brilliant performers such as Bill Kollar and Brad Daws and Ron Ueland, but even after his fine career he continued to contribute. Two brothers eventually played for the Cats, with Vince earning All-Big Sky honors as a senior on MSU's 1976 National Championship team, while Stu earned All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America honors in 1979. Each of the three Dodds brothers earned All-Big Sky honors and started on a Big Sky championship team at MSU, an amazing record of success that began when Steve Dodds joined the Bobcats in the decade's second year…. A singular, unique athlete, Clive Lowe's final impression on Bobcat fans was sensational. He registered six tackles, including two for a loss with one sack, and forced a fumble in his final MSU home game. That came against Furman in the FCS Playoffs, when the Bobcats earned their first post-season victory since the 1984 National Championship run. He registered 9.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks as a senior, forcing two fumbles and recovering one, and his pleasant demeanor and sweet personality belied a difficult youth. In addition to a great final impression, he made wonderful first impressions, as well. There remains at least one teddy bear in Bozeman named for him, and countless memories of interactions with the teddy bear of a man and local youngsters.
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