BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 46 Days Until Kickoff!
7/16/2019 3:00:00 PM | Football
Bobcat Stadium has been home for 46 years
July 16: 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.
#46
Sal Aguilar, LB: Sal Aguilar is a testimony to what can come from hard work. As a walk-on from California in 2017 he turned some heads and played himself into contention for playing time last fall. Aguilar became one of MSU's special teams aces last fall, and also saw time as a reserve linebacker. He is projected in an expanded role in both capacities this fall.
46 – Number of seasons the Bobcats have played in Reno H. Sales/Bobcat Stadium
The old place has changed a lot, aged well in some ways and less so in others, but when the Cats beat Incarnate Word at home in the FCS Playoffs last November it closed the books on the program's 46th year playing home games at the corner of 11th and Kagy. Born out of compromise as Reno H. Sales Stadium in 1973, it underwent its first major renovation in 1997-98 and took the name Bobcat Stadium. It was later renovated in 2011.
Chronology: Ivar Twilde (1926), Ott Gardner (1927), Harry Bowman (1930), Lloyd Amundson (1930), Corey Dogterom (1940), William Clawson (1946), Carl McManis (1948), Ed Rech (1949), Ed Rech (1950), Darrell Truett (1953), Bernard Brown (1954-55), Fred Merrick (1971), Bill Crowley (1972-75), Calvin Oliver (1976), Ron Juhnke (1977), Jim Anderson (1978-82), Don Schauber (1983), Kevin Kirwin (1984-88), Morgan Ryan (1989-93), Brent Millard (1994-99), James Schlatter (1999), Kevin Fabatz (2000), Jess Dawson (2001), Blake Ghavami (2002), Doc Farley (2003), Jacques Boiteau (2004), Jeff Hastings (2005-06), Dayton Jackson (2007), Ryan D'Agostino (2008-09), Hayden Vick (2011-13), Woody Brandom (2015-16), Sal Aguilar (2017-)
Bonus #46 – There are athletic achievements that, in the moment, seem larger than life. There are those that seem impressive in a contemporary sense before fading into the memory. And there are those, like Morgan Ryan's Bobcat career, that seem important when they occur but, as time passes, become even more impressive. A safety from Hudson, Wisconsin, Ryan intercepted his 17th career pass at UNLV in the final game of his junior season, the most interceptions by any Bobcat in history. He added five more as a senior, and his career mark of 22 picks has never been seriously challenged since. In fact, in a day and age when the forward pass is the most-used offensive weapon, only future NFL cornerback Joey Thomas (11 from 2000-03) and Ryan's one-time secondary-mate Mark Grimmer (also 11, 1992-95) have even cracked MSU's career top 10. Some measure of that can be chalked up to the role of pressuring quarterbacks in the contemporary game, but much can be attributed to Ryan's brilliance. By no means was he a cherry-picker who avoided contact – he was a physical presence who was among the team's tackles leaders for three straight years. More accurately, he had an acute sense for the football and was sure-handed once the ball arrived. Morgan Ryan remains Montana State's all-time record-holder in interceptions, and was First Team All-Big Sky twice and Honorable Mention All-America in 1991.
#46
Sal Aguilar, LB: Sal Aguilar is a testimony to what can come from hard work. As a walk-on from California in 2017 he turned some heads and played himself into contention for playing time last fall. Aguilar became one of MSU's special teams aces last fall, and also saw time as a reserve linebacker. He is projected in an expanded role in both capacities this fall.
46 – Number of seasons the Bobcats have played in Reno H. Sales/Bobcat Stadium
The old place has changed a lot, aged well in some ways and less so in others, but when the Cats beat Incarnate Word at home in the FCS Playoffs last November it closed the books on the program's 46th year playing home games at the corner of 11th and Kagy. Born out of compromise as Reno H. Sales Stadium in 1973, it underwent its first major renovation in 1997-98 and took the name Bobcat Stadium. It was later renovated in 2011.
Chronology: Ivar Twilde (1926), Ott Gardner (1927), Harry Bowman (1930), Lloyd Amundson (1930), Corey Dogterom (1940), William Clawson (1946), Carl McManis (1948), Ed Rech (1949), Ed Rech (1950), Darrell Truett (1953), Bernard Brown (1954-55), Fred Merrick (1971), Bill Crowley (1972-75), Calvin Oliver (1976), Ron Juhnke (1977), Jim Anderson (1978-82), Don Schauber (1983), Kevin Kirwin (1984-88), Morgan Ryan (1989-93), Brent Millard (1994-99), James Schlatter (1999), Kevin Fabatz (2000), Jess Dawson (2001), Blake Ghavami (2002), Doc Farley (2003), Jacques Boiteau (2004), Jeff Hastings (2005-06), Dayton Jackson (2007), Ryan D'Agostino (2008-09), Hayden Vick (2011-13), Woody Brandom (2015-16), Sal Aguilar (2017-)
Bonus #46 – There are athletic achievements that, in the moment, seem larger than life. There are those that seem impressive in a contemporary sense before fading into the memory. And there are those, like Morgan Ryan's Bobcat career, that seem important when they occur but, as time passes, become even more impressive. A safety from Hudson, Wisconsin, Ryan intercepted his 17th career pass at UNLV in the final game of his junior season, the most interceptions by any Bobcat in history. He added five more as a senior, and his career mark of 22 picks has never been seriously challenged since. In fact, in a day and age when the forward pass is the most-used offensive weapon, only future NFL cornerback Joey Thomas (11 from 2000-03) and Ryan's one-time secondary-mate Mark Grimmer (also 11, 1992-95) have even cracked MSU's career top 10. Some measure of that can be chalked up to the role of pressuring quarterbacks in the contemporary game, but much can be attributed to Ryan's brilliance. By no means was he a cherry-picker who avoided contact – he was a physical presence who was among the team's tackles leaders for three straight years. More accurately, he had an acute sense for the football and was sure-handed once the ball arrived. Morgan Ryan remains Montana State's all-time record-holder in interceptions, and was First Team All-Big Sky twice and Honorable Mention All-America in 1991.
Players Mentioned
LB
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