BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: There are Troy Andersen Days Left Until Kickoff!
8/16/2019 8:00:00 AM | Football
MSU's new starting linebacker figures into the discussion of double 100-yard rushing games vs. BSC foes
August 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.
#15
Troy Andersen, RB: Jeff Choate was way ahead of the curve on this one. In advance of naming Andersen his team's starting quarterback 12 months ago – a move necessitated when incumbent Chris Murray ran into academic issues – he laid out the foundation for the rest of us to understand his plan for the then-sophomore from Dillon. "I don't want to put Troy in a box," he said in evaluating and cultivating Andersen's talents. "He's an exceptional young man and a unique football player. I don't want to create artificial limits." Translation: Andersen would be used in the way that optimized his ability to impact games and seasons. Andersen spent the 2017 season at running back, and the spring of 2018 at linebacker, but earned First Team All-Big Sky and Third Team All-America honors in his season as a full-time quarterback. Now back for his junior season, visibly stronger and sporting a throwback mustache, Andersen slides back to his natural linebacker position. He's remained honest in stating that he enjoys defense the most, but that his love of football and commitment to team overrode everything else. Andersen slots easily and logically at the Sam linebacker spot, often lining up on the edge near Bryce Sterk to form a hard-to-contend with side of the football. Montana State's 2019 defense – on paper, during fall camp – is not perfect. Depth will always be an issue, somewhere, at the FCS level. Size and bulk in the middle of the defensive line doesn't match the skill and experience present. But there is also a lot to get excited about. The general level or experience and athleticism, of playmaking ability, is spread across the field. There are a lot of places the Bobcat defense can cause an opposing offense problems, and Andersen's presence is another strong data point. How his production looks as a full-time linebacker, but in just a handful of plays at South Dakota State a season ago he produced a sack, and anyone who's watched him bowl through opposing defenses knows that he'll be a physical force. Among the many reasons to anticipate MSU's 2019 season, Andersen has to be pretty high on the list.
15 – Number of double 100-yard rushing games by MSU vs. Big Sky foes since 1963
From most recent to earliest: vs. Cal Poly, Idaho State and Portland State in 2018 (Troy Andersen, Isaiah Ifanse each time); vs. North Dakota in 2017 (Chris Murray, Troy Andersen), 2013 (Cody Kirk, Shawn Johnson), and 2012 (Cody Kirk, Orenzo Davis); vs. Northern Arizona in 2011 (Cody Kirk, Tray Robinson); vs. Idaho State in 2011 (Cody Kirk, Tray Robinson); vs. Eastern Washington in 2004 (Justin Domineck, Travis Lulay); 1997 vs. Cal State Northridge (Travis Wright, Eric Kinnaman); vs. Weber State in 1993 (Fred Moore, Clint Morton); vs. Weber State in 1989 (John Tetrault, Si Ryan); vs. Idaho State in 1988 (John Tetrault, Bob Wilkinson); vs. Weber State in 1987 (Kirk Copeland, Bob Wilkinson); and vs. Idaho State in 1980 (Tony Boddie, Jeff Davis).
Chronology: Frank Coffin (1926), Francis Wilson (1927), Elmer Mencer (1930-31), Everett Best (1930), Glenn Hansen (1934), Bill Holloway (1937), Jinx Anderson (1941), Billy Odneal (1946-49), Bill Leary (1950), Del Lingle (1953-54), Corey Lamey (1983), Duffy Cox (1984), Anders Larsson (1985-88), Rich Brady (1989-90), Tim Klinger (1991-92), Tyson Tucker (1993-97), Kevin Flatow (1999-00), Tyler Thomas (2001-02), Cory Carpenter (2003-07), Jason Cunningham (2008-11), Cody Cleveland (2011-12), Austin Barth (2013-16), Troy Andersen (2017-)
Other #15 Notes: Jason Cunningham wore #15 as Montana State's kicker from 2008-11, and remains prominent on the school's all-time lists. His 357 points is a Bobcat record, he has two of the top four scoring seasons in school history, and he is one of only two players in school history to kick two 50-yard field goals in one game… There are names that wind through the fabric of Bobcat Athletics like a thread, weaving together different eras and different teams, great times and bad ones, and one of those is Jinx Anderson. Glen F. Anderson came to Bozeman from Lethbridge, Alberta, in the fall of 1939, and immediately impacted Montana State's small, close-knit campus community. During his time as a student Jinx Anderson was an SAE, contributed as a student senator, was Commissioner of Athletics and the student rep on the Athletics Council, belonged to the Septemvri honorary, was an M Club member, and played both varsity football and basketball. As a football player he walked among the Golden Ghosts, those that left Montana State never to return from service to their country in World War II, and in basketball he was part of the team that was invited to both the Denver AAU and NIBA (forerunner of NAIA) national tournaments but had to decline because of coach Brick Breeden's illness. Anderson was "a great longshot artist for the Bobcats as well as being an extremely clever dribbler and his graduation in 1943 was mourned by MSC fans," according to the 1951 basketball media guide. After graduating in industrial chemistry and a stint in the Marines during World War II, he began his coaching career in Manhattan and then Laurel. A return to Bozeman beckoned, and as the school's first-ever Bobkitten (freshman) coach in both football and basketball, he "helped young men cross the bridge from high school to college," according to the school's 1949 basketball prospectus. After Brick Breeden's retirement as head coach in 1953 Anderson seems to have departed Bobcat Athletics and his trail runs dry. But for a decade-and-a-half he was a major contributor to the Cats and to Montana State.
#15
Troy Andersen, RB: Jeff Choate was way ahead of the curve on this one. In advance of naming Andersen his team's starting quarterback 12 months ago – a move necessitated when incumbent Chris Murray ran into academic issues – he laid out the foundation for the rest of us to understand his plan for the then-sophomore from Dillon. "I don't want to put Troy in a box," he said in evaluating and cultivating Andersen's talents. "He's an exceptional young man and a unique football player. I don't want to create artificial limits." Translation: Andersen would be used in the way that optimized his ability to impact games and seasons. Andersen spent the 2017 season at running back, and the spring of 2018 at linebacker, but earned First Team All-Big Sky and Third Team All-America honors in his season as a full-time quarterback. Now back for his junior season, visibly stronger and sporting a throwback mustache, Andersen slides back to his natural linebacker position. He's remained honest in stating that he enjoys defense the most, but that his love of football and commitment to team overrode everything else. Andersen slots easily and logically at the Sam linebacker spot, often lining up on the edge near Bryce Sterk to form a hard-to-contend with side of the football. Montana State's 2019 defense – on paper, during fall camp – is not perfect. Depth will always be an issue, somewhere, at the FCS level. Size and bulk in the middle of the defensive line doesn't match the skill and experience present. But there is also a lot to get excited about. The general level or experience and athleticism, of playmaking ability, is spread across the field. There are a lot of places the Bobcat defense can cause an opposing offense problems, and Andersen's presence is another strong data point. How his production looks as a full-time linebacker, but in just a handful of plays at South Dakota State a season ago he produced a sack, and anyone who's watched him bowl through opposing defenses knows that he'll be a physical force. Among the many reasons to anticipate MSU's 2019 season, Andersen has to be pretty high on the list.
15 – Number of double 100-yard rushing games by MSU vs. Big Sky foes since 1963
From most recent to earliest: vs. Cal Poly, Idaho State and Portland State in 2018 (Troy Andersen, Isaiah Ifanse each time); vs. North Dakota in 2017 (Chris Murray, Troy Andersen), 2013 (Cody Kirk, Shawn Johnson), and 2012 (Cody Kirk, Orenzo Davis); vs. Northern Arizona in 2011 (Cody Kirk, Tray Robinson); vs. Idaho State in 2011 (Cody Kirk, Tray Robinson); vs. Eastern Washington in 2004 (Justin Domineck, Travis Lulay); 1997 vs. Cal State Northridge (Travis Wright, Eric Kinnaman); vs. Weber State in 1993 (Fred Moore, Clint Morton); vs. Weber State in 1989 (John Tetrault, Si Ryan); vs. Idaho State in 1988 (John Tetrault, Bob Wilkinson); vs. Weber State in 1987 (Kirk Copeland, Bob Wilkinson); and vs. Idaho State in 1980 (Tony Boddie, Jeff Davis).
Chronology: Frank Coffin (1926), Francis Wilson (1927), Elmer Mencer (1930-31), Everett Best (1930), Glenn Hansen (1934), Bill Holloway (1937), Jinx Anderson (1941), Billy Odneal (1946-49), Bill Leary (1950), Del Lingle (1953-54), Corey Lamey (1983), Duffy Cox (1984), Anders Larsson (1985-88), Rich Brady (1989-90), Tim Klinger (1991-92), Tyson Tucker (1993-97), Kevin Flatow (1999-00), Tyler Thomas (2001-02), Cory Carpenter (2003-07), Jason Cunningham (2008-11), Cody Cleveland (2011-12), Austin Barth (2013-16), Troy Andersen (2017-)
Other #15 Notes: Jason Cunningham wore #15 as Montana State's kicker from 2008-11, and remains prominent on the school's all-time lists. His 357 points is a Bobcat record, he has two of the top four scoring seasons in school history, and he is one of only two players in school history to kick two 50-yard field goals in one game… There are names that wind through the fabric of Bobcat Athletics like a thread, weaving together different eras and different teams, great times and bad ones, and one of those is Jinx Anderson. Glen F. Anderson came to Bozeman from Lethbridge, Alberta, in the fall of 1939, and immediately impacted Montana State's small, close-knit campus community. During his time as a student Jinx Anderson was an SAE, contributed as a student senator, was Commissioner of Athletics and the student rep on the Athletics Council, belonged to the Septemvri honorary, was an M Club member, and played both varsity football and basketball. As a football player he walked among the Golden Ghosts, those that left Montana State never to return from service to their country in World War II, and in basketball he was part of the team that was invited to both the Denver AAU and NIBA (forerunner of NAIA) national tournaments but had to decline because of coach Brick Breeden's illness. Anderson was "a great longshot artist for the Bobcats as well as being an extremely clever dribbler and his graduation in 1943 was mourned by MSC fans," according to the 1951 basketball media guide. After graduating in industrial chemistry and a stint in the Marines during World War II, he began his coaching career in Manhattan and then Laurel. A return to Bozeman beckoned, and as the school's first-ever Bobkitten (freshman) coach in both football and basketball, he "helped young men cross the bridge from high school to college," according to the school's 1949 basketball prospectus. After Brick Breeden's retirement as head coach in 1953 Anderson seems to have departed Bobcat Athletics and his trail runs dry. But for a decade-and-a-half he was a major contributor to the Cats and to Montana State.
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