Rob Compson
BOBCAT CALENDAR: Rob Compson Led MSU to a Decisive Win Over Idaho State Today in 1998
11/14/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
Compson was a key member of MSU's Class of '98 which led Bobcat football to a successful run
A day-by-day look at Bobcat football history...
November 14
SPOTLIGHT: The late 1990s were sort of a surreal time for the Idaho State Bengals, transitioning from Brian McNeely's tumultuous tenure (1992-96) to former NFL coach Tom Walsh. It was Walsh who led the Bengals into Bobcat Stadium today in 1998 for the most amazing day a Montana State offense has ever posted against the Bengals.
The Cats whipped Idaho State 66-35 after a Senior Day ceremony that honored some of the program's best players of that decade. Defensive lineman Ty O'Connor was an All-America who was in many ways the team's engine, and quarterback Rob Compson was the program's second-most productive quarterback to that point in history. The team featured several other seniors that were major contributors - receiver Oscar Caballero, linebacker and future long-time NFL long snapper Ken Amato, linebackers Brent Millard and Kevin Lundstrom, and offensive line stalwart Brian Archdale.
Running back Kennedy Nkeyasen led an explosive Bengals offense, but the Bengals were going nowhere in 1998. ISU was on its way to a third 2-6 Big Sky record, and were weeks away from introducing the program's fourth head coach of the '90s.
On this day, the Bengals struck early. Nkeyasen caught a 34-yard pass from Kevin McCarthy three-and-a-half minutes into the game, but the lead didn't even last for three minutes.
On the ensuing drive, Jake Boyer caught a 15-yard pass from Compson to tie the score. Then Compson connected with Oscar Caballero with 5:32 remaining in the quarter, and after a fumbled kickoff Eric Kinnaman scored from eight yards out. ISU also fumbled the next kickoff, and Lamonte Bell produced a scoop-and-score touchdown. Just like that, before the first quarter had expired, the Bobcats led 28-7. That remains the second-most points ever scored by MSU in an opening period.
The game outcome was decided by that point, but not the score. Idaho State pulled things together to score a touchdown early in the second quarter, but that only served to give the Bobcats another possession. Compson capitalized, throwing a seven-yard pass to Chip Hobbs for a touchdown. After an ISU punt, Lathian Tyler scored from four yards, then Matthew Peot kicked a 33-yard field goal, and Compson threw a 65-yard pass to Caballero for a touchdown. At halftime, MSU led 52-21.That remains the fifth-most points the Bobcats have ever carried with them into halftime.
Compson's 48-yard pass to Craig Galle at the outset of the third quarter was the highlight of the second half, and after that it was a matter of counting up the totals.
And the totals were amazing. Compson threw for 357 yards on 13-for-17 passing, with five touchdowns. His passing efficiency rating was an astounding 349.9. Lathian Tyler ran for 117 yards, and Caballero's three catches resulted in 91 yards. The team's 589 yards and 66 points were high-water marks for Cliff Hysell's Bobcats against Big Sky opponents, and MSU gained 25 first downs on this day. Steve Salo intercepted a pass, Duncan McLean and Mark Rollins each forced fumbles, and Lundstrom added a sack.
It was a remarkable day, but one of the lasting images was Walsh,whose team had lost 40-13 in Missoula two weeks earlier. In a smallish closet used for post-game press conferences at the time, Walsh made clear that he considered the Bobcats a superior team, and that he expected an upset a week later when the Bobcats played at UM. That didn't come to pass, but Walsh's conviction when holding court that day was noteworthy.
The Bengals finished their season with a 32-29 win, but by the time the 1999 season began Walsh and the man who hired him, Bengals Athletic Director and former NFL and television star Irv Cross, were both gone. New head coach Larry Lewis brought stability and a measure of success, including a 2002 Big Sky Co-Championship.
The Bobcats lost a second straight heartbreaker against the Grizzlies a week later, and finished 7-4 overall, 5-3 in the Big Sky. In terms of a championship it was a near miss, but the 1998 Bobcats remain one of the admirable and truly successful teams of the time between the title-winning teams of the 1980s and the 2000s.
One more note about the 1998 season - it was the first for the Bobcats in newly-renovated Bobcat Stadium. The newly-constructed west side gave the stadium a more permanent, impressive feel, and inspired appreciation from the players and coaches and pride from Cat fans.
BONUS: Montana State polished off the University of San Diego 47-0 today in 1959, the final game for several legendary Bobcats, which we chronicled earlier. But its worth a look at what that 1959 squad accomplished. That Bobcat team finished 6-3, but two of the losses were at the hands of Utah State and Arizona State, both on the road. The team also dropped a 6-0 decision at Idaho State, surely the season's largest disappointment. It's important to remember that from 1957-62 the Bobcats played as an independent team, without conference affiliation. The USD win bookended the season with shutouts, as the Cats whipped South Dakota State 27-0 in the opener. The team also finished 1959 with three straight offensive explosions, beating North Dakota 35-14, UM 40-6, and San Diego 47-0.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2015 - MSU 44, at Idaho State 20
2009 - MSU 27, at Sacramento State 17
1998 - MSU 66, Idaho State 35
1992 - at Idaho 28, MSU 7
1987 - at Idaho State 52, MSU 33
1981 - at Nevada 46, MSU 13
1970 - at UNLV 38, MSU 36
1964 - MSU 24, at Weber State 0
1959 - MSU 47, at San Diego 0
1908 - at Montana Tech 22, MSU 5
FINIS: The Idaho State game in 1998, as mentioned, was Rob Compson's finale in Bobcat Stadium. He had a fine career, throwing for 6,828 yards in his career with 54 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He remains fourth in school history in career passing yards, his 189.7 passing yards per game remains sixth, and his career touchdowns thrown is fourth. His ability to operate Jim McElwain's complex and diverse offense stabilized the entire Bobcat program, and allowed the team to have its best run of success between 1984 and 2002.
November 14
SPOTLIGHT: The late 1990s were sort of a surreal time for the Idaho State Bengals, transitioning from Brian McNeely's tumultuous tenure (1992-96) to former NFL coach Tom Walsh. It was Walsh who led the Bengals into Bobcat Stadium today in 1998 for the most amazing day a Montana State offense has ever posted against the Bengals.
The Cats whipped Idaho State 66-35 after a Senior Day ceremony that honored some of the program's best players of that decade. Defensive lineman Ty O'Connor was an All-America who was in many ways the team's engine, and quarterback Rob Compson was the program's second-most productive quarterback to that point in history. The team featured several other seniors that were major contributors - receiver Oscar Caballero, linebacker and future long-time NFL long snapper Ken Amato, linebackers Brent Millard and Kevin Lundstrom, and offensive line stalwart Brian Archdale.
Running back Kennedy Nkeyasen led an explosive Bengals offense, but the Bengals were going nowhere in 1998. ISU was on its way to a third 2-6 Big Sky record, and were weeks away from introducing the program's fourth head coach of the '90s.
On this day, the Bengals struck early. Nkeyasen caught a 34-yard pass from Kevin McCarthy three-and-a-half minutes into the game, but the lead didn't even last for three minutes.
On the ensuing drive, Jake Boyer caught a 15-yard pass from Compson to tie the score. Then Compson connected with Oscar Caballero with 5:32 remaining in the quarter, and after a fumbled kickoff Eric Kinnaman scored from eight yards out. ISU also fumbled the next kickoff, and Lamonte Bell produced a scoop-and-score touchdown. Just like that, before the first quarter had expired, the Bobcats led 28-7. That remains the second-most points ever scored by MSU in an opening period.
The game outcome was decided by that point, but not the score. Idaho State pulled things together to score a touchdown early in the second quarter, but that only served to give the Bobcats another possession. Compson capitalized, throwing a seven-yard pass to Chip Hobbs for a touchdown. After an ISU punt, Lathian Tyler scored from four yards, then Matthew Peot kicked a 33-yard field goal, and Compson threw a 65-yard pass to Caballero for a touchdown. At halftime, MSU led 52-21.That remains the fifth-most points the Bobcats have ever carried with them into halftime.
Compson's 48-yard pass to Craig Galle at the outset of the third quarter was the highlight of the second half, and after that it was a matter of counting up the totals.
And the totals were amazing. Compson threw for 357 yards on 13-for-17 passing, with five touchdowns. His passing efficiency rating was an astounding 349.9. Lathian Tyler ran for 117 yards, and Caballero's three catches resulted in 91 yards. The team's 589 yards and 66 points were high-water marks for Cliff Hysell's Bobcats against Big Sky opponents, and MSU gained 25 first downs on this day. Steve Salo intercepted a pass, Duncan McLean and Mark Rollins each forced fumbles, and Lundstrom added a sack.
It was a remarkable day, but one of the lasting images was Walsh,whose team had lost 40-13 in Missoula two weeks earlier. In a smallish closet used for post-game press conferences at the time, Walsh made clear that he considered the Bobcats a superior team, and that he expected an upset a week later when the Bobcats played at UM. That didn't come to pass, but Walsh's conviction when holding court that day was noteworthy.
The Bengals finished their season with a 32-29 win, but by the time the 1999 season began Walsh and the man who hired him, Bengals Athletic Director and former NFL and television star Irv Cross, were both gone. New head coach Larry Lewis brought stability and a measure of success, including a 2002 Big Sky Co-Championship.
The Bobcats lost a second straight heartbreaker against the Grizzlies a week later, and finished 7-4 overall, 5-3 in the Big Sky. In terms of a championship it was a near miss, but the 1998 Bobcats remain one of the admirable and truly successful teams of the time between the title-winning teams of the 1980s and the 2000s.
One more note about the 1998 season - it was the first for the Bobcats in newly-renovated Bobcat Stadium. The newly-constructed west side gave the stadium a more permanent, impressive feel, and inspired appreciation from the players and coaches and pride from Cat fans.
BONUS: Montana State polished off the University of San Diego 47-0 today in 1959, the final game for several legendary Bobcats, which we chronicled earlier. But its worth a look at what that 1959 squad accomplished. That Bobcat team finished 6-3, but two of the losses were at the hands of Utah State and Arizona State, both on the road. The team also dropped a 6-0 decision at Idaho State, surely the season's largest disappointment. It's important to remember that from 1957-62 the Bobcats played as an independent team, without conference affiliation. The USD win bookended the season with shutouts, as the Cats whipped South Dakota State 27-0 in the opener. The team also finished 1959 with three straight offensive explosions, beating North Dakota 35-14, UM 40-6, and San Diego 47-0.
GAMES ON TODAY'S DATE
2015 - MSU 44, at Idaho State 20
2009 - MSU 27, at Sacramento State 17
1998 - MSU 66, Idaho State 35
1992 - at Idaho 28, MSU 7
1987 - at Idaho State 52, MSU 33
1981 - at Nevada 46, MSU 13
1970 - at UNLV 38, MSU 36
1964 - MSU 24, at Weber State 0
1959 - MSU 47, at San Diego 0
1908 - at Montana Tech 22, MSU 5
FINIS: The Idaho State game in 1998, as mentioned, was Rob Compson's finale in Bobcat Stadium. He had a fine career, throwing for 6,828 yards in his career with 54 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He remains fourth in school history in career passing yards, his 189.7 passing yards per game remains sixth, and his career touchdowns thrown is fourth. His ability to operate Jim McElwain's complex and diverse offense stabilized the entire Bobcat program, and allowed the team to have its best run of success between 1984 and 2002.
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