BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 88 Days til Kickoff, the Number 88 Holds a Special Place in Bobcat History
6/9/2020 3:00:00 PM | Football
Joe Bignell caught 88 passes in 1984
June 9: Bobcats by the Numbers takes a look at current and past Bobcats whose jersey numbers correspond to the number of days remaining before Montana State opens the 2020 football season against Long Island in Bobcat Stadium's annual Gold Rush game on September 5!
#88
Jarrett Kessler, TE: Jarrett Kessler, a Kalispell Glacier product, joined the Bobcat program a year ago from Diablo Valley Junior College in California. He logged 17 tackles as a defensive lineman in 2018, and after spring drills with the Cats he moved to tight end. He could compete for time at that position, and on kick teams.
88 – Not much went Montana State's way when the Bobcats visited Nebraska in 1930. The Cornhuskers won 53-7, but after the first period the Bobcats actually held a 7-0 lead. That was thanks to Austin DeFrate, who intercepted a long NU pass at the Bobcat 12-yard line and ran 88 yards for the team's first and only score. As Montana State's quarterback, the Omaha World Herald's game account him "a beautiful thrower" of the football. The Bobcat Hall of Famer gained some renown north of the border in later years playing rugby, but will always be remembered at Montana State for his time as a multi-sport star when he was the equal of Bobcat teammates and legends such as Max Worthington and Brick Breeden.
Joe Bignell caught 88 passes in 1984. That was not just a school record but it was a preposterous number. In the previous best season by a Bobcat pass-catcher Ron Bain caught 64 passes in 1968, and in fact Bignell's record still stands.
#88 - Like a stranger that rolls into town to rescue the local citizenry from a cruel fate in the kind of western flicks Cliff Hysell used to talk about, Michael Jefferson wasn't in Bozeman long. He transferred to MSU for his senior season in January, 2006, and was gone less than a year later, but boy, what a senior season it was. Jefferson's 66 catches was fifth-most in MSU history and his 1,023 receiver yards was fourth. He caught nine touchdown passes, fifth-most in a single season. He was the National Offensive Player of the Week twice, including his 305 all-purpose yard effort at Idaho State. He logged two 200-yard receiving days, including a school record 239 yards against NAU.
#88s in the Bobcat Past: John Kinker (1956), Joe Ugrin (1967), Jim Walczak (1968), Gary Leach (1970), Bob Grabb (1971-72), Bryan Flaig (1973), Dave Henigman (1974), Scott Quittem (1975-78), Steve Niksich (1979-80), Kevin White (1982), Rich Broberg (1983), Joe Cerny (1984-85), Joel Todd (1986), Rob Hatch (1987-90), Scott Eaton (1991-92), Aaron Wilkins (1993-95), Andrew Clark (1996-97), Desmond Faison (1998-99), Toby Winters (2000-01), Toren Roschinger (2002), Jason Goodman (2003), Brian Ouilhon (2004), Matt Crane (2005), Michael Jefferson (2006), Shane Robison (2007-11), Jackson Mahlum (2012-14), Clay Compton (2013), John D'Agostino (2014-18), Jarrett Kessler (2019-).
Other 88 Notes: Jersey number 88 has become something of a legacy spot for the Cats lately. Johnny D'Agostino's father Mark starred for the Bobcats, and the same can be said for Clay Compton (2013) and Jackson Mahlum (2012-14). Even Shane Robison (2007-11) was tied to the legacy concept, as his brother Danny followed him to Montana State and had a fine career on the hardwood. Receiver Desmond Faison (1998-99) was a very good receiver at MSU, following in the footsteps of his cousin, Nico Harrison, now a Bobcat Hall of Famer as a basketball star.
#88
Jarrett Kessler, TE: Jarrett Kessler, a Kalispell Glacier product, joined the Bobcat program a year ago from Diablo Valley Junior College in California. He logged 17 tackles as a defensive lineman in 2018, and after spring drills with the Cats he moved to tight end. He could compete for time at that position, and on kick teams.
88 – Not much went Montana State's way when the Bobcats visited Nebraska in 1930. The Cornhuskers won 53-7, but after the first period the Bobcats actually held a 7-0 lead. That was thanks to Austin DeFrate, who intercepted a long NU pass at the Bobcat 12-yard line and ran 88 yards for the team's first and only score. As Montana State's quarterback, the Omaha World Herald's game account him "a beautiful thrower" of the football. The Bobcat Hall of Famer gained some renown north of the border in later years playing rugby, but will always be remembered at Montana State for his time as a multi-sport star when he was the equal of Bobcat teammates and legends such as Max Worthington and Brick Breeden.
Joe Bignell caught 88 passes in 1984. That was not just a school record but it was a preposterous number. In the previous best season by a Bobcat pass-catcher Ron Bain caught 64 passes in 1968, and in fact Bignell's record still stands.
#88 - Like a stranger that rolls into town to rescue the local citizenry from a cruel fate in the kind of western flicks Cliff Hysell used to talk about, Michael Jefferson wasn't in Bozeman long. He transferred to MSU for his senior season in January, 2006, and was gone less than a year later, but boy, what a senior season it was. Jefferson's 66 catches was fifth-most in MSU history and his 1,023 receiver yards was fourth. He caught nine touchdown passes, fifth-most in a single season. He was the National Offensive Player of the Week twice, including his 305 all-purpose yard effort at Idaho State. He logged two 200-yard receiving days, including a school record 239 yards against NAU.
#88s in the Bobcat Past: John Kinker (1956), Joe Ugrin (1967), Jim Walczak (1968), Gary Leach (1970), Bob Grabb (1971-72), Bryan Flaig (1973), Dave Henigman (1974), Scott Quittem (1975-78), Steve Niksich (1979-80), Kevin White (1982), Rich Broberg (1983), Joe Cerny (1984-85), Joel Todd (1986), Rob Hatch (1987-90), Scott Eaton (1991-92), Aaron Wilkins (1993-95), Andrew Clark (1996-97), Desmond Faison (1998-99), Toby Winters (2000-01), Toren Roschinger (2002), Jason Goodman (2003), Brian Ouilhon (2004), Matt Crane (2005), Michael Jefferson (2006), Shane Robison (2007-11), Jackson Mahlum (2012-14), Clay Compton (2013), John D'Agostino (2014-18), Jarrett Kessler (2019-).
Other 88 Notes: Jersey number 88 has become something of a legacy spot for the Cats lately. Johnny D'Agostino's father Mark starred for the Bobcats, and the same can be said for Clay Compton (2013) and Jackson Mahlum (2012-14). Even Shane Robison (2007-11) was tied to the legacy concept, as his brother Danny followed him to Montana State and had a fine career on the hardwood. Receiver Desmond Faison (1998-99) was a very good receiver at MSU, following in the footsteps of his cousin, Nico Harrison, now a Bobcat Hall of Famer as a basketball star.
Players Mentioned
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