BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 80 Days Until Kickoff
6/16/2021 2:00:00 PM | Football
A look at the number 80 in Bobcat football history
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 2021 football season at Wyoming on September 4.
#80
Treyton Pickering, TE: Anyone wondering about Treyton Pickering's toughness was quickly dissuaded of such notions when it was discovered that he had played his senior season at Sunburst High with a knee injury that would have ended most anyone's campaign. Pickering is one of the players who really blossomed in the past year, consolidating his strength and athleticism into a physical package that at 6-4, 250, with athleticism and speed, is a prototypical Bobcat tight end.
Spotlight: By the time the 1993 season rolled around, Clint Bryan – playing in jersey number 80 for the first time after three seasons in #25 - had been through plenty during his career as a Bobcat. Recruited to MSU in 1989 as a fleet-footed H-back in tailback in Earle Solomonson's veer offense, he quickly nailed down a starter's job at H-back in the hybrid spread approach Bart Andrus brought to Bozeman as Solomonson's offensive coordinator one year later, catching 34 passes. He caught 33 more passes as a junior in 1991, and by that point in his career had amassed 738 receiving yards. A knee injury shelved him in 1992, Cliff Hysell's first season at MSU, but Bryan returned as a receiver in '93. He caught a dozen passes for 265 yards and a TD as a senior during MSU's turnaround 7-4 campaign. Bryan eventually completed his chiropractic degree an returned to the Gallatin Valley, where he maintains a practice in Belgrade.
Chronology: Brad Lowell (1956), Del Layman (1957), Bill Townsend (1959), Dan Greer (1960-61), Bob Haines (1962), Doug Boyd (1963-66), Robin Stiff (1967-68), Mike Begley (1969), Hans Pidino (1970), Steve Harris (1971), Ron McCullough (1974-77), Wade Abel )1978), Bill Walker (1979), Ron Torchia (1980), Paul Williamson (1983), Pat Bergman (1984-88), Mark Crews (1990-91), Chris Clark (1992), Clint Bryan (1993), Brent Ludwig (1996), Brian Lutz (1997), Brandon Brooks (1999-2000), Brandon Bassett (2001-02), Kellen Alley (2003-04), Derek Green (2005-08), Jordan Rorich (2009), Tiai Salanoa (2011-14), Curtis Amos (2015-18), Treyton Pickering (2019-)
Bonus Note for #80: The subject of yesterday's spotlight, Bill Cords, was involved in a notable play involving the number 80 during his senior season of 1962. Cords caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in MSU's 21-20 win over Fresno State. It was one of the longest plays by an NCAA member school that season, but was only the third-longest play by the Bobcats – Bill Mulcahy ran a punt back 85 yards for a TD, and quarterback Ken Christison also teamed with Russ Powers for an 80-yard scoring strike… another star tight end, Tiai Salanoa's career at Montana State was nothing short of brilliant. The team captain as a senior in 2014 earned First Team All-Big Sky honors that season after landing second team kudos as a junior. Salanoa coached at Ventura College in his native southern California for a time, and T, as he was known, caught 61 passes for nearly 600 yards during his Bobcat career, excelling at all the skills his position demanded. Salanoa was a team captain and First Team All-Big Sky selection in 2014, and will always be remembered at MSU for his quick smile, endearing swagger, and a piercing sense of humor.
#80
Treyton Pickering, TE: Anyone wondering about Treyton Pickering's toughness was quickly dissuaded of such notions when it was discovered that he had played his senior season at Sunburst High with a knee injury that would have ended most anyone's campaign. Pickering is one of the players who really blossomed in the past year, consolidating his strength and athleticism into a physical package that at 6-4, 250, with athleticism and speed, is a prototypical Bobcat tight end.
Spotlight: By the time the 1993 season rolled around, Clint Bryan – playing in jersey number 80 for the first time after three seasons in #25 - had been through plenty during his career as a Bobcat. Recruited to MSU in 1989 as a fleet-footed H-back in tailback in Earle Solomonson's veer offense, he quickly nailed down a starter's job at H-back in the hybrid spread approach Bart Andrus brought to Bozeman as Solomonson's offensive coordinator one year later, catching 34 passes. He caught 33 more passes as a junior in 1991, and by that point in his career had amassed 738 receiving yards. A knee injury shelved him in 1992, Cliff Hysell's first season at MSU, but Bryan returned as a receiver in '93. He caught a dozen passes for 265 yards and a TD as a senior during MSU's turnaround 7-4 campaign. Bryan eventually completed his chiropractic degree an returned to the Gallatin Valley, where he maintains a practice in Belgrade.
Chronology: Brad Lowell (1956), Del Layman (1957), Bill Townsend (1959), Dan Greer (1960-61), Bob Haines (1962), Doug Boyd (1963-66), Robin Stiff (1967-68), Mike Begley (1969), Hans Pidino (1970), Steve Harris (1971), Ron McCullough (1974-77), Wade Abel )1978), Bill Walker (1979), Ron Torchia (1980), Paul Williamson (1983), Pat Bergman (1984-88), Mark Crews (1990-91), Chris Clark (1992), Clint Bryan (1993), Brent Ludwig (1996), Brian Lutz (1997), Brandon Brooks (1999-2000), Brandon Bassett (2001-02), Kellen Alley (2003-04), Derek Green (2005-08), Jordan Rorich (2009), Tiai Salanoa (2011-14), Curtis Amos (2015-18), Treyton Pickering (2019-)
Bonus Note for #80: The subject of yesterday's spotlight, Bill Cords, was involved in a notable play involving the number 80 during his senior season of 1962. Cords caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in MSU's 21-20 win over Fresno State. It was one of the longest plays by an NCAA member school that season, but was only the third-longest play by the Bobcats – Bill Mulcahy ran a punt back 85 yards for a TD, and quarterback Ken Christison also teamed with Russ Powers for an 80-yard scoring strike… another star tight end, Tiai Salanoa's career at Montana State was nothing short of brilliant. The team captain as a senior in 2014 earned First Team All-Big Sky honors that season after landing second team kudos as a junior. Salanoa coached at Ventura College in his native southern California for a time, and T, as he was known, caught 61 passes for nearly 600 yards during his Bobcat career, excelling at all the skills his position demanded. Salanoa was a team captain and First Team All-Big Sky selection in 2014, and will always be remembered at MSU for his quick smile, endearing swagger, and a piercing sense of humor.
Players Mentioned
TE
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