BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: It's 87 Days Until Montana State Opens its 2021 Football Season
6/9/2021 1:01:00 PM | Football
Ryan Lonergan is one of nine hometown products suiting up for the Cats this year
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.
#87
Ryan Lonergan, TE: A product of Bozeman High's outstanding football program, Ryan Lonergan earned First Team All-State honors twice for the Hawks, and was a second team selection at defensive end. He caught 64 passes for 1,121 yards as a senior, scoring a dozen touchdowns, and upon signing was tabbed as one of the most promising prep prospects in the state in 2018-19. He did nothing to dim his bright prospects during his redshirt season in 2019, and enters this fall in the mix of MSU's crowded tight end picture for playing time.
87 – Butch Damberger still remembers his conversation with Sonny Holland after the Montana Shrine Bowl following in August, 1976. The multi-sport star from Cut Bank, Montana, had no firm college plans just weeks before Labor Day. Days later he was in fall camp in Bozeman as a walk-on tight end. Weeks later he was jogging onto the field to replace injured Al Reichow as the team's second tight end. And not long after that, Damberger was catching crucial touchdowns against North Dakota State and Toledo during a playoff run that led the Cats to their second national championship. He was a two-time All-America tight end and was a prototype of an MSU football player in that era – a rugged, smart, productive player from small-town Montana who helped the Bobcats remain at or near the top of the Big Sky Conference and Division II (later I-AA and FCS) football. After a stellar high school coaching career, Damberger returned to MSU as Cliff Hysell's first hire in December, 1991, and never left. He remained on staff through the transition to Mike Kramer, helped reestablish the program with the 2002 Big Sky Championship, then moved across campus to manage the Strand Union Building.
Chronology: Bob Black (1956), John Kinker (1957), Bob Surdam (1958-59), Gary Decolati (1963-64), Bob Stephan (1965-66), Bill Fieldstead (1967-68), Gary Beller (1969), Lynn Schenk (1970-72), Bob Grabb (1973), Bob Lubig (1974), Dennis Mizelle (1975), Butch Damberger (1976-79), Bill Bishop (1980), Tod Kasten (1982), Jame Todd (1983-86), Shawn Sulff (1987), Lee Carter (1990-91), Brian Pepper (1992-95), Jake Headlee (1996), Frank Green (1997-2000), Justin Reber (2001), Kolby Drube (2002), Sean Kelley (2003), Toby Rundle (2004-05), Deon Toliver (2006), Daniel Malison (2008), Gregory Oswood (2010-11), Shadeed Crockett (2012-13), Connor Sullivan (2014-18), Ryan Lonergan (2019-)
Other 87 Notes: Some uniform numbers just have a little more cache' than others, and at Montana State 87 is one of those numbers. Three of BBTN's all-time favorites – Lee Carter, Brian Pepper and Frank Green – did #87 proud. Carter transferred from Wyoming, where his father played before helping build the Helena Capital football program into the powerhouse it was for many years, and had two fine seasons for the Bobcats. He now teaches and coaches at Capital. Pepper was a local product who came to MSU without a true position, eventually becoming an All-Big Sky linebacker. Frank Green came to MSU from Butte and was a tremendous tight end in the Blue and Gold.
#87
Ryan Lonergan, TE: A product of Bozeman High's outstanding football program, Ryan Lonergan earned First Team All-State honors twice for the Hawks, and was a second team selection at defensive end. He caught 64 passes for 1,121 yards as a senior, scoring a dozen touchdowns, and upon signing was tabbed as one of the most promising prep prospects in the state in 2018-19. He did nothing to dim his bright prospects during his redshirt season in 2019, and enters this fall in the mix of MSU's crowded tight end picture for playing time.
87 – Butch Damberger still remembers his conversation with Sonny Holland after the Montana Shrine Bowl following in August, 1976. The multi-sport star from Cut Bank, Montana, had no firm college plans just weeks before Labor Day. Days later he was in fall camp in Bozeman as a walk-on tight end. Weeks later he was jogging onto the field to replace injured Al Reichow as the team's second tight end. And not long after that, Damberger was catching crucial touchdowns against North Dakota State and Toledo during a playoff run that led the Cats to their second national championship. He was a two-time All-America tight end and was a prototype of an MSU football player in that era – a rugged, smart, productive player from small-town Montana who helped the Bobcats remain at or near the top of the Big Sky Conference and Division II (later I-AA and FCS) football. After a stellar high school coaching career, Damberger returned to MSU as Cliff Hysell's first hire in December, 1991, and never left. He remained on staff through the transition to Mike Kramer, helped reestablish the program with the 2002 Big Sky Championship, then moved across campus to manage the Strand Union Building.
Chronology: Bob Black (1956), John Kinker (1957), Bob Surdam (1958-59), Gary Decolati (1963-64), Bob Stephan (1965-66), Bill Fieldstead (1967-68), Gary Beller (1969), Lynn Schenk (1970-72), Bob Grabb (1973), Bob Lubig (1974), Dennis Mizelle (1975), Butch Damberger (1976-79), Bill Bishop (1980), Tod Kasten (1982), Jame Todd (1983-86), Shawn Sulff (1987), Lee Carter (1990-91), Brian Pepper (1992-95), Jake Headlee (1996), Frank Green (1997-2000), Justin Reber (2001), Kolby Drube (2002), Sean Kelley (2003), Toby Rundle (2004-05), Deon Toliver (2006), Daniel Malison (2008), Gregory Oswood (2010-11), Shadeed Crockett (2012-13), Connor Sullivan (2014-18), Ryan Lonergan (2019-)
Other 87 Notes: Some uniform numbers just have a little more cache' than others, and at Montana State 87 is one of those numbers. Three of BBTN's all-time favorites – Lee Carter, Brian Pepper and Frank Green – did #87 proud. Carter transferred from Wyoming, where his father played before helping build the Helena Capital football program into the powerhouse it was for many years, and had two fine seasons for the Bobcats. He now teaches and coaches at Capital. Pepper was a local product who came to MSU without a true position, eventually becoming an All-Big Sky linebacker. Frank Green came to MSU from Butte and was a tremendous tight end in the Blue and Gold.
Players Mentioned
TE
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