BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 41 Days Until Kickoff, and a Look at MSU's Legacy Jersey
7/25/2021 6:30:00 PM | Football
Chase Benson Wears Jersey No. 41 in 2021
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.
The Legacy of Jersey No. 41 at Montana State: Jersey No. 41 became Montana State's legacy number during the 2018 season, when linebacker Grant Collins from Bozeman High wore it for the final time. It will from now going forward be worn by a senior from the Treasure State selected by his peers in honor of the state of Montana, which was the 41st state admitted into the union. It also honors the '41 Montana State football team, which was decimated during World War II. Popular reports said that the starting lineup from that team perished in service to the nation during World War II, but in fact 13 players from pre-War teams (1935 to 1941) paid the ultimate price.
#41
Chase Benson, DL: Chase Benson doesn't say much publicly. He doesn't pile up gaudy stats, and when he makes a big play – which is often – he celebrates with his teammates and gets to the huddle or the sideline. In this way, Chase Benson represents so much of what Bobcat football has stood for through the years. And in this way, Chase Benson is the perfect man to wear No. 41, MSU's legacy jersey, in 2021. Benson came to MSU as a lightly-recruited, undersized defensive lineman in 2016, and has performed brilliantly ever since. He saw significant playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2017, logged 22 tackles in 2018, and in 2019 made 56 tackles, four for a loss, with three sacks. The moment he will remember forever, and for which he'll be forever remembered, is the goal-line stand that sealed the Miracle in Missoula. Close inspection of that play shows that Benson blew up the right side of UM's interior, which created a chain of events that led to Derek Marks sprinting off the field with the ball held high. And now, Chase Benson will always be linked to MSU's No. 41 jersey, which honors the nation's 41st state and the '41 Bobcats, which gave so much to Montana and the U.S. in World War II.
Troy Andersen, No. 41 in 2020 – The Bobcats sat out the 2020 season due to several factors, but during that campaign Troy Andersen would have worn MSU's No. 41 jersey. A lifelong Bobcat from Dillon and two-time team captain, Andersen is an unquestionably unique football player. He has started at running back, quarterback, and linebacker during his time at MSU, and earned All-Big Sky and All-America honors at the latter two. He is a two-time team captain, three times if 2020 is counted, and was always a deserving emblem for jersey No. 41.
Spotlight – Matt Engelking: Positive feelings surrounded Montana State's run game entering the 1995 season, but anyone who says now that they saw Matt Engelking's meteoric starburst coming would be engaging in revisionist history. A third-year tailback from northern Colorado, Engelking had all of 13 career carries to his name when his junior season dawned, having spent his career behind the exceptional duo of Fred Moore and Clint Morton. By the time he was finished he'd gained 2,462 yards in his career, fourth-most in Bobcat history to that point, and he had posted two of the school's top seven single seasons in that category. Engelking was not a flashy runner, didn't have game-breaking speed, and wasn't the prototypical power back. But, he brilliantly blended all three of those elements, fusing a broad skill set with the kind of assets – intelligence, vision, running hard – that don't really show up except in games. Running behind a veteran offensive line and benefitting from fullback TT Ryan's blocking, Engelking showed an amazing knack for hitting holes at the right time, utilizing a burst that coaches often describe as 'football speed.' Matt Engelking was a quiet kid, but his grin always gave the impression he knew more than he was letting on. Watching Engelking was a pleasure, and analyzing how his particular skills and savvy played out was a window into understanding the offensive system that Dave Telford and Jim McElwain built for Cliff Hysell.
Chronology: Earl Gregory (1926), George Alquist (1940), Art Dougan (1941), Mark Hampton (1946), John Mora (1947-49), Tom Bleakly (1950), Vic Berra (1953-54), Jim Corder (1955), Loren Sax (1956), Dick Posewitz (1957), Chuck Bovan (1958), Harry Stagnito (1959), Harry Stagnito (1960), Terry Meo (1962-63), Dale Jackson (1965-66), Don Duntsch (1968-69), Don Duntsch (1970), Sam McCullum (1971-73), Dave Stengel (1974), Ron Muri (1975-78), Mark Sansaver (1979-81), Jeff Effland (1982), Mark Harwood (1983-86), Steve Haugeberg (1987-88), Jeremy Wicht (1989-92), Matt Engelking (1993-96), AJ Stoneburner (1999-2000), Jason Guerrero (2001), Isaac Gardner (2002), Jeff Galloway (2003), Shane Cavallini (2004), Tom Adolfae (2005), Will Claggett (2006-07), Zach Coleman (2008), Na'a Moeakiola (2010), Brad Daly (2009, 2011-13), Grant Collins (2014-18), Brayden Konkol (2019), Troy Andersen (2020), Chase Benson (2021).
Bonus #41 – Earl "Pop" Gregory: Pop Gregory, was a star as Montana State fought to relevance in the mid-1920s after a dormant decade. The Bobcats' 5-4 record in 1923, Gregory's freshman season, was the program's first over .500 since 1915. The Cats finished with a winning record in each of Gregory's four seasons, and as a senior in 1926 the Lewistown product served as team captain. Gregory also offers some insight into one of the truly significant aspects of campus life on 'the hill' in the school's early years. He was inducted into Les Bouffons, a men's honorary of the top 10 upperclassmen who, late in the fall semester, dressed in costumes and acted out skits and pranks near Montana Hall. Membership was a mark of prestige, and it featured many well-respected athletes.
The Legacy of Jersey No. 41 at Montana State: Jersey No. 41 became Montana State's legacy number during the 2018 season, when linebacker Grant Collins from Bozeman High wore it for the final time. It will from now going forward be worn by a senior from the Treasure State selected by his peers in honor of the state of Montana, which was the 41st state admitted into the union. It also honors the '41 Montana State football team, which was decimated during World War II. Popular reports said that the starting lineup from that team perished in service to the nation during World War II, but in fact 13 players from pre-War teams (1935 to 1941) paid the ultimate price.
#41
Chase Benson, DL: Chase Benson doesn't say much publicly. He doesn't pile up gaudy stats, and when he makes a big play – which is often – he celebrates with his teammates and gets to the huddle or the sideline. In this way, Chase Benson represents so much of what Bobcat football has stood for through the years. And in this way, Chase Benson is the perfect man to wear No. 41, MSU's legacy jersey, in 2021. Benson came to MSU as a lightly-recruited, undersized defensive lineman in 2016, and has performed brilliantly ever since. He saw significant playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2017, logged 22 tackles in 2018, and in 2019 made 56 tackles, four for a loss, with three sacks. The moment he will remember forever, and for which he'll be forever remembered, is the goal-line stand that sealed the Miracle in Missoula. Close inspection of that play shows that Benson blew up the right side of UM's interior, which created a chain of events that led to Derek Marks sprinting off the field with the ball held high. And now, Chase Benson will always be linked to MSU's No. 41 jersey, which honors the nation's 41st state and the '41 Bobcats, which gave so much to Montana and the U.S. in World War II.
Troy Andersen, No. 41 in 2020 – The Bobcats sat out the 2020 season due to several factors, but during that campaign Troy Andersen would have worn MSU's No. 41 jersey. A lifelong Bobcat from Dillon and two-time team captain, Andersen is an unquestionably unique football player. He has started at running back, quarterback, and linebacker during his time at MSU, and earned All-Big Sky and All-America honors at the latter two. He is a two-time team captain, three times if 2020 is counted, and was always a deserving emblem for jersey No. 41.
Spotlight – Matt Engelking: Positive feelings surrounded Montana State's run game entering the 1995 season, but anyone who says now that they saw Matt Engelking's meteoric starburst coming would be engaging in revisionist history. A third-year tailback from northern Colorado, Engelking had all of 13 career carries to his name when his junior season dawned, having spent his career behind the exceptional duo of Fred Moore and Clint Morton. By the time he was finished he'd gained 2,462 yards in his career, fourth-most in Bobcat history to that point, and he had posted two of the school's top seven single seasons in that category. Engelking was not a flashy runner, didn't have game-breaking speed, and wasn't the prototypical power back. But, he brilliantly blended all three of those elements, fusing a broad skill set with the kind of assets – intelligence, vision, running hard – that don't really show up except in games. Running behind a veteran offensive line and benefitting from fullback TT Ryan's blocking, Engelking showed an amazing knack for hitting holes at the right time, utilizing a burst that coaches often describe as 'football speed.' Matt Engelking was a quiet kid, but his grin always gave the impression he knew more than he was letting on. Watching Engelking was a pleasure, and analyzing how his particular skills and savvy played out was a window into understanding the offensive system that Dave Telford and Jim McElwain built for Cliff Hysell.
Chronology: Earl Gregory (1926), George Alquist (1940), Art Dougan (1941), Mark Hampton (1946), John Mora (1947-49), Tom Bleakly (1950), Vic Berra (1953-54), Jim Corder (1955), Loren Sax (1956), Dick Posewitz (1957), Chuck Bovan (1958), Harry Stagnito (1959), Harry Stagnito (1960), Terry Meo (1962-63), Dale Jackson (1965-66), Don Duntsch (1968-69), Don Duntsch (1970), Sam McCullum (1971-73), Dave Stengel (1974), Ron Muri (1975-78), Mark Sansaver (1979-81), Jeff Effland (1982), Mark Harwood (1983-86), Steve Haugeberg (1987-88), Jeremy Wicht (1989-92), Matt Engelking (1993-96), AJ Stoneburner (1999-2000), Jason Guerrero (2001), Isaac Gardner (2002), Jeff Galloway (2003), Shane Cavallini (2004), Tom Adolfae (2005), Will Claggett (2006-07), Zach Coleman (2008), Na'a Moeakiola (2010), Brad Daly (2009, 2011-13), Grant Collins (2014-18), Brayden Konkol (2019), Troy Andersen (2020), Chase Benson (2021).
Bonus #41 – Earl "Pop" Gregory: Pop Gregory, was a star as Montana State fought to relevance in the mid-1920s after a dormant decade. The Bobcats' 5-4 record in 1923, Gregory's freshman season, was the program's first over .500 since 1915. The Cats finished with a winning record in each of Gregory's four seasons, and as a senior in 1926 the Lewistown product served as team captain. Gregory also offers some insight into one of the truly significant aspects of campus life on 'the hill' in the school's early years. He was inducted into Les Bouffons, a men's honorary of the top 10 upperclassmen who, late in the fall semester, dressed in costumes and acted out skits and pranks near Montana Hall. Membership was a mark of prestige, and it featured many well-respected athletes.
Players Mentioned
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