BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 42 Days Until Kickoff
7/24/2021 4:21:00 PM | Football
A look at one tough current Bobcat, and a few former MSU greats
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.
#42
RJ Fitzgerald, RB: Statistics, in many ways, make the modern sports world go 'round. Fans participate in fantasy leagues, pore over opponent team and of individual performances as a rough scouting method, and generally obsess over stats as a way to cling to a favorite team. One of the great things about football, though, is the variety of ways a player can positively contribute without compiling stats. In his four seasons as a fullback at Montana State, R.J. Fitzgerald two carries. Two. So you'd think that the Dillon product may be a bit player in the MSU offense, but in fact he's one of the key figures in making the Bobcat ground game go. As a blocking back, usually on the move from one direction or another, Fitzgerald is generally looking to square up a lineman or linebacker who has a head of steam while he is also moving. It's something akin to hitting a baseball, which Fitzgerlad did well for the Dillon Cubs. Fitzgerald's father Greg and uncle John played football for the Grizzlies, but RJ – and his brother Jace, a Bobcat freshman in 2021 – has been a model Bobcat. A hard-worker, good student, quiet kid, he retains an important role in Montana State's retooled 2021 offense.
Spotlight – Clive Lowe: A singular, unique athlete, Clive Lowe's final impression on Bobcat fans was sensational. He registered six tackles, including two for a loss with one sack, and forced a fumble in his final MSU home game. That came against Furman in the FCS Playoffs, when the Bobcats earned their first post-season victory since the 1984 National Championship run. He registered 9.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks as a senior, forcing two fumbles and recovering one, and his pleasant demeanor and sweet personality belied a difficult youth. In addition to a great final impression, he made wonderful first impressions, as well. There remains at least one teddy bear in Bozeman named for him, and countless memories of interactions with the teddy bear of a man and local youngsters.
Chronology: Joe Wellington (1926), Richard Jarvi (1940), Dan Mizner (1941), Don Driscoll (1946-49), Jim Mitchell (1950), Neal Egan (1953-55), Jim McLeod (1956), Bob Rudio (1957, '59), Kip Croskrey (1960), Terry Meo (1961), Bill Coombs (1962-64), Fred Schafer (1965), Jon McElroy (1966-68), Bob Banaugh (1969-71), Steve Dodds (1972-74), Jim Janhunen (1975-78), Kevin Brown (1979), Skip Higgins (1980), Kirk Timmer (1982-86), Jason Hakert (1987-1991), Gary Smith (1992), Lonnie Franklin (1993), Travis Wright (1994-99), Bo Espinoza (2000), Ross Shores (2001), Clive Lowe (2002-06), Clay Bignell (2007-11), AJ Silva (2012), Trevan Timmer (2013), Joey Michael (2014-16), RJ Fitzgerald (2017-)
Other #42 Notes – Steve Dodds: It probably wasn't apparent in 1971 when Steve Dodd joined the Bobcat football program as a scrappy linebacker – he eventually transitioned to safety – how important his legacy would become. One of Sonny Holland's first recruiting splashes in Spokane, which would become crucial to the program's championship pedigree, Dodds earned All-Big Sky honors as a junior and senior. He starred alongside some of the program's best players ever, brilliant performers such as Bill Kollar and Brad Daws and Ron Ueland, but even after his fine career he continued to contribute. Two brothers eventually played for the Cats, with Vince earning All-Big Sky honors as a senior on MSU's 1976 National Championship team, while Stu earned All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America honors in 1979. Each of the three Dodds brothers earned All-Big Sky honors and started on a Big Sky championship team at MSU, an amazing record of success that began when Steve Dodds joined the Bobcats in the decade's second year.
#42
RJ Fitzgerald, RB: Statistics, in many ways, make the modern sports world go 'round. Fans participate in fantasy leagues, pore over opponent team and of individual performances as a rough scouting method, and generally obsess over stats as a way to cling to a favorite team. One of the great things about football, though, is the variety of ways a player can positively contribute without compiling stats. In his four seasons as a fullback at Montana State, R.J. Fitzgerald two carries. Two. So you'd think that the Dillon product may be a bit player in the MSU offense, but in fact he's one of the key figures in making the Bobcat ground game go. As a blocking back, usually on the move from one direction or another, Fitzgerald is generally looking to square up a lineman or linebacker who has a head of steam while he is also moving. It's something akin to hitting a baseball, which Fitzgerlad did well for the Dillon Cubs. Fitzgerald's father Greg and uncle John played football for the Grizzlies, but RJ – and his brother Jace, a Bobcat freshman in 2021 – has been a model Bobcat. A hard-worker, good student, quiet kid, he retains an important role in Montana State's retooled 2021 offense.
Spotlight – Clive Lowe: A singular, unique athlete, Clive Lowe's final impression on Bobcat fans was sensational. He registered six tackles, including two for a loss with one sack, and forced a fumble in his final MSU home game. That came against Furman in the FCS Playoffs, when the Bobcats earned their first post-season victory since the 1984 National Championship run. He registered 9.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks as a senior, forcing two fumbles and recovering one, and his pleasant demeanor and sweet personality belied a difficult youth. In addition to a great final impression, he made wonderful first impressions, as well. There remains at least one teddy bear in Bozeman named for him, and countless memories of interactions with the teddy bear of a man and local youngsters.
Chronology: Joe Wellington (1926), Richard Jarvi (1940), Dan Mizner (1941), Don Driscoll (1946-49), Jim Mitchell (1950), Neal Egan (1953-55), Jim McLeod (1956), Bob Rudio (1957, '59), Kip Croskrey (1960), Terry Meo (1961), Bill Coombs (1962-64), Fred Schafer (1965), Jon McElroy (1966-68), Bob Banaugh (1969-71), Steve Dodds (1972-74), Jim Janhunen (1975-78), Kevin Brown (1979), Skip Higgins (1980), Kirk Timmer (1982-86), Jason Hakert (1987-1991), Gary Smith (1992), Lonnie Franklin (1993), Travis Wright (1994-99), Bo Espinoza (2000), Ross Shores (2001), Clive Lowe (2002-06), Clay Bignell (2007-11), AJ Silva (2012), Trevan Timmer (2013), Joey Michael (2014-16), RJ Fitzgerald (2017-)
Other #42 Notes – Steve Dodds: It probably wasn't apparent in 1971 when Steve Dodd joined the Bobcat football program as a scrappy linebacker – he eventually transitioned to safety – how important his legacy would become. One of Sonny Holland's first recruiting splashes in Spokane, which would become crucial to the program's championship pedigree, Dodds earned All-Big Sky honors as a junior and senior. He starred alongside some of the program's best players ever, brilliant performers such as Bill Kollar and Brad Daws and Ron Ueland, but even after his fine career he continued to contribute. Two brothers eventually played for the Cats, with Vince earning All-Big Sky honors as a senior on MSU's 1976 National Championship team, while Stu earned All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America honors in 1979. Each of the three Dodds brothers earned All-Big Sky honors and started on a Big Sky championship team at MSU, an amazing record of success that began when Steve Dodds joined the Bobcats in the decade's second year.
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