BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 35 Days Until Kickoff
7/31/2021 3:43:00 PM | Football
A look at no. 35 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.
#35
Luke Pawlak, K: Luke Pawlak transferred to Montana State in the summer of 2020 from Kent State, where he redshirted in 2019. He was a third team all-state choice at Northview High in Sylvania, Ohio, as a senior, earning all-conference honors twice.
Spotlight – TT Ryan: Almost defiantly, Cliff Hysell would make public proclamations that even though it went against conventional thinking he had his favorites as players. And when he was in a mood to name names, T.T. Ryan was the one that most easily rolled off his tongue. Timothy Ty Ryan (Hysell's love of blocking backs and Ryan's initials always made one wonder if Cliff didn't think T.T. stood for Tim Terrific) transferred to Montana State from Cal State Fullerton in 1993 after the Titans dropped football. In 1993 he was third on the team with 33 carries and 138 yards, but his arrival coincided with a rushing renaissance at MSU. Fred Moore gained 1,005 yards as a JC transfer, and Clint Morton ran for 743, and most of those 1,748 yards were behind Ryan. Ryan was also a wrestler at CSF, and was a linebacker in high school. In his three seasons at MSU, Bobcat tailbacks averaged well over 100 rushing yards a game.
Spotlight – Balue Chapman: Balue Chapman had worked his way into regular playing time by the time his season was ended early by an injury in 2017, but that set expectations high for his sophomore season. Chapman brings an impeccable resume and strong bloodlines to Bobcat football. The former Montana Gatorade Player of the Year (2015) led Bozeman high to a state championship, and follows in the footsteps of his father Bret, who a Bobcat standout from 1978-81. Chapman played in four games in 2018 but his season was again undone by injury, and by now the cumulative effect of his brilliant career had taken on his body was clear. He retired prior to 2019. His legacy has continued – in the years after his career, former teammates often mentioned Balue Chapman as a favorite teammate, and as a teammate they'd want to be stranded with away from civilization. In a beautiful twist, Bret Chapman also wore #35 during his days as a Bobcat safety.
Chronology: Fred Keenan (1931), Dick Little (1937), Clifford Vaughn (1940), Alton Zempel (1941), Mike McCormick (1946-47), Gene Stergar (1948), Fred Peres (1953), Jerry Miller (1954-55), Darrell Garoutte (1970-71), Scott Shriver (1972-74), Mike Vidmar (1975-77), Bret Chapman (1978-81), Skip Morten (1982), Rodney Holland (1983-85), Brett Davis (1986), Bob Wilkinson (1987-90), TT Ryan (1993-95), Shon Flores (1997), Carson Souter (1998), Adam Cordeiro (1999), Vernon Williams (2000-01), David Mayfield (2002-03), Travis Doroski (2004), Isaiah Taito (2005-06), Michael Boran (2007), Tyler Volkman (2008), Preston Gale (2009), Morris Gates-Mouton (2012-13, 15), Balue Chapman (2016-18), Luke Pawlak (2020-)
#35
Luke Pawlak, K: Luke Pawlak transferred to Montana State in the summer of 2020 from Kent State, where he redshirted in 2019. He was a third team all-state choice at Northview High in Sylvania, Ohio, as a senior, earning all-conference honors twice.
Spotlight – TT Ryan: Almost defiantly, Cliff Hysell would make public proclamations that even though it went against conventional thinking he had his favorites as players. And when he was in a mood to name names, T.T. Ryan was the one that most easily rolled off his tongue. Timothy Ty Ryan (Hysell's love of blocking backs and Ryan's initials always made one wonder if Cliff didn't think T.T. stood for Tim Terrific) transferred to Montana State from Cal State Fullerton in 1993 after the Titans dropped football. In 1993 he was third on the team with 33 carries and 138 yards, but his arrival coincided with a rushing renaissance at MSU. Fred Moore gained 1,005 yards as a JC transfer, and Clint Morton ran for 743, and most of those 1,748 yards were behind Ryan. Ryan was also a wrestler at CSF, and was a linebacker in high school. In his three seasons at MSU, Bobcat tailbacks averaged well over 100 rushing yards a game.
Spotlight – Balue Chapman: Balue Chapman had worked his way into regular playing time by the time his season was ended early by an injury in 2017, but that set expectations high for his sophomore season. Chapman brings an impeccable resume and strong bloodlines to Bobcat football. The former Montana Gatorade Player of the Year (2015) led Bozeman high to a state championship, and follows in the footsteps of his father Bret, who a Bobcat standout from 1978-81. Chapman played in four games in 2018 but his season was again undone by injury, and by now the cumulative effect of his brilliant career had taken on his body was clear. He retired prior to 2019. His legacy has continued – in the years after his career, former teammates often mentioned Balue Chapman as a favorite teammate, and as a teammate they'd want to be stranded with away from civilization. In a beautiful twist, Bret Chapman also wore #35 during his days as a Bobcat safety.
Chronology: Fred Keenan (1931), Dick Little (1937), Clifford Vaughn (1940), Alton Zempel (1941), Mike McCormick (1946-47), Gene Stergar (1948), Fred Peres (1953), Jerry Miller (1954-55), Darrell Garoutte (1970-71), Scott Shriver (1972-74), Mike Vidmar (1975-77), Bret Chapman (1978-81), Skip Morten (1982), Rodney Holland (1983-85), Brett Davis (1986), Bob Wilkinson (1987-90), TT Ryan (1993-95), Shon Flores (1997), Carson Souter (1998), Adam Cordeiro (1999), Vernon Williams (2000-01), David Mayfield (2002-03), Travis Doroski (2004), Isaiah Taito (2005-06), Michael Boran (2007), Tyler Volkman (2008), Preston Gale (2009), Morris Gates-Mouton (2012-13, 15), Balue Chapman (2016-18), Luke Pawlak (2020-)
Players Mentioned
K
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