BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 58 Days Until Kickoff
7/8/2021 5:01:00 PM | Football
A look at the No. 58 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.
#58
Aaron Richards, OL: Aaron Richards is part of Montana State's stable of big, young offensive line prospects. The Butte product needs continued physical development, but is considered part of the future for MSU's offensive line.
Spotlight: In the long line of tremendous defensive players Montana State produced in the 1990s, one of the best was Jason Hicks, an undersized and athletic defensive whose lightning quickness confounded Big Sky defenses during the early '90s. Hicks' 14 sacks in 1993 remains the fourth-highest total in school history, and his 29 career sacks is tied for fourth. Presumably Hicks made good use of his down time when battling injuries, as he is presently a Bozeman architect. He is married to former MSU track and field star Angelette Cormier Hicks.
58 Carries: Paul Schafer carried 58 times in Montana State's 1968 win in Missoula, one of the greatest individual Cat-Griz efforts in the series' long history. Schafer gained 234 yards and scored the winning touchdown with a torn ligament in one knee.
Chronology: Todd Vasey (1982-83), Tom Jacobs (1984), Joel Long (1985-89), Jason Stene (1990), Mike Kenny (1991), Jason Hicks (1992-95),Nate O'Brien (1996), Brian Lutz (1998-99), Ray Sebestyen (2000-04), Ryan Cerise (2005-09), Rhett Young (2010-14), Josh Hill (2015-)
Bonus Note for #58: The youthful football player stood with the gentleman in a military uniform. The older man did all of the talking. Mike Kramer walked by and offered to a bystander, "Kid wants to go home. Dad won't let him." It turned out to be a fantastic decision both for Ray Sebestyen and for the Bobcats. Sebestyen became an outstanding defensive lineman for the Bobcats, moving from end to tackle in the middle of his career and flourishing on the inside. Sebestyen was a two-time First Team All-Big Sky selection, 2003 and '04.
Another #58: Man, was Josh Hill fun to watch play football. He was an undersized linebacker from Kalispell, but Josh Hill nicely fit the role of small, fast, ferocious linebacker that the Bobcats had long leaned on. It could be called a market inefficiency, in other words an excellent player who was under-recruited because of his size. It can also be seen as the extension of a productive decade-long trend, with Jody Owens, Na'a Moeakiola and Aleksei Grosulak all thriving as smallish 21st century Bobcat linebackers.. Hill joins Grosulak, Jeff Price and Bobby Daly as in-state linebackers who starred for the Cats after arriving as walk-ons for no good reason other than a vertically-stretched tape measure. Hill's tenacity and aggression frequently landed him on the injury report, but it also landed him some brilliant moments. He was First Team All-Big Sky in 2019, finished fourth on the team in tackles the as a sophomore a freshman and sophomore, was named Big Sky Player of the Week for his eight-tackle effort at Montana to close the 2016 season, and in 2018 registered six tackles with a couple of pass breakups in MSU's win against the Grizzlies. He never said a lot but had a look in his eye that let people know he was gonna get things done, and would likely have fun while doing it. Josh Hill was a great Bobcat.
#58
Aaron Richards, OL: Aaron Richards is part of Montana State's stable of big, young offensive line prospects. The Butte product needs continued physical development, but is considered part of the future for MSU's offensive line.
Spotlight: In the long line of tremendous defensive players Montana State produced in the 1990s, one of the best was Jason Hicks, an undersized and athletic defensive whose lightning quickness confounded Big Sky defenses during the early '90s. Hicks' 14 sacks in 1993 remains the fourth-highest total in school history, and his 29 career sacks is tied for fourth. Presumably Hicks made good use of his down time when battling injuries, as he is presently a Bozeman architect. He is married to former MSU track and field star Angelette Cormier Hicks.
58 Carries: Paul Schafer carried 58 times in Montana State's 1968 win in Missoula, one of the greatest individual Cat-Griz efforts in the series' long history. Schafer gained 234 yards and scored the winning touchdown with a torn ligament in one knee.
Chronology: Todd Vasey (1982-83), Tom Jacobs (1984), Joel Long (1985-89), Jason Stene (1990), Mike Kenny (1991), Jason Hicks (1992-95),Nate O'Brien (1996), Brian Lutz (1998-99), Ray Sebestyen (2000-04), Ryan Cerise (2005-09), Rhett Young (2010-14), Josh Hill (2015-)
Bonus Note for #58: The youthful football player stood with the gentleman in a military uniform. The older man did all of the talking. Mike Kramer walked by and offered to a bystander, "Kid wants to go home. Dad won't let him." It turned out to be a fantastic decision both for Ray Sebestyen and for the Bobcats. Sebestyen became an outstanding defensive lineman for the Bobcats, moving from end to tackle in the middle of his career and flourishing on the inside. Sebestyen was a two-time First Team All-Big Sky selection, 2003 and '04.
Another #58: Man, was Josh Hill fun to watch play football. He was an undersized linebacker from Kalispell, but Josh Hill nicely fit the role of small, fast, ferocious linebacker that the Bobcats had long leaned on. It could be called a market inefficiency, in other words an excellent player who was under-recruited because of his size. It can also be seen as the extension of a productive decade-long trend, with Jody Owens, Na'a Moeakiola and Aleksei Grosulak all thriving as smallish 21st century Bobcat linebackers.. Hill joins Grosulak, Jeff Price and Bobby Daly as in-state linebackers who starred for the Cats after arriving as walk-ons for no good reason other than a vertically-stretched tape measure. Hill's tenacity and aggression frequently landed him on the injury report, but it also landed him some brilliant moments. He was First Team All-Big Sky in 2019, finished fourth on the team in tackles the as a sophomore a freshman and sophomore, was named Big Sky Player of the Week for his eight-tackle effort at Montana to close the 2016 season, and in 2018 registered six tackles with a couple of pass breakups in MSU's win against the Grizzlies. He never said a lot but had a look in his eye that let people know he was gonna get things done, and would likely have fun while doing it. Josh Hill was a great Bobcat.
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
OL
/ FootballThursday, July 31
Monday, May 19
Wednesday, May 03
Wednesday, May 03
