BOBCATS 125: Neal Smith
6/22/2022 2:01:00 PM | Football
When Neal Smith added bulk to his lean, athletic frame he became an unstoppable force
Leading to the 2022 season, the 125th anniversary of Montana State's first football team, we will look at 125 of the greatest Bobcats. You can find details here and a directory here.
Neal Smith, DE, 1994-97
ALL-TIME TEAM: None previously
HONORS: 1st Team All-America and 1st Team All-Big Sky in 1997
A CLOSER LOOK: Neal Smith had an outstanding career at Montana State, but his senior season was legendary. The Polson native destroyed opposing offenses. He compiled 19 sacks in 1997 and 35.5 in his career, both second in Bobcat history behind Mark Fellows. His 22 tackles-for-loss in 1997 remains third in school history. He forced five fumbles in his career, still in the MSU top 10, and recovered three. He hurried the quarterback 29 times and broke up a dozen passes, and on top of all that blocked two kicks. He even caught two passes, one for a touchdown, as a senior.
FROM FORMER BOBCAT DEFENSIVE LINE COACH BUTCH DAMBERGER: "Neal was such a good athlete, I remember he was MVP of the State A basketball tournament and we were looking at him because we were trying to do everything we could to get Montana kids into the program. The more we looked at him the more we thought that if he came in and gained some weight and got stronger that he could become a really good player, and he did. He had some injuries, but to his credit he lined up and played. He never missed a game, and he always available in practice, too. At 6-5 and 240 he was a force, the most athletic (defensive lineman) I ever coached. He could really come off that edge, and I remember a game against NAU when they had a left tackle that hadn't given up a sack all year. Neal got him twice, got two sacks that game, and it was a hell of a battle, one of those you'd pay to see."
Neal Smith, DE, 1994-97
ALL-TIME TEAM: None previously
HONORS: 1st Team All-America and 1st Team All-Big Sky in 1997
A CLOSER LOOK: Neal Smith had an outstanding career at Montana State, but his senior season was legendary. The Polson native destroyed opposing offenses. He compiled 19 sacks in 1997 and 35.5 in his career, both second in Bobcat history behind Mark Fellows. His 22 tackles-for-loss in 1997 remains third in school history. He forced five fumbles in his career, still in the MSU top 10, and recovered three. He hurried the quarterback 29 times and broke up a dozen passes, and on top of all that blocked two kicks. He even caught two passes, one for a touchdown, as a senior.
FROM FORMER BOBCAT DEFENSIVE LINE COACH BUTCH DAMBERGER: "Neal was such a good athlete, I remember he was MVP of the State A basketball tournament and we were looking at him because we were trying to do everything we could to get Montana kids into the program. The more we looked at him the more we thought that if he came in and gained some weight and got stronger that he could become a really good player, and he did. He had some injuries, but to his credit he lined up and played. He never missed a game, and he always available in practice, too. At 6-5 and 240 he was a force, the most athletic (defensive lineman) I ever coached. He could really come off that edge, and I remember a game against NAU when they had a left tackle that hadn't given up a sack all year. Neal got him twice, got two sacks that game, and it was a hell of a battle, one of those you'd pay to see."
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