BOBCATS 125: Dave Alt
6/17/2022 2:00:00 PM | Football
The quarterback who helped lead Montana State to the 1956 national title turned into a fine utility player
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.
Dave Alt, QB, 1956-59
ALL-TIME TEAM: None previously
HONORS: 1st Team All-Rocky Mountain Conference in 1956
A CLOSER LOOK: Montana State's 1956 National Championship team was a unique-to-the-time blend of talent between military veterans closer to 30 years old than 20, scrappy and talented college freshman, and pretty much everything in between. One of those 18-year old newcomers who sparked the Bobcats to heights not previously imagined was Dave Alt, a quarterback from Toledo. Alt rushed for rushed for 493 yards out of Coach Tony Storti's Split T formation and completed nine passes for 213 yards - both team-high marks - to spark the nation's best offense. Even after splashing around in the Aluminum Bowl's mud for an afternoon, which suppressed the team's impressive offense numbers, the Bobcat saveraged 323 yards and 31.2 yards per game. Alt also excelled as a defensive back that season.
Alt was plagued by injuries throughout the remainder of his career, which cost him part of the 1957 season and most of the next two, while alternating between quarterback and halfback. Granted an extra year of eligibility in 1960, Alt threw for 219 yards and rushed for 19.
Alt also starred at shortstop on the Bobcat baseball team.
FROM TEAMMATE PHIL SCHNEIDER: "Dave Alt was pound for pound one of the toughest guys I ever met. He was not very big, not very big at all. He ended up getting hurt so he got an extra year (of eligibility). We played varsity ball together for at least two seasons. He was the quarterback on that '56 team, and he played defensive back. He was not much taller than me, but he was he tough. He ran that option and was just a plain good football player. Today he'd be classified as a mini-Tommy Mellott."
Dave Alt, QB, 1956-59
ALL-TIME TEAM: None previously
HONORS: 1st Team All-Rocky Mountain Conference in 1956
A CLOSER LOOK: Montana State's 1956 National Championship team was a unique-to-the-time blend of talent between military veterans closer to 30 years old than 20, scrappy and talented college freshman, and pretty much everything in between. One of those 18-year old newcomers who sparked the Bobcats to heights not previously imagined was Dave Alt, a quarterback from Toledo. Alt rushed for rushed for 493 yards out of Coach Tony Storti's Split T formation and completed nine passes for 213 yards - both team-high marks - to spark the nation's best offense. Even after splashing around in the Aluminum Bowl's mud for an afternoon, which suppressed the team's impressive offense numbers, the Bobcat saveraged 323 yards and 31.2 yards per game. Alt also excelled as a defensive back that season.
Alt was plagued by injuries throughout the remainder of his career, which cost him part of the 1957 season and most of the next two, while alternating between quarterback and halfback. Granted an extra year of eligibility in 1960, Alt threw for 219 yards and rushed for 19.
Alt also starred at shortstop on the Bobcat baseball team.
FROM TEAMMATE PHIL SCHNEIDER: "Dave Alt was pound for pound one of the toughest guys I ever met. He was not very big, not very big at all. He ended up getting hurt so he got an extra year (of eligibility). We played varsity ball together for at least two seasons. He was the quarterback on that '56 team, and he played defensive back. He was not much taller than me, but he was he tough. He ran that option and was just a plain good football player. Today he'd be classified as a mini-Tommy Mellott."
Players Mentioned
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