BOBCATS 125: Rob Tesch and Eric Hopkins
7/1/2022 2:00:00 PM | Football
A pair of dynamic receivers spurred the Bobcat offense in the early 1990s
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.
Rob Tesch, WR/RS, 1989-92
ALL-TIME TEAM: None previously
HONORS: 1st Team All-Big Sky return specialist and 2nd Team All-Big Sky receiver in 1992, 2nd Team All-Big Sky return specialist in 1990
A CLOSER LOOK: Rob Tesch played receiver for Montana State for four seasons, leading the team in receiving yards for the last three of them after finishing second as a freshman. Life was never easy for a receiver during Tesch's time at Montana State, which began in the veer and ended in an ultra-conservative two-back offense, and in between the Cats dabbled in an option-based spread offense for two seasons. Regardless, Tesch was tough and sure-handed, and provided productivity and stability in an under-utliized position.
Tesch's string of four productive seasons boosted him to the top of MSU's all-time receiving yards list and the third spot in catches as he finished his career, and he remains fifth among all Bobcats in receiving yards.
Tesch's most spectacular work may have come on punt kickoff returns. The Choteau product was among MSU's top four all-time punt and kick return leaders when his career ended, and he remains fourth in school history in career all-purpose yards.
One of Tesch's signature moments came in 1990, when the Bobcats beat Eastern Washington 28-25 in Cheney in overtime. Tesch set a school record that day with 195 receiving yards, catching a 73-yard pass that set up on touchdown and a 51-yarder that set up a fourth-quarter score.
FROM FORMER BOBCAT DEFENSIVE LINE COACH BUTCH DAMBERGER: "I had Rob in high school for three years, and he was talented. We didn't have eighth grade football in Choteau and when he was in eighth grade we were doing the President's Physical Fitness testing, and he had the fastest shuttle run time. So I went to the principal, who was also the AD at the time, and said 'Who the hell is this kid?' So his freshman year he comes out for football and you could see right away he was a player. So I go to Havre and then come back to MSU in 1992 and Rob was still very, very talented but you could see he pretty much had his way when (the previous coaching staff) was here. He and Hys (Bobcat head coach Cliff Hysell) butted heads, Cliff wanted to do things his way and Rob wanted to do things his way. Hys was trying to instill discipline and that's not what Rob was used to. We played our first game at Sac State and we lost 10-7 and Rob returned a punt (68 yards) for a touchdown, our only score. Then the next week we beat Stephen F. Austin (in Hysell's home opener) and Rob caught a (63-yard) pass for a touchdown and we won 13-6. He was our only offense that first year, he was so talented. I wish we'd had him a couple more years to get the most out of him."
Eric Hopkins, WR, 1992-94
ALL-TIME TEAM: None previously
HONORS: 1st Team All-Big Sky in 1994
A CLOSER LOOK: In one sense, Eric Hopkins was just a name on a list of Montana State's incoming freshman - Cliff Hysell's first recruiting class - in the fall of 1992. But in another, Hopkins represented something much more important. He was the first offensive weapon Hysell brought to Montana State, and proved that from the onset of his career. He caught nine passes for 107 yards as a freshman, 27 for 387 as a sophomore, 56 for 964 as a junior, and 35 for 382 as a senior. Hopkins' dynamic presence helped him catch nine touchdown passes.
FROM FORMER BOBCAT DEFENSIVE LINE COACH BUTCH DAMBERGER: "We were just trying to get into Texas (in recruiting) and it wasn't a hard sell (to offer Hopkins). He could run, was really productive, and he was a good player for us."
Rob Tesch, WR/RS, 1989-92
ALL-TIME TEAM: None previously
HONORS: 1st Team All-Big Sky return specialist and 2nd Team All-Big Sky receiver in 1992, 2nd Team All-Big Sky return specialist in 1990
A CLOSER LOOK: Rob Tesch played receiver for Montana State for four seasons, leading the team in receiving yards for the last three of them after finishing second as a freshman. Life was never easy for a receiver during Tesch's time at Montana State, which began in the veer and ended in an ultra-conservative two-back offense, and in between the Cats dabbled in an option-based spread offense for two seasons. Regardless, Tesch was tough and sure-handed, and provided productivity and stability in an under-utliized position.
Tesch's string of four productive seasons boosted him to the top of MSU's all-time receiving yards list and the third spot in catches as he finished his career, and he remains fifth among all Bobcats in receiving yards.
Tesch's most spectacular work may have come on punt kickoff returns. The Choteau product was among MSU's top four all-time punt and kick return leaders when his career ended, and he remains fourth in school history in career all-purpose yards.
One of Tesch's signature moments came in 1990, when the Bobcats beat Eastern Washington 28-25 in Cheney in overtime. Tesch set a school record that day with 195 receiving yards, catching a 73-yard pass that set up on touchdown and a 51-yarder that set up a fourth-quarter score.
FROM FORMER BOBCAT DEFENSIVE LINE COACH BUTCH DAMBERGER: "I had Rob in high school for three years, and he was talented. We didn't have eighth grade football in Choteau and when he was in eighth grade we were doing the President's Physical Fitness testing, and he had the fastest shuttle run time. So I went to the principal, who was also the AD at the time, and said 'Who the hell is this kid?' So his freshman year he comes out for football and you could see right away he was a player. So I go to Havre and then come back to MSU in 1992 and Rob was still very, very talented but you could see he pretty much had his way when (the previous coaching staff) was here. He and Hys (Bobcat head coach Cliff Hysell) butted heads, Cliff wanted to do things his way and Rob wanted to do things his way. Hys was trying to instill discipline and that's not what Rob was used to. We played our first game at Sac State and we lost 10-7 and Rob returned a punt (68 yards) for a touchdown, our only score. Then the next week we beat Stephen F. Austin (in Hysell's home opener) and Rob caught a (63-yard) pass for a touchdown and we won 13-6. He was our only offense that first year, he was so talented. I wish we'd had him a couple more years to get the most out of him."
Eric Hopkins, WR, 1992-94
ALL-TIME TEAM: None previously
HONORS: 1st Team All-Big Sky in 1994
A CLOSER LOOK: In one sense, Eric Hopkins was just a name on a list of Montana State's incoming freshman - Cliff Hysell's first recruiting class - in the fall of 1992. But in another, Hopkins represented something much more important. He was the first offensive weapon Hysell brought to Montana State, and proved that from the onset of his career. He caught nine passes for 107 yards as a freshman, 27 for 387 as a sophomore, 56 for 964 as a junior, and 35 for 382 as a senior. Hopkins' dynamic presence helped him catch nine touchdown passes.
FROM FORMER BOBCAT DEFENSIVE LINE COACH BUTCH DAMBERGER: "We were just trying to get into Texas (in recruiting) and it wasn't a hard sell (to offer Hopkins). He could run, was really productive, and he was a good player for us."
Leon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
