BOBCATS 125 - TOP 50: Dirk Nelson, and Bonus Punter Matthew Peot
8/2/2022 2:00:00 PM | Football
Dirk Nelson Provided MSU a Weapon from Punt Formation in 1984
We look at the 25 players that Bobcat fans and a blue ribbon panel of long-time MSU football observers ranked between 26th and 50th in the quest to determine the program's all-time players. In this segment of the countdown, players are listed alphabetically. You can find details here and a directory here.
Dirk Nelson, P, 1982-84
ALL-TIME TEAM: 2000 Billings Gazette All-Time Team
HONORS: 1st Team All-America and All-Big Sky in 1984, 1st Team CoSIDA Academic All-America in 1984, Honorable Mention All-Big Sky in 1982 and 1983
A CLOSER LOOK: Dirk Nelson was not a secret going into his senior season. The late Bruce Parker, MSU's legendary athletics administrator for more than two decades, featured him as a prospective All-America in the 1984 Bobcat football media guide, calling the Derby, Kansas product a "hard worker with an outstanding leg."
Nelson rode both to one of the finest seasons in Bobcat history in 1984. He boomed punts for an nation-leader 43.4 yard average as a senior, with 42 of his 55 punts sailing at least 30 yards and 15 of them pinning the opponent inside the 20 yard line.
Hardly a one-hit wonder, Nelson was among the top punters in the Big Sky Conference Division I-AA as a sophomore and junior after transferring to MSU from Kansas State before the 1982 season. He averaged 41.0 yards per punt as a sophomore, good for 13th in Division I-AA, then averaged 4.09 yards a punt as a junior, eighth in the nation.
QUOTE: xxx
BONUS: Matthew Peot, P, 1997-99
ALL-TIME TEAM: None
HONORS: 1st Team All-America and All-Big Sky in 1999
A CLOSER LOOK: Matthew Peot was a Bobcat during the high water mark of Cliff Hysell's tenure, and the low water mark, and was a significant contributor throughout.
Peot averaged 40.3 yards per punt in 1997 after transferring from the College of the Sequoias, then topped that one season later with a 41.9 yard average, good for 15th in Division I-AA. As a senior he led the nation by averaging 44.7 yards a punt with a long of 65.
Additionally, Peot took over place kicking duties after an injury in the middle of the 1998 season and made 13 of his 17 field goal tries and 41 of his 45 extra points at MSU. As a three-year Bobcat he played key roles on MSU's 6-5 squad in 1997 and the 7-4 team in 1998, as well as the 3-8 team in Hysell's final season. Peot was a talented kicker and a steadying force for the Cats.
Dirk Nelson, P, 1982-84
ALL-TIME TEAM: 2000 Billings Gazette All-Time Team
HONORS: 1st Team All-America and All-Big Sky in 1984, 1st Team CoSIDA Academic All-America in 1984, Honorable Mention All-Big Sky in 1982 and 1983
A CLOSER LOOK: Dirk Nelson was not a secret going into his senior season. The late Bruce Parker, MSU's legendary athletics administrator for more than two decades, featured him as a prospective All-America in the 1984 Bobcat football media guide, calling the Derby, Kansas product a "hard worker with an outstanding leg."
Nelson rode both to one of the finest seasons in Bobcat history in 1984. He boomed punts for an nation-leader 43.4 yard average as a senior, with 42 of his 55 punts sailing at least 30 yards and 15 of them pinning the opponent inside the 20 yard line.
Hardly a one-hit wonder, Nelson was among the top punters in the Big Sky Conference Division I-AA as a sophomore and junior after transferring to MSU from Kansas State before the 1982 season. He averaged 41.0 yards per punt as a sophomore, good for 13th in Division I-AA, then averaged 4.09 yards a punt as a junior, eighth in the nation.
QUOTE: xxx
BONUS: Matthew Peot, P, 1997-99
ALL-TIME TEAM: None
HONORS: 1st Team All-America and All-Big Sky in 1999
A CLOSER LOOK: Matthew Peot was a Bobcat during the high water mark of Cliff Hysell's tenure, and the low water mark, and was a significant contributor throughout.
Peot averaged 40.3 yards per punt in 1997 after transferring from the College of the Sequoias, then topped that one season later with a 41.9 yard average, good for 15th in Division I-AA. As a senior he led the nation by averaging 44.7 yards a punt with a long of 65.
Additionally, Peot took over place kicking duties after an injury in the middle of the 1998 season and made 13 of his 17 field goal tries and 41 of his 45 extra points at MSU. As a three-year Bobcat he played key roles on MSU's 6-5 squad in 1997 and the 7-4 team in 1998, as well as the 3-8 team in Hysell's final season. Peot was a talented kicker and a steadying force for the Cats.
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