BOBCAT GAME DAY NOTEBOOK #11: Bobcats Honor Montana's Native American Heritage Tonight
11/15/2025 7:50:00 PM | Football
Bobcats play without Seth Johnson for a second game
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Nov. 15, 2025) – Leo Davis knows where peoples' thoughts go when the topic of Native Americans and football converge.
"When people think of us they think of basketball," said Davis, a Billings product of Blackfeet and Lakota ancestry, "but historically speaking American Indians had a major hand in developing the game of football. Pop Warner, the Carlisle (Indian School) Redmen, were instrumental in so many innovations."
On Native American Heritage Night in Bobcats Stadium, Davis will hand the state of Montana flag off to another second generation Bobcat, Ryan Krahe. Davis will be dressed in a capote, a robe traditional in Native society.
Davis starred on the offensive line for the Bobcats, starting at tackle from 2009-11. He graduated from MSU in history, and is well-versed in both Native American and football history. His father Doug played for the Cats in the 1980s, and his brothers Matt and Ryan followed Leo's footsteps to Montana State.
Offensive line play is one of the many evolutions rooted in American Indian culture. Leo Davis knows this from family tradition. "My uncle's uncle played at Carlisle," Davis said. "The cut block was originally called the Indian block, because as long, lean athletes they were able to make that kind of block easily."
Montana State's helmets tonight symbolize the tribute MSU is paying it Montana's Native population. "Our state certainly has a strong Native American presence and it means so much to different places across the state of Montana," said Bobcat head coach Brent Vigen. "For us to be able to shine light on that heritage and to honor that heritage is what this opportunity is all about."
Vigen and the Bobcats took advantage of that opportunity by presenting Montana State's American Indian Council one of tonight's helmets this week. The helmet features a feather which symbolizes football's status as "a modern day battlefield," Davis said. The feather symbolizes counting coup, and the center stripe features symbols from many of the Treasure State's native tribes.
"Counting coup is the honor attained by disarming or dismantling an enemy in battle without taking a life," Davis said. "That's because Blackfeet are not known for physically overwhelming people. Blackfeet win battles with cunning and bravery, and that's what counting coup represents."
Davis is pleased that Native American Heritage is being honored in the area where his people traditionally hunted and lived. "The area around Bozeman is known as Valley of Flowers," he said. "It has a lot of healing powers. The headwaters of the Missouri River is the life vein of the North American continent. Blackfeet people see themselves as keepers of this life vein of America. It represents resiliency for not just surviving but thriving."
* * * * *
The Bobcats continue to play without the services of cornerback Seth Johnson tonight. Jhase McMillan and Carson Williams are expected to start at corner. Senior defensive tackle Paul Brott is scheduled to return and start.
#GoCatsGo
"When people think of us they think of basketball," said Davis, a Billings product of Blackfeet and Lakota ancestry, "but historically speaking American Indians had a major hand in developing the game of football. Pop Warner, the Carlisle (Indian School) Redmen, were instrumental in so many innovations."
On Native American Heritage Night in Bobcats Stadium, Davis will hand the state of Montana flag off to another second generation Bobcat, Ryan Krahe. Davis will be dressed in a capote, a robe traditional in Native society.
Davis starred on the offensive line for the Bobcats, starting at tackle from 2009-11. He graduated from MSU in history, and is well-versed in both Native American and football history. His father Doug played for the Cats in the 1980s, and his brothers Matt and Ryan followed Leo's footsteps to Montana State.
Offensive line play is one of the many evolutions rooted in American Indian culture. Leo Davis knows this from family tradition. "My uncle's uncle played at Carlisle," Davis said. "The cut block was originally called the Indian block, because as long, lean athletes they were able to make that kind of block easily."
Montana State's helmets tonight symbolize the tribute MSU is paying it Montana's Native population. "Our state certainly has a strong Native American presence and it means so much to different places across the state of Montana," said Bobcat head coach Brent Vigen. "For us to be able to shine light on that heritage and to honor that heritage is what this opportunity is all about."
Vigen and the Bobcats took advantage of that opportunity by presenting Montana State's American Indian Council one of tonight's helmets this week. The helmet features a feather which symbolizes football's status as "a modern day battlefield," Davis said. The feather symbolizes counting coup, and the center stripe features symbols from many of the Treasure State's native tribes.
"Counting coup is the honor attained by disarming or dismantling an enemy in battle without taking a life," Davis said. "That's because Blackfeet are not known for physically overwhelming people. Blackfeet win battles with cunning and bravery, and that's what counting coup represents."
Davis is pleased that Native American Heritage is being honored in the area where his people traditionally hunted and lived. "The area around Bozeman is known as Valley of Flowers," he said. "It has a lot of healing powers. The headwaters of the Missouri River is the life vein of the North American continent. Blackfeet people see themselves as keepers of this life vein of America. It represents resiliency for not just surviving but thriving."
* * * * *
The Bobcats continue to play without the services of cornerback Seth Johnson tonight. Jhase McMillan and Carson Williams are expected to start at corner. Senior defensive tackle Paul Brott is scheduled to return and start.
#GoCatsGo
Players Mentioned
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