Lance McCutcheon knew he would have to make the most of his one opportunity if he wanted to play college football. After capitalizing on his senior season at Bozeman High, he will fulfill a dream by playing for the hometown Montana State Bobcats.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder did not get the playing time for the Hawks that he wanted during his sophomore and junior years on Bozeman’s varsity. His senior season, he won a starting job at both wide receiver and cornerback. He produced at a high enough level to not only earn Class AA first-team All-State honors. By snaring 10 interceptions and catching 12 touchdowns in his first season as a full-time starter, McCutcheon played well enough to earn a chance to continue his football career.
The two-sport athlete — McCutcheon is a star on Bozeman’s 3-0 basketball team as well — has been offered a partial scholarship by Montana State. On December 10, McCutcheon verbally committed to the Bobcats. McCutcheon is among 18 verbally committed recruits who will sign with MSU on National Signing Day in February.
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“Sophomore and junior year of playing varsity was not the way I wanted it, didn’t see the field as much as I’d like but this year I tried to show what I can do,” McCutcheon said.
“I learned to be patient, not everything is going to go your way. I tried to not let it affect me during the seasons with my friends. I tried to accept my role and that’s hard for other players. When you get the chance to have your moment, you have to make the most of it.”
McCutcheon went on an official visit to Montana earlier in the season. He attended five of Montana State’s six home games during a 4-7 2016, Jeff Choate’s first at the helm. After a productive senior season that helped Bozeman, the 2015 Class AA champions, finish 8-3, McCutcheon decided MSU is where he wants to spend his future.
“The coaching staff was really welcoming,” McCutcheon said. “Only going to one Montana game compared to the five Montana State games was really cool. I got be in the environment a little more and hang out with some of the players. It was a really fun experience at Montana State and that really stood out to me.”
“I’ve been here my entire life so I grew up watching the Bobcats. Having a bunch of fans come and watch you on Friday night, and now hopefully getting those same fans to come back on Saturday is a pretty cool experience.”
McCutcheon caught 40 passes for 780 yards (19.5 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns, the third-most receiving scores in Bozeman history. On defense, he notched 30 tackles and set a school record with 10 interceptions. He also broke up six passes.
McCutcheon caught four of Callahan O’Reilly’s seven touchdown passes in a 49-45 loss to eventual AA runner-up Kalispell Glacier. O’Reilly gave his verbal commitment to Montana State less than a week before McCutcheon.
“I’m excited about playing with him,” McCutcheon said. “Callahan and I have always been really good friends and this year especially, our senior year of football, was great.
“It’s a cool experience to go up there, he’s my quarterback, I’m his receiver and to go up there and try to show it at the college level.”
McCutcheon registered three 100-yard receiving games, including a seven-catch, 121-yard performance that included three touchdown catches and an interception return for a touchdown in a 38-16 win over Billings Skyview. That win ended Bozeman’s regular season at 8-2 and stamped a three-game winning streak. But the Hawks were upset 28-21 at home by Helena High in the first round of the playoffs.
“Our season ended earlier than we wanted and Montana State waited for their season to be over before they really started to talk to me,” said McCutcheon, who Choate sees as a wide receiver. “Making my decision early, I heard from Montana State more often than Montana. I had a home visit scheduled with Coach Choate but the only time that would work with basketball. So my mom and I went to his office before the dead period. We wanted to make this decision as soon as possible.”
He is exploring his options academically, but is interested in health education or anything related to athletics. He will make an official visit to Montana State sometime in January if he basketball schedule permits it.
“Coach Choate didn’t have the season he liked but he is really excited about the recruiting class he has coming in,” McCutcheon said. “He is trying a lot to make a good environment with the players and the players get what they want out of the program. He does a really good job making sure everyone is happy with what they are doing.”
McCutcheon and O’Reilly will join a Bobcat roster that includes sophomores defensive end Grant Collins and wide receiver John D’Agostino along with redshirt freshmen linebacker Balue Chapman and safety Will Martel.
“Since Balue and Will redshirted, I got to talk with them before a lot of the games,” McCutcheon said. “They just said is a great program and coach Choate brought in some really good guys to coach with the coaching staff. Both of them said it was the best decision they had made and they were really happy they became a Bobcat so that’s something I look forward to too.”
O’Reilly and McCutcheon have Bozeman out to a 3-0 start that includes wins over Missoula Sentinel, Helena Capital and Helena High. The Hawks lost in the Class AA state championship game to Billings Skyview last March in Bozeman months after claiming the school’s third state football title this decade.
Regardless of how this basketball season ends, it will be McCutcheon’s last. Playing football for the team he grew up rooting for will become his sole focus.
“It’s a huge accomplishment knowing all the hard work and dedication I put in my senior year after not being able to show what I can do the first couple of years in varsity football is huge,” McCutcheon said. “I was kind of stressed out about it but now that I made the decision, I’m happy. It’s so nice to know what I’m going to do next year.”
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