Choate emphasizing silver linings to Bobcats despite disappointments

Jeff Choate spent more than a decade as a high school history teacher before he ever started coaching college football.

During strange times that sometimes seem like they couldn’t possibly get any stranger, most of the dialogue provided by Montana State’s head football coach has centered upon any silver lining he can find as his team, the MSU campus, the state of Montana and the world at large endures a global pandemic. And he’s encouraged his players to embrace the historical aspect of this once in a lifetime experience.

“One thing I told them is, ‘You guys are all primary sources of history,” Choate said in an interview in April. “You should journal. Your grandkids are going to ask you about this. This is an event like September 11, Corona Virus, these are historical markers. You don’t know exactly what to do.

“But like I told them, take care of your 20 square feet, guys. If the CDC says this, if your local government says this, if I am telling you this, just do it. Have the personal discipline to do it. If you really want to play football any time soon, make some sacrifices now and encourage other people to do the same thing.”