Chad Kanow has never been to Bozeman. He has never stepped foot on Montana State’s campus. He isn’t even sure what he wants to study in college. But one thing is for sure for the Great Oaks (Temecula, California) standout linebacker: he is as excited as they come to become a Bobcat football player.
Montana State began recruiting the rangy, physical 6-foot-4, 215-pound outside linebacker last spring. By May, the Bobcats offered a full scholarship. Kanow kept the Bobcats in the back of his mind while he began preparation for a senior season that is now two games old and already filled with impressive highlights.
Persistence paid off for Montana State recruiting coordinator Michael Pitre, Kanow’s primary recruiter.
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“I got a call one day out of nowhere saying they were going to offer me a full ride scholarship,” Kanow said in an interview in August. “It meant the world to me. It made it feel like all the hard work paid off. I was just like, ‘Sweet, I will always have Montana State in mind.’
“But they constantly kept in touch, sending me letters. It just felt right. I talked to my parents about it, prayed to my lord and savior Jesus Christ and at the end of the day, I decided to commit to Montana State.”
Kanow gave his verbal commitment on August 24 just days before his team opened up their season. Kanow is the ninth prep prospect to give his verbal commitment to Montana State, joining Boise-area quarterback Tucker Rovig, Orange County Lutheran defensive lineman Travis Yates, St. John Bosco Prep (Bellflower, California) cornerback Tyrel Thomas and Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) defensive back Jalen Cole among the out of state verbal commits. MSU had also received pledges from Billings Senior safety Keaton Anderson, Dillon athlete Troy Andersen, Kalispell Glacier defensive lineman Jaxen Hashley and Glacier quarterback/linebacker Tadan Gilman.
National Signing Day is the first Wednesday of each February. Coaches cannot comment on prospects until they sign National Letters of Intent.
Before committing, Kanow received an offer from Division II Dixie State and heavy interest from Nevada. Kanow attended the Wolfpack junior day last spring and their individual camp in Reno in the summer.
Great Oak High runs a 4-2-5 and a 3-2-6 style of hybrid defense. Kanow plays Will linebacker, lining up primarily in the box but when the team runs a 3-3-5, he also can lineup outside and help in pass coverage. As a junior, he piled up 74 tackles, including 58 solo tackles, 5.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
Two games into his senior season, he has been a terror, averaging 11.5 tackles per game, piling up seven tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble already. Kanow projects to an outside linebacker at Montana State.
“The competition in Southern California is ridiculous so I think I will come to Montana State prepared,” Kanow said. “But I know I will still have a lot to work on once I get up there.”
Although Kanow has never visited Bozeman or been on the Montana State campus, he’s researched life in the Gallatin Valley thoroughly. He said MSU has several majors he is interested in and he is impressed with the way the campus appears both online and in the mail Pitre has sent him.
“I think the main thing is just my education,” Kanow said. “I’m not really sure what I want to major in but it looks like they have several things I’m interested in. I’ve been looking around the town of Bozeman online and it really looks like a beautiful place to be. It just seems right.”
Kanow also enjoys outdoor activities, something Pitre used as a major selling point during his recruiting pitch.
“Pitre, I talked to him awhile ago on the phone around the time when he offered me and he asked me what sort of things I like to do,” Kanow said. “I told him I was an outdoors guy. He instantly gave me a list of things you can do in Montana. That seemed amazing. He said the school campus is nice, everything is so nice about it. The way I’ve seen on the Internet, it looks beautiful. I’m just waiting on my official to check it out finally. I’m really excited about that.”
Kanow is in the process of deciding on when he might be able to make an official visit to the Montana State campus. He needs to find a date where the Bobcats have a home game that won’t conflict with his current high school season.
Kanow’s senior film shows a player with tremendous burst, good instincts and a nose for the football. Because of his long, lean frame, other suitors are sure to come knocking. For now at least, he feels a sense of pride for deciding his future rests in Bozeman.
“It means everything,” Kanow said of his commitment. “This is my childhood dream. This is what I’ve been working for since I got to high school. I’m about to be living my dream in Montana. That’s pretty cool.”
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