Big Sky Conference

Seven players tabbed as Bobcat team captains

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Montana State will have more captains than ever before during Jeff Choate’s first season at the helm for the Bobcats.

On Sunday, the MSU football team announced its captains for the 2016 season. In a player vote, seven players were elected as captain: senior offensive lineman J.P. Flynn, senior running backs Chad Newell and Gunnar Brekke, senior linebacker Fletcher Collins, junior linebacker Mac Bignell, and junior safeties Bryson McCabe and Khari Garcia.

MSU guard JP Flynn

MSU guard JP Flynn

Montana State’s captain records date back to 1897. From that year until 1966, Montana State had none, one or two team captains. In 1966, guard Wayne Purdom, end Gary Richardson and fullback Bob Senden were the first  trio in school history. From 1966 until 1980, MSU had more than two captains just twice. In 1980, fullback Jeff Davis, linebacker Jack Muhlbeier, nose guard Ron Rainieri and defensive lineman Larry Rubens were the first four-some to captain the Bobcats.

“One interesting thing when I talked to the kids about captains is I said, ‘this is almost like a blended family.’ You have a group of guys here who had established themselves under Coach Ash and the previous regime and they were looked at as leaders and carried themselves and such. And there’s a group of guys who have emerged and started to exemplify the culture we are trying to create and now we’ve blended it,” first-year head coach Jeff Choate said following Sunday evening’s practice.  “One of the reasons why it’s such a large number is it’s a cross section of our team, the old and the new and bring that together and make it one tight knit group.”

During the Earle Solmonsen and Cliff Hysell days, Montana State most often chose captains from game to game. In 1991, Hysell’s first season, offensive tackle Ken Eiden, quarterback Joe Volek, defensive tackle Corey Widmer, defensive tackle Jason Hakert and linebacker Todd Graves became the first quintet to serve as Bobcat captains. In 1997, defensive end Neal Smith, strong safety Dylan Tripp, defensive end Walter Robinson, wide receiver Kenyatte Morgan and tight end Scott Harry gave MSU another five-some for its captains. In 1998, MSU had five captains once gain, with offensive guard Brian Archdale, linebacker Ken Amato, quarterback Rob Compson, linebacker Kevin Lundstrom and defensive end Ty O’Connor leading the team.

Montana State running backs coach Michael Pitre (center) talks with senior captain running backs Gunnar Brekke (2) and Chad Newell (17)

Montana State running backs coach Michael Pitre (center) talks with senior captain running backs Gunnar Brekke (2) and Chad Newell (17)

In 2003, All-America safety Kane Ioane led the largest group of MSU captains to date. Ioane, defensive end Jon Montoya, defensive end Adam Cordeiro, offensive tackle Brent Swaggert, wide receiver Scott Turnquist and fullback Ryan Elliott captained the Bobcats. Over the last 13 seasons, MSU has had three or four captains.

Newell (Billings), Brekke (Helena) and Bignell (Drummond) revive MSU’s streak of captains from Montana. In 2014, Montana State had four captains — Quinn Catalano, Na’a Moeakiola, Cole Moore, Tiai Salanoa — from out of state for the second time on record. In 2002, Montoya, a native of Brandon, South Dakota, and Prosser, Washington quarterback Tyler Thomas were MSU’s captains. This season also mark the first year since 2010 in which at least one of MSU’s captains does not hail from Texas.

MSU linebacker Mac Bignell

MSU linebacker Mac Bignell

Newell is the lone returning captain from a season ago. The former walk-on from Billings Senior enters his senior season with 1,408 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in his career. His yardage total is 22nd in school history and his touchdown total is eighth. With six more total touchdowns (he has three receiving scores), Newell can become just the second Bobcat to score 30 touchdowns in his career, joining 2013 captain Cody Kirk (48).

Brekke enters his senior season with 2,421 all-purpose yards in his three years as an offensive and special teams contributor. He needs 668 all-purpose yards to crack MSU’s Top 10 list. Last season, Brekke caught 22 passes for 352 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 304 yards and another score.

MSU defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak coaches linebacker Fletcher Collins

MSU defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak coaches linebacker Fletcher Collins

Last season, Bignell solidified his impressive rise from walk-on Class C safety to All-Big Sky outside linebacker. The son of MSU Hall of Fame tight end Joe Bignell ranked second in the Big Sky Conference with 20.5 tackles for loss. His six forced fumbles is just two away from tying 2012 captain and Buck Buchanan Award winner Caleb Scheibeis for the most in school history.

“What I believe is you have to have great conviction and discipline as a leader,” Choate said. “You have to do what you really think is best for the organization. I haven’t stepped down from anything I believe. To their credit, they’ve stepped in and got in line and by and large done everything we’ve asked them to do, embraced this change so my hat is off to them.”

Flynn (Bettendorf) and McCabe (Spirit Lake) are Montana State’s first two captains from Iowa. Rob Ash, Montana State’s head coach the last two seasons and a Des Moines native, recruited both. Flynn cracked the starting lineup at the beginning of conference play during his redshirt freshman season in 2013. He earned third-team All-Big Sky honors despite starting just seven games. In 2014, he earned first-team All-Big Sky honors. Last season, he was a third-team all-conference selection but suffered a torn patella tendon in his right knee. He missed spring drills but has practiced all but one day during MSU’s current fall camp.

MSU safety Bryson McCabe

MSU safety Bryson McCabe

McCabe spent a year at South Dakota State before transferring to Iowa Western College. After one standout junior college season, he signed with Montana State. He started six games last season but struggled with a variety of injuries. He and Garcia have emerged as MSU’s top safeties and the leaders of the secondary during fall camp.

Garcia burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2014 with his interception return for a touchdown against North Dakota on a homecoming afternoon. Last season, Garcia notched 36 tackles and broke up one pass while rotating with DeMonte King next to Des Carter at safety. The fearless junior has adjusted to Montana State’s new coaching staff as much as any Bobcat.

MSU safety Khari Garcia

MSU safety Khari Garcia

McCabe and Garcia are the first defensive back captains for the Bobcats since Jordan Craney and Mike Rider in 2010. Defensive backs Kevin Retoriano (2009), Ryan Force (2006) and Ioane were also captains since 2000.

“I think in particular for Khari, the change in that room has been really beneficial to him,” Choate said. “I think he has connected really well with Coach Alexander, a captain on our ’06 Fiesta Bowl team at Boise State. I think Gerald pushes those guys in that regard. That’s something that has definitely showed up.

“In Bryson’s case, he is a tremendous leader by example, a very accountable young man and he is a playmaker. Leadership can be defined in a bunch of ways and one of those ways it’s like being the principal, by having that title, you are the leader of that school. But that doesn’t necessarily make you someone who people look to for leadership. I think one thing that has to occur has to be production. That is where Bryson takes that next step. He has that position as the starter but he is also a productive player. That gives him credibility.”

Collins is a former walk-on out of Seattle Prep. He is MSU’s first captain from Washington since Auburn native Alex Terrien served in 2011. Collins has seen his career rise meteorically over the last two seasons. He rocketed up the depth chart to earn a starting spot last season only to miss the final seven games of the season with a hand injury. He is slated as Montana State’s starting middle linebacker.

Montana State opens its season on September 1 at the University of Idaho in Moscow.

 

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

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