This year’s Montana State football captains are potent six-pack that have all left an indelible mark on the program during their careers. One brute, one hyper-competitive, a rare physical specimen, a set of explosive twins and one laser focused revenge seeker.
Seniors Titan Fleischmann, Justin Lamson, Zac Crews, Taco and Caden Dowler, along with junior Adam Jones have all been highly decorated by their team, league and nationally. They were key players in MSU’s 2025 national championship run that culminated when Lamson hit Taco Dowler with a 14-yard touchdown pass in overtime to give the Bobcats a 35-34 win over Illinois State ending a 41-year national title drought that dated back to 1984.
In Caden (safety) and Taco Dowler (wide receiver), the Bobcats have the first pair of brothers to serve as captains in school history. The twin brothers came to Montana State after stellar high school careers at Billings West where they played in two state championships against Crews, a defensive end, and Jones, a running back, who both played for Missoula Sentinel and took down the Bears in both games in 2020 and 2021.
Fleischmann, an offensive tackle from nearby Pocatello, Idaho and Lamson from El Dorado Hills, Calif. (near Sacramento) give the six-man crew an out of state element.
Fleischmann, Caden Dowler and Jones were all captains last season, while Lamson, who transferred to MSU prior to the 2025 season, Taco Dowler and Crews are assuming the roles for the first time.
MSU head coach Brent Vigen spoke about Lamson, the Dowler’s and Crews in detail in Monday’s press conference in advance of the Bobcats’ first game of the season at Utah Tech.
“(Lamson) definitely evolved as a leader last fall,” Vigen said. “Didn’t take anything for granted as we were hitting the home stretch. He was clearly a prominent leader on our offense, if not the team. He really took that to another level in the offseason. His example of how he goes about things, the effort he puts in, the work habits he has speaks for itself. Becoming more vocal and comfortable in that position. He was a fairly obvious choice for a lot of the guys to choose as a captain.”
“There were some obstacles along the way for (Crews) to prove who he really, really is,” Vigen said. “From Day 1 of being here, he’s being nothing short of being about the team, about the opportunity, and working his tail off. All those things ultimately prepare you to be this guy toward the tail end of your career that can be looked up to. His ability to speak and get after guys is something he’s never not had, but he’s also recognized that this is the moment for him, too. He’s a pretty special story. He knew he was going to be held to a really high standard and he’s lived up to that and I have no hesitation saying that. Beyond being a leader, he’s poised to have a tremendous year on the field.
“You get into coaching to help young men out and I look to that transition going back a few years with Zac. That’s what it was about, but there was also the belief that he would become what he has become. That’s a credit to him.”
“You look at those two and their journey to this place and their journey to become leaders, I think Taco’s growth into that role has been really significant in the last year-plus,” Vigen said. “Caden – maybe it’s a virtue of the position he plays; he’s put in that spotlight – being that guy that was coming off injury he took advantage of being able to prove who he was. They’ve come about it differently and at the same time they take that role very seriously. I would guess the willingness and ability to bounce things off one another is pretty significant, so quite an evolution for both of them. I really trust their views and opinions and their willingness to speak when needed.”
Fleischmann is a 6-6, 300-pound bearded beast, who came to MSU out of Century High School in Pocatello where he played both ways on the offensive and defensive lines. He was all-state as an offensive lineman and started all four years being selected as a captain his final three seasons. For the Bobcats, he could become one of the most decorated players in school history as he enters his third season as a starter. He’s on the verge of becoming a three-time All-America and three-time All-Big Sky selection. He started in both championship games and is widely recognized when he throws the arms of his 6-6 frame in the air after touchdowns and other successful plays. This season, he’ll get to line up next to his brother Bruin, who transferred from the Air Force Academy and plays tight end. Despite being from Pocatello, home of the Idaho State Bengals, and having his father play football and mother play basketball for ISU, Fleischmann chose MSU.
Jones is one of just a few Bobcats to be selected a captain in their sophomore and junior seasons, but his strongest feature may be his disdain for his hometown college team, who MSU is now 3-0 against with Jones playing a prominent role. His stern approach to his trade is a key reason for that. Jones often saves his best for the biggest games. He’s already in the top ten in several statistical categories for single season, single game and career numbers. His play in Cat-Griz games sets him apart above all else.
As a sophomore, Jones ran for 197 yards and two scores in MSU’s 34-11 win, then last season his 79 total yards and touchdown kept UM at bay before he sealed the game with a 15-yard run that put the Bobcats in victory formation. He hit the Grizzlies with two first half touchdowns on his way to a 16 carry, 131 yard day in the national semifinals as MSU dropped UM 48-23. His 88-yard run in the 2024 game is the longest run in Cat-Griz history and the sixth longest play of any kind in the series. Yet that run isn’t the longest of Jones’ career to date as he went 93 yards for a score in his first start against New Mexico in a 35-31 season opening win in 2024.
Lamson is considered the most competitive person on the team, earning that distinction not just on the field but off it with his burning desire to win at anything and everything. He bounced around from Syracuse to Stanford to Bowling Green, absorbing numerous injuries and being benched along the way before he was scooped up by Vigen, who had contacted him during his high school recruiting process. Lamson had to follow the big footsteps of legendary MSU quarterback Tommy Mellott, who had started at quarterback for the Bobcats in the 2021 and 2024 national title games.
While he was a capable runner behind center, no one could have predicted the success he ended up having his first season. He came to MSU having thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his college career and completing less than 50% of his passes. He would set the Big Sky record for completion percentage in a season at 71.6% and set the school record for total yards with 3,906. He had 26 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. In BSC play he had no interceptions and connected for 17 touchdowns, which is the most in a no interception season.
Crews is at 6-5, 240 with a long physique that features a set traps that rise about four inches over his torso. The lone captain who didn’t start in 2025, but he was on the field nearly as much as the starters due to MSU’s regular rotation on the defensive line. He had one of the most memorable plays of the season when he blocked a fourth quarter field goal attempt in the first Cat-Griz game of the season. Instead of a tie game the Bobcats turned the block into 31-21 lead and hung on for a 31-28 win in Missoula. Despite not starting a game in his career, he’s made a big enough impact in games that he rolls into the season as a preseason All-America and All-Big Sky selection. An intelligent, versatile student and player, he was a AA all-state defensive end as a junior at Missoula Sentinel before switching to quarterback his senior year, then named class valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA. He was the AA player of the year as a senior throwing for 20 touchdowns against just three interceptions. He passed for 1,771 yards and ran for 869 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Dowlers could easily be referred to as Bomb One and Bomb Two or something of that nature due to the explosive plays they’ve provided the Bobcats, especially in 2025.
Taco Dowler is a household name across the state with his catchy nickname, taco seasonings and football camps for kids. Then there’s the spectacular plays. A growing list of huge punt returns, catches in the biggest moments and flair for the dramatic. In a tight game against Northern Arizona, he broke off a 90-yard return for MSU’s first points and a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. His 87-yard touchdown reception in the semifinals came out of a third-and-20 situation and his TD catch on fourth down won MSU its first title in 41 years. That was just the past season. He also had a punt return touchdown in a key game at UC Davis that clinched a tie for the 2024 BSC title, which MSU won outright the next week. His 34-yard touchdown catch got the Bobcats off to a fast start a few games later in the national semifinals, a 31-17 win over South Dakota. A week later his late 19-yard TD catch kept MSU within striking distance against North Dakota State before it fell 35-32.
Caden Dowler is not only one of the best defensive players in the nation, but also the main source of inspiration for his squad. After suffering season-ending injuries in 2023 and 2024, Dowler didn’t let up. His efforts in the weight room and rehab set the tone for the 2025 season and his work more than paid off. He was named the BSC defensive player of the year and broke the conference record for interception return yards when he put together one of the hottest stretches of games with interceptions that the Big Sky has ever seen. In five games, Dowler had six interceptions, including two he returned for touchdowns at key moments. Against UC Davis in the regular season’s penultimate game, he picked off budding Aggie’ star Caden Pinnick and returned the ball 83 yards for a score. The next week – trailing 21-17 in Missoula – he turned a pass by UM star quarterback that went off the hands fellow UM star receiver Michael Wortham’s hands for 34 yards to give MSU the lead. The run was only stopped when he was injured in the semifinal game against UM.
The Bobcats will be in St. George to face Utah Tech Saturday night.
