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Best Montana-born RB in history...
- Thread starter CrunchGriz
- Start date
What an attitude - would love to see him coaching someday regardless of level!
“Just pinballing, man. I was a little guy. I think what I used to my advantage, I think people probably underestimated me a little bit. I was pretty small for a college running back. But the thing I always told myself was, ‘Nobody would out-tough me.’ I guess I approached running back as, ‘You have to tackle me and at the end of this fourth quarter, you’re going to want to stop and I’m going to keep going.’ That was my whole approach at football, ‘I’m going to wear you out before I wear out.’ That’s kind of how I ran my high school career, college career, professional career. ‘I’m not stronger than a lot of people, but I think I’m tougher than a lot of people.’ I try to teach my son, ‘There’s a difference between strong and tough, you can be tough.’ That was my approach to football, just wear the other guy out.
https://montanasports.com/high-school/mttop40/2018/08/17/mttop40-from-8-man-to-the-nfl-drummonds-chase-reynolds-always-successful/
“Just pinballing, man. I was a little guy. I think what I used to my advantage, I think people probably underestimated me a little bit. I was pretty small for a college running back. But the thing I always told myself was, ‘Nobody would out-tough me.’ I guess I approached running back as, ‘You have to tackle me and at the end of this fourth quarter, you’re going to want to stop and I’m going to keep going.’ That was my whole approach at football, ‘I’m going to wear you out before I wear out.’ That’s kind of how I ran my high school career, college career, professional career. ‘I’m not stronger than a lot of people, but I think I’m tougher than a lot of people.’ I try to teach my son, ‘There’s a difference between strong and tough, you can be tough.’ That was my approach to football, just wear the other guy out.
https://montanasports.com/high-school/mttop40/2018/08/17/mttop40-from-8-man-to-the-nfl-drummonds-chase-reynolds-always-successful/
Zirg
Well-known member
CrunchGriz said:
Lex Hilliard! Hilliard was drafted and actually played running back in the NFL, neither claim can be made for Chase.
Kerry Porter went to HS in Great Falls and was drafted 35 picks ahead of Hilliard, and had a more nationally prominent college career was Wazzu, but he was born in Italy, so it's got to be Hilliard based on the criteria.
goatcreekgriz
Well-known member
Lex. Chase was great and was tougher than hell. But Lex was so impressive from day one.
grizaremoregooder
Well-known member
Gotta go with Lex. Chase would have put up bigger numbers in AA if he had played at that level. The Drummond games were over very early and Chase sat the bench for much of those games. He would have dominated at the AA level don't kid yourself.
grizaremoregooder said:
I wonder if Chase would have been given the opportunity to play running back at a AA school?
I think you give the nod to Chase, simply because he accomplished more in three years at UM than Hilliard accomplished in four. Don't get me wrong, I love Lex, and I still think we would've won the chipper in 2006 if he had never gotten hurt, but both Reynolds' and Hilliard's pro careers are pretty comparable. Lex only got reps at running back because he's more the size NFL teams are looking for.
Either way, both were phenomenal players that we were lucky to have.
It's also pretty obvious who the #1 QB will be in their QB rankings.
Either way, both were phenomenal players that we were lucky to have.
It's also pretty obvious who the #1 QB will be in their QB rankings.
oGriz
Well-known member
Don't have an opinion. Loved watching both Lex and Chase. Both were Walter Payton Award finalists. I won't vouch for the stats below, but these are what I found.
Ted Illman, Glasgow, played in 5 NFL games
Milt Popovich, Butte, drafted in the second round - 15th pick, played 5 years for the Cardinals, played in 43 NFL games
Kerry Porter, Great Falls, drafted in the 7th round, played in 35 NFL games
Lex Hilliard, Kalispell, drafted in the sixth round, played a little for Miami and New England, played in 62 NFL games
Chase Reynolds, Drummond, undrafted, played a little for Seattle, was a “Rams standout special teams player,” played in 60 NFL games
UM Rushing Yards (since 1970)
4016 Lex Hilliard (1st)
3991 Chase Reynolds (2nd)
UM Receiving Yards (since 1970)
866 Chase Reynolds (10th)
Ted Illman, Glasgow, played in 5 NFL games
Milt Popovich, Butte, drafted in the second round - 15th pick, played 5 years for the Cardinals, played in 43 NFL games
Kerry Porter, Great Falls, drafted in the 7th round, played in 35 NFL games
Lex Hilliard, Kalispell, drafted in the sixth round, played a little for Miami and New England, played in 62 NFL games
Chase Reynolds, Drummond, undrafted, played a little for Seattle, was a “Rams standout special teams player,” played in 60 NFL games
UM Rushing Yards (since 1970)
4016 Lex Hilliard (1st)
3991 Chase Reynolds (2nd)
UM Receiving Yards (since 1970)
866 Chase Reynolds (10th)
I would take either any day and twice on Saturdays.
But my vote (by a nose) would be for Chase. Whenever we needed a play, Chase seemed to make one. Everyone remembers the terrific throw and catch to Jabin against App. But Chases' runs to start that drive and get the GRIZ into scoring position were spectacular.
But my vote (by a nose) would be for Chase. Whenever we needed a play, Chase seemed to make one. Everyone remembers the terrific throw and catch to Jabin against App. But Chases' runs to start that drive and get the GRIZ into scoring position were spectacular.
Frank Akins has the most yards rushing by any RB born in Montana (Dutton). And its not even close thanks to his 1948 season.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AkinFr00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AkinFr00.htm
CatGrad-UMGradStu
Well-known member
I know Roy Robinson wasn't born in Montana, but because my entire family was born in Glasgow we still followed sports from that part of the state. I don't see any of his statistics on this list and I know he played in the CFL. One of his daughters is married to Lawyer Milloy and his grandkids played for some Power 5 schools. Great guy and he was an incredible track athlete. Don't think he lost an event all through high school. Very humble individual in spite of all he accomplished.
Zirg
Well-known member
ordigger said:
Out of the 69 NFL-ers born in Montana,only 11 are listed as RB/HB/FB/B and only 4 have ever got a handoff (Chase never played one snap on offense as far as I know even though he was listed as a RB). Frank Akins, born in Dutton and went to HS in Spokane and played D1 in college, and was drafted in the NFL and had over 1000 rushing yards and 7 rushing TDs in the NFL has a much stronger claim than Reynolds, but Akins played during the war years (43-46) so it's highly unlikely he would have played without the war taking away half the league's legit players, so I'm sticking with Hilliard, also considering Lex was born AND raised in Montana.