Best Montana Linebackers OAT

[SaskGriz]

Some who might be under the radar; Matt Steinau, Loren Utterback, Mike Bouchee, and Adam Boomer

 

[Proud Griz Man]

Great Historical Topic - Griz fans have been able to watch fantastic Linebackers and Safeties over the last 30+ years. I have partly forgotten how Dante Olson and Vince Huntsberger and Jason Crebo and Brock Coyle were all over the field and involved in nearly every stop. Colt Anderson and Tim Hauck were tremendous players. Here is the record book listing for Griz high tackles for a season:

TOTAL DEFENSE - SEASON TACKLES
179 ........Dante Olson, 2019 (Big Sky Conference Record)
151 ........Dante Olson, 2018
145 ........Vince Huntsberger, 2001
141 ........Vince Huntsberger, 2000
131 ........Jason Crebo, 1996
130 ........Kendrick Van Ackeren, 2015
129 ........Colt Anderson, 2008 Tim Hauck, 1989
128 ........Robby Hauck, 2021
125 ........Robby Hauck, 2019 Brock Coyle, 2013
124 ........Matt Steinau, 2001
123 ........Jeremiah Kose, 2015 Caleb McSurdy, 2011 Mike Bouchee, 1995
122 ........Kendrick Van Ackeren, 2014
119 ........Jace Lewis, 2019
117 ........Jeremiah Kose, 2014
115 ........Kyle Ryan, 2006 Tyler Joyce, 2006
112 ........Caleb McSurdy, 2010
111 ........James Banks, 2017
110 ........Mike Bouchee, 1996 Adam Boomer, 1998
109 ........Tyler Joyce, 2007 Matt Hermanson, 2014 Shann Schillinger, 2008 Adam Boomer, 2000
107 ........Matt Hermanson, 2013 Herbert Gamboa, 2014
106 ........Brock Coyle, 2012
105 ........Patrick O’Connell, 2021

 

[MikeyGriz]

Those numbers have to be wrong! Everybody knows that Robbie has to have the record by at least a factor of 2 since he never came out of the game and piled on every play!

 

[SoldierGriz]

Griz Linebacker Of All Time = GLOAT.

 

[bgbigdog]

Great Historical Topic - Griz fans have been able to watch fantastic Linebackers and Safeties over the last 30+ years. I have partly forgotten how Dante Olson and Vince Huntsberger and Jason Crebo and Brock Coyle were all over the field and involved in nearly every stop. Colt Anderson and Tim Hauck were tremendous players. Here is the record book listing for Griz high tackles for a season:

TOTAL DEFENSE - SEASON TACKLES
179 ........Dante Olson, 2019 (Big Sky Conference Record)
151 ........Dante Olson, 2018
145 ........Vince Huntsberger, 2001
141 ........Vince Huntsberger, 2000
131 ........Jason Crebo, 1996
130 ........Kendrick Van Ackeren, 2015
129 ........Colt Anderson, 2008 Tim Hauck, 1989
128 ........Robby Hauck, 2021
125 ........Robby Hauck, 2019 Brock Coyle, 2013
124 ........Matt Steinau, 2001
123 ........Jeremiah Kose, 2015 Caleb McSurdy, 2011 Mike Bouchee, 1995
122 ........Kendrick Van Ackeren, 2014
119 ........Jace Lewis, 2019
117 ........Jeremiah Kose, 2014
115 ........Kyle Ryan, 2006 Tyler Joyce, 2006
112 ........Caleb McSurdy, 2010
111 ........James Banks, 2017
110 ........Mike Bouchee, 1996 Adam Boomer, 1998
109 ........Tyler Joyce, 2007 Matt Hermanson, 2014 Shann Schillinger, 2008 Adam Boomer, 2000
107 ........Matt Hermanson, 2013 Herbert Gamboa, 2014
106 ........Brock Coyle, 2012
105 ........Patrick O’Connell, 2021

Thanks for looking this up. At first blush, I'd have to say the trio in 2014 had seemingly the greatest overall production. Though Dante Olson was nothing short of a machine.

 

[RainierGriz]

Not a Griz GOAT, but Alex Shaw was a beast at linebacker.

 

[smarsh]

loads of good ones, but if you aren't putting crebo at the top, you probably never saw him play.

 

[indian-outlaw]

Agree with Crebo here...

Yep, completely agree.

 

[SoCal Surfer]

Griz Linebacker Of All Time = GLOAT.

Each generation of Griz have their own favorites. IMO, it is too difficult to compare a LB from the "69 - '70 team vs those LBs of the late '90s and more current time-periods.

 

[kemajic]

Griz Linebacker Of All Time = GLOAT.

Each generation of Griz have their own favorites. IMO, it is too difficult to compare a LB from the "69 - '70 team vs those LBs of the late '90s and more current time-periods.

Agreed. Wayne Harrington flew under the radar as he played on godawful Davidson teams in the 60's. But for anyone who saw him play, he was a man among boys.

 

[Jordan_20]

loads of good ones, but if you aren't putting crebo at the top, you probably never saw him play.

He finished his career before I was born, otherwise I would probably have him at the top of my list.

 

[SoldierGriz]

Each generation of Griz have their own favorites. IMO, it is too difficult to compare a LB from the "69 - '70 team vs those LBs of the late '90s and more current time-periods.

Agreed. Wayne Harrington flew under the radar as he played on godawful Davidson teams in the 60's. But for anyone who saw him play, he was a man among boys.

I have zero doubt about this. Bring a guy forward to current fitness, nutrition, and technique standards...old school dudes would thrive.

But, Crebo would thrive in any era without any of that...dude was special.

 

[SoCal Surfer]

Agreed. Wayne Harrington flew under the radar as he played on godawful Davidson teams in the 60's. But for anyone who saw him play, he was a man among boys.

I have zero doubt about this. Bring a guy forward to current fitness, nutrition, and technique standards...old school dudes would thrive.

But, Crebo would thrive in any era without any of that...dude was special.

Generational differences. One can't compare a LB from the 40-60s to one in 2023. Crebo was special; but, so were others before his time. To me this is a no win conversation on either side of the issue. It's merely a point of view.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

Agreed. Wayne Harrington flew under the radar as he played on godawful Davidson teams in the 60's. But for anyone who saw him play, he was a man among boys.

I have zero doubt about this. Bring a guy forward to current fitness, nutrition, and technique standards...old school dudes would thrive.

But, Crebo would thrive in any era without any of that...dude was special.

That’s kind of why it’s impossible to compare eras. Reverse the premise. Take a flux capacitor and send anyone on the two-deep at LB on any BSC team back to 1970, and I would guess none of them would be playing BSC football. They’d probably be playing OL for USC. All of the players are better now. They will be better next year, and the year after that.

I agree with you on Crebo. There are sometimes transcendent talents. The only sport I really know a lot about is golf. Nicklaus would be damn good today if he grew up in the modern era, yes. But, 18 majors wouldn’t happen, IMO.