All Bobcat DT

[luckyirishguy25]

The People Eaters.

[MSU01]

By far the easiest vote yet.

[John K]

John Taylor definitely should have been on this list. I agree that it was a pretty easy vote though. Kollar is clearly number 1, with Widmer a fairly obvious number 2.

[VimSince03]

Fascinating that Zach Minter is this close with Widmer. Again, Zach was great but Corey Widmer:

#1 in Career TFLs - 66
#2 & #5 in Season TFLs - 25/20
#2 in TFLs in a game - 6
#3 in Career Sacks - 35
#3 in Season Sacks - 17
1990 Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year
NFL draft pick by NY Giants - 7 year career

This was all as a DT I might add. No stats for the 70s guys because they weren't tracking TFL and sacks at that time. Should also note Corey's teams never had a winning record in any of his seasons at MSU.

Zach Minter? Isn't on any Top 10 list. Now Zach did play with Schriebies and Daly and he was a big reason for their success. But I think a line has to be drawn here on the Top Tier and then that next tier. For example, Zach Minter was a 3rd Team All-American in 2011 but Dan Ogden was as well in 2010. Both Zach and Dan had the same number of 1st-Team All-Big Sky selections (2). Both also had ridiculously awesome interception returns in their careers. So how come Dan isn't as highly regarded as Zach by the Bobcat faithful? Even I ranked Zach #3 all time compared to Dan at #9. Was it Zach's energy and fun he brought to the position? Not really because Dan brought just as much. For me, it came down to talent and Zach had a lot of it. He had great feet for an interior lineman which is why it drove me crazy he didn't have more sacks (Daly and Caleb were also just that good). Anyway, Zach is the most interesting player on this list.

Another guy that probably deserves more cred is Ty O'Connor. Like Zach, he played next to two all-time greats at DE (Geddes and Smith) but still put up great numbers. His teams were also so close to leading MSU back to prominence which is likely another reason fans love Zach so much...his teams were great.

Again, not trying to say Zach is overrated...but he would be if you rank him higher than Corey Widmer.

[VimSince03]

I took a stab at ranking them!

DT Ranking - Top 15

1.) Bill Kollar (1970-1973) - 3x 1st-Team All-Big Sky; 1st Team/2nd Team AA 1973/1972; 1973 Big Sky Defensive MVP; Hula Bowl/Shrine Game/Senior Bowl selection; 1974 Senior Bowl MVP (HOF inductee); 1st Rd Draft Pick by Bengals in 1974; 7-year NFL career; NFL coach for 30+ years
2.) Corey Widmer (1987-1991) - 3x 1st-Team All-Big Sky; 2x 2nd Team AA 1990-1991; 1991 Big Sky Defensive MVP; Senior Bowl selection; 7th Rd Draft Pick by Giants in 1992; 7-year NFL career as a MLB
3.) Zach Minter (2009-2012) - 2x 1st-Team All-Big Sky; 3rd Team AA 2011; Chicago & Dallas training camps 2013/2014; haunts Vernon Adams' dreams
4.) Rick Vancleeve (1975-1978) - 2x 1st-Team All-Big Sky w/ 2nd in 1976; HM AA 1978; key cog in one of the most dominant defensive lines in MSU history
5.) Ron East (1966) - 1st-Team All-Big Sky 1966; 10-year NFL career (137 games); Tom Landry called him the most aggressive player he ever coached
6.) Wayne Hammond (1972-1974) - 1st-Team/2nd-Team All-Big Sky 1974/1973; 5th Rd draft pick 1975 by Los Angeles; took up blocks to let Kollar shine
7.) Ty O'Connor (1995-1998) - 2x 1st-Team All-Big Sky; HM All-America 1998; the definition of country strong and was a key member of those late 90s Bobcat defenses that had some dudes on the defensive line
8.) Chase Benson (2017-2021) - 1st-Team All-Big Sky 2021; 3rd Team AA 2021; rarely got the recognition he deserved from the outside but internally everyone knew how vital Chase was to those Choate defenses; a weight-lifting phenom and nightmare to block one-on-one
9.) Dan Ogden (2007-2010) - 1st-Team/2nd-Team All-Big Sky 2009/2010; 3rd Team AA 2010
10.) Lonnie Burt (1981-1984) - 1st-Team All-Big Sky 1984; HM AA 1984; the "man in the middle" of that 1984 defense
11.) Ray Sebestyen (2001-2004) - 2x 1st-Team All-Big Sky w/ 2nd in 2002; freed up space for Jon Montoya and Adam Cordeiro
12.) John Taylor (2001) - 1st-Team All-Big Sky 2001; 4th Rd draft pick of Detroit in 2002
13.) Phil Bruneau (1979-1982) - 1st/2nd Team All-Big Sky 1982/1981; HM AA 1982; USFL draft pick 1983
14.) Les Sherrill (1976-1979) - 1st-Team All-Big Sky 1979; HM AA 1979
15.) Nick Morasko (1998-2001) - 1st-Team All-Big Sky 2001; HM AA 2001

Honorable Mention

Rocky Tope - 60/70s
Curt Farrier - 60s
Jerry Jimison - 60s
Kayo Trepanier - 60s
Ernie Lewis - 60/70s
Curt Brandon - 70s
Steve Mullen - 70s
Dick Lyman - 70s
Jon Wanago - 80s
Jeff Newton - 90s
Shaun Ross - 90/00s
Jason Nicastro - 00s
Aaron Papich - 00s
Taylor Sheridan - 10s
Zach Wright - 10s
Tucker Yates - 10s

[VimSince03]

Bill Kollar



Corey Widmer



Zach Minter



Rick Vancleeve



Ron East



Ty O'Connor



Chase Benson



Dan Ogden



Lonnie Burt



Ray Sebestyen



John Taylor