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The course
Coaches, teammates ‘couldn’t be more proud’ of Montana State LB Nolan Askelson Shawn Raecke/For the Chronicle
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CAT’ - GRIZ NOVEMBER 2023
The Bobcats’ defense, including Nolan Askelson (41), Miles Jackson (6) and Rylan Ortt (26), closes in on Utah Tech’s Ronnie Walker on Sept. 2 at Bobcat Stadium.
By Braden Shaw
Chronicle Staff Writer
Robertson shared his thoughts with the player.
Then - Montana State special teams coordinator BJ Robertson pulled aside the young linebacker who had been wreaking havoc during special teams drills in practice.
“And he was like, ‘Shoot, man, you’ve been giving me so many problems. I got to get you out there and let you give problems to somebody else,’” Askelson remembered.
Many had taken notice of thenfreshman Nolan Askelson. The Billings Senior graduate had spent the majority of the 2018 season on scout team, with brief appearances against Cal Poly and Montana.
It took only nine plays for Askelson to get his shot. Askelson blocked UIW’s first punt and wide receiver Lance McCutcheon returned it for an 11-yard touchdown.
The work had been paying off each week. Ahead of the Bobcats’ first round playoff game against Incarnate Word,
Askelson ran to the sideline and was embraced by teammates. “A lot of guys that I pissed off doing
that in practice were the first ones to be there like, ‘Man, you’ve been doing this all season. It’s nothing new,’” he said. MSU went on to win the game 35-14, the Bobcats’ first playoff victory since 2012. Askelson has since become one of the standouts on MSU’s defense, earning both a team captain role and the legacy No. 41 jersey in 2023. Getting to this stage was challenging, from nearly quitting football in high school to a pair of severe injuries derailing two seasons. “Couldn’t be more proud of him,” Senior head coach Chris Murdock said. “Even compared to if you had a kid go
to college and never have to deal with injury and go on and be an All-American, this is almost something you’d be more proud of, because it hasn’t been a smooth ride. “But he just stayed the course, and it’s been fun this year to kind of see it all coming together for him.” Askelson began playing football when he was 10 years old — the earliest you could start in Billings — because he “loved all sports” and it was a way to hang out with his friends. His main passion, though, was baseSee ASKELSON | 6
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From ASKELSON | 4
yards (4,007) and receiving TDs (50).
ball. He even contemplated quitting football entering his junior year to play baseball in the fall. Murdock — along with Askelson’s friend group — convinced him to stick with football.
Askelson said he was aware of the uncertainty surrounding the ceiling of the 2017 team. Still, the Broncs finished on top again thanks to a 21-12 victory over Helena in the Class AA title game — the program’s 26th win in a row.
Askelson didn’t have to give up baseball entirely. He continued playing with a travel team, the Billings Halos. He loved his summers, even if they mainly took place on the diamond.
“It was fun to see all those guys get the success that they had worked so hard for and waited for,” Askelson said. Askelson earned all-state honors at both QB and LB. He was also named Class AA Defensive MVP. Murdock said that speaks to Askelson’s athleticism and intelligence. It also can allow for a larger margin for error.
“But I wouldn’t have it any other way, traveling around, long van trips around the country with my boys,” he said. “Just loved all of it.” His admiration for football grew as well. After falling in the 2015 Class AA championship game to Bozeman High in Askelson’s sophomore year, it was also “pretty obvious” the 2016 Senior team was going to be special, Murdock said.
“I definitely remember that feeling like, ‘Oh, no’ and thinking we made a bad call, and then all of a sudden Nolan just coming out of nowhere and making our bad call look good,” Murdock said. Naturally, that earned Askelson attention from colleges. Askelson received interest from Harvard, Columbia and North Dakota, along with UM and MSU. He was instantly sold when MSU extended an offer. Education was a deciding factor — Askelson started as an engineering major and later switched to math and economics — to set him up for life after football.
The team was led by senior quarterback Nathan Dick, who was named the 2016 Gatorade Montana Player of the Year. He threw for 2,639 yards and 34 TDs and ran for another 1,222 yards and 19 TDs. Askelson, who played running back, LB and backup QB as a junior, and his teammates complemented Dick well. Senior went a perfect 13-0, capturing the 2016 Class AA title — the program’s first since 1979 — in a 33-21 win over Kalispell Glacier. Askelson was named all-state at RB and LB.
The 2018 season provided a substantial learning curve, Askelson said. Much of that came down to time management and decision-making on and off the field. “Are you going to make yourself better or are you just going to keep coasting by? That was stuff I kind of struggled with,” Askelson said.
Murdock remembers a run right before halftime of the title game where Askelson’s helmet popped off and he kept running through contact.
CAT’ - GRIZ NOVEMBER 2023
That season was “really rewarding,” Askelson said, and that winning culture wasn’t created by accident.
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“You could just tell he was in that game to win it,” Murdock added. “And I think that was something that just affects everybody when you have that killer instinct.”
Askelson likened it to a college pro-
All 22 starters hung out all the time, Askelson said, whether that be in the locker room after practice or on the weekends. The team had weekly brotherhood meetings built into the schedule that centered on building a winning culture.
Samuel Wilson/Chronicle
Montana State linebacker Nolan Askelson watches the Cal Poly offense before the snap during a game on Oct. 14 at Bobcat Stadium.
gram where offseason work wasn’t truly optional “because you didn’t want to let your brother down.” Askelson also credited Senior’s coaching staff that “knew their craft and could teach it well.” “When you have all three of those things and guys are committed and care about their teammates,” he added, “you’re going to show up in the season and good things are going to happen.” That paid dividends with the roster turnover that followed in 2017. Most notably, Senior lost both Dick and Class
AA Defensive MVP Keaton Anderson to graduation. Askelson stepped in at QB having already been the backup and with a natural arm from baseball. Murdock added that Askelson was the best option to operate as a dual threat and could physically handle starting at LB as well. It also helped having offensive weapons like Gabe Sulser, who won the 2017 Montana Gatorade Player of the Year. He finished his career with the all-class records in receptions (261), receiving
It helped having support from his teammates and then-head coach Jeff Choate, who gave his players “resources to be your best,” Askelson said. He appeared in four games that season (four total tackles and the blocked punt) and utilized a redshirt. A change came in 2019 when Bobby Daly became MSU’s LBs coach. Competition elevated the group, which included Josh Hill, Michael Jobman, Troy Andersen, Askelson and Bozeman High standout Callahan O’Reilly. Askelson played in all 15 games that season — starting out at “Mike” LB — and finished with 32 total tackles and two pass breakups.
Askelson had a strong grasp of the mental aspects of playing LB, Daly said, but still had room to grow techniquewise. One specific area was using hand placement to defeat blocks instead of his shoulder pads.
Benson, Amandre Williams and Daniel Hardy — was the driving force for Askelson, even though he could have taken a medical redshirt.
“His hands have come a long way since he was a freshman,” Daly added.
“He was willing to forego another year of football to be able to play in that game with his boys,” Daly said. “That’s a credit to him and his character.”
Askelson’s next opportunity to play came in 2021 after the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. He amassed 11 total tackles, including one sack, in the first two games, rotating with O’Reilly and Andersen at LB.
Askelson earned more goodwill with his play in 2022 alongside O’Reilly and Danny Uluilakepa. “A number of plays” made by Askelson stood out to Daly from that season, he said, including an interception against Morehead State.
But Askelson suffered a Lisfranc injury in his foot while making a tackle in Week 2. He had two rods surgically placed to stabilize the torn ligaments for three months, which were removed about three weeks before the FCS national championship game in January. This was Askelson’s first experience with a major injury, which took a toll on him mentally and led to him detaching from the team while recovering. Askelson said he later saw “a light at the end of the tunnel” as MSU made its run through the FCS playoffs, and started
Askelson picked off a pass from Morehead QB Grady Cramer — his first career interception — in the third quarter. He looped back around on the return, lowering a shoulder into Morehead RB Chance Harris on the 16-yard runback. Samuel Wilson/Chronicle
Montana State linebacker Nolan Askelson calls out defensive instructions during a game against Cal Poly on Oct. 14 at Bobcat Stadium.
rehabbing two to three times a day. “I was like, if there’s a chance I play in this (national title) game, man, I’m going to take it,” he said. “We made the natty, did everything I could and was
able to get back out there one more time with those guys.” The desire to play one more time with that senior class — which included McCutcheon, Andersen, nose tackle Chase
“And it’s like, OK, this kid’s an exceptional player on the defensive side of the ball, but you can see that offensive versatility show up in that particular play,” Daly said. Other standout moments include Askelson putting up a team-high 12 See ASKELSON | 8
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Samuel Wilson/Chronicle
Montana State linebacker Nolan Askelson (41) blocks for teammate Rylan Ortt (26) during an interception return for a touchdown against Stetson on Sept. 16 at Bobcat Stadium.
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From ASKELSON | 7 tackles at Northern Colorado and 11 tackles at Northern Arizona. He finished with 64 total tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. He missed the Bobcats’ run back to the FCS semifinals, though, due to a torn right ACL suffered during the Brawl of the Wild. He underwent surgery in early December. Askelson said he had a better approach to recovery this time around. He stayed more involved with the team, a product of being an older player. That affected his preparation for his
final season and confirmed his desire to “go out on my terms,” he said. Askelson was locked in on being ready for fall camp in August and being a starter in Week 1. That meant about an eight-month recovery timeline. Daly remembers talking with his wife Jasmine, who is a physical therapist, about Askelson’s injury. She said for the average person doing PT once a week, that recovery usually lasts closer to nine to 12 months. “That is certainly not Nolan,” Daly said. “He’s not your average competitor.” Daly still held Askelson back in fall
camp with limited reps and scheduled off days. The knee brace added more concern because opposing offenses might go after Askelson, Daly said. He even anticipated resting Askelson for non-conference play, which would meet the nine-month window. While Askelson continued recovery, he earned a pair of accolades. Not only was he named one of six team captains, but Askelson also received the legacy No. 41 jersey. Daly said Askelson getting the 41 made sense because of how he exemplifies the four pillars of the program: character, accountability, toughness and state. Murdock added that Askelson has
always had a high social IQ and knows how to best communicate with each individual. “It’s one thing to say, ‘I’m a captain and I lead by example.’ That’s the easy thing for some guys to do,” Daly added. “Nolan is the guy that has no problem confronting and demanding better of his peers.” Askelson stepped right in as a starter at “Will” LB alongside Uluilakepa. McCade O’Reilly slid into the third man role. Daly did notice some offenses run at Askelson early in the season, but “he met the challenge head on.” Through
Samuel Wilson/Chronicle
Montana State linebacker Nolan Askelson lines up on defense against Cal Poly on Oct. 14 at Bobcat Stadium.
eight games, Askelson led the team in total tackles with 52, along with three TFLs, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. Askelson said he’s loved playing at MSU alongside Uluilakepa and both O’Reillys the past two seasons. His roommates — tight ends Treyton Pickering and Derryk Snell — have also become close friends on and off the field.
Askelson feels even more confident after what he’s overcome the past two seasons, knowing that “any play can be your last.” Whenever that comes, Askelson will be remembered for his presence on and off the field. Murdock said Askelson is a player that “just continues to motivate you to want to keep coaching and putting your best foot forward.”
“If I do have a young guy that is struggling with alignment/assignment issues, I stick them next to Nolan,” Daly added, “so they understand how to play the position, how to communicate playing the position.” That comes from Askelson’s passion for the game. He’s playing loose, always smiling and even talking more smack this year.
From our team to yours
It’s “all in good fun,” he said, and only adds to experience of the last ride with his teammates. “We’ve been through a lot together, and I love every one of those guys in that locker room,” he said. “I just put my body out on the line to make the plays that I need to make to help us win the game because I know everybody would do the same for me.”
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“He has so much passion, and he controls that defense. He’s always out there communicating,” Pickering said. “So I always love seeing him fly around, make plays and it’s just awesome to see him succeed.”
Daly called Askelson an extension of the coaching staff and can recall what needs to be corrected on previous plays “better than anybody I’ve been around.” Daly has even encouraged Askelson to get into coaching.
MSU AD COSTELLO
reflects on rivalry with Montana during his tenure Rachel Leathe/Chronicle
Leon Costello, Montana State’s athletics director, speaks to the media during a tour of the new 40,000 square foot Bobcat Athletic Complex on Oct. 8, 2021.
By Parker Cotton
As a routine-based person, it’s a standard part of the week for Montana State’s Athletics Director. When he wants a moment to himself, he’ll watch with his coffee from the empty press box at Bobcat Stadium.
“Just on where we’ve come from and what’s been accomplished,” said Costello, linking his own life with the football team. “Just feeling fortunate for where we are as a program, where I am in my profession, where my family is at. It’s kind of cool sitting up there and looking down on them and watching them and knowing what we’ve accomplished, but also knowing there’s still more to do.”
To win or lose against the Griz counts as just one result, but the emotional response to that one result is game compared to all the others. That is true of fans, players and even Costello himself.
He likes to see what the team is up to, but those moments — alone, in silence, with an expansive view of the field and campus and the Bridgers — also offer an opportunity to reflect.
Among the measuring sticks of MSU’s football program — win-loss records, national rankings, conference championships — perhaps the purest one is success against rival Montana.
This season’s game is slated for a noon kickoff on Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula. In advance of the 122nd meeting between the schools, Costello examined his own
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Chronicle Sports Editor
Leon Costello will usually visit football practices on Thursday mornings.
“There’s so much riding on every single play, and you feel it every single play,” he said. “So when I come out of that I’m just drained. I’m just mentally and physically drained.”
relationship with the rivalry game and how it has changed during his eight-year tenure in Bozeman. Costello is not unfamiliar with intense rivalries, but he said he’s never been around one quite like this. “When you win it, you don’t want to play it again for a while,” Costello said. “And if you don’t win it, you want to play that game again the next day.”
‘Truly is amazing’ The Bobcats and Griz are known entities beyond the state’s borders, so See COSTELLO | 12
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Rachel Leathe/Chronicle
Leon Costello, Montana State’s athletics director, gives a tour of the football team’s locker room in the Bobcat Athletic Complex on Oct. 8, 2021.
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From COSTELLO | 10 Costello — who previously worked at fellow FCS programs South Dakota State (2010-16) and Northern Iowa (2003-10) — was aware of the rivalry before ever being a part of it. “I didn’t know everything about it,” he said, “but I knew it was a big deal.” His exposure to the game ramped up when he was hired at MSU in the summer of 2016. At that point, the Bobcats were on a three-game losing streak in the series (including two at home) and had been outscored 116-56 in that time. Costello’s
first real introduction to the game came that fall in Missoula. The Bobcats won 24-17 in then-head coach Jeff Choate’s debut in the rivalry. “You think you have an idea of what it’s going to be like,” Costello said, “and I can tell you from my experience, it wasn’t even close. It truly is amazing the passion that is involved in that game.” Growing up in Iowa, Costello was most familiar with the rivalry between that state’s two FBS programs: Iowa and Iowa State. Those teams traditionally play in the second week of the season, which Costello now finds less appealing when compared to MSU and UM’s ar-
rangement at the end of the year. “It’s a heated rivalry,” he said, “but it doesn’t hold a candle to this rivalry.”
Turn the tide Since the 2016 game that served as Costello’s first against the Griz, MSU has won four of five meetings (the game wasn’t played in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and the Bobcats have outscored the Griz 173-112. That run of success has been spurred, Costello believes, by the senior day game of 2016, one week before winning in Missoula. He has told the story before — of the
2-7 Bobcats hosting 2-7 UC Davis and how he didn’t know how many fans would show up to watch that sort of game. It was a pleasant surprise when nearly 16,000 people came and watched MSU shut out the Aggies in the second half of a 27-13 win. “That’s when I knew that this place was different,” Costello said. “That is special because the other places I was at, there wouldn’t have been that many people here.” Costello’s theory centers on that win being a springboard for the progress that followed. Each year’s team is its own entity and
LEON COSTELLO
features a different cast of players, so it can be tough to know how much motivation or will to win carries over from one year to the next. But the results since then speak for themselves.
MSU canceled its 2020 campaign, but the Bobcats returned in 2021 with a 12-3 record in current head coach Brent Vigen’s first season. That year featured a 29-10 loss to UM. Whether or not the disappointment of that loss was softened by an appearance in the national cham-
The 2022 season ended at 12-2 and in the FCS semifinals, including a 55-21 win over UM in Bozeman, which hosted ESPN’s “College GameDay” in frigid temperatures that morning. Perhaps that’s too much success to pin on one game from seven years ago, but Costello believes it at least plays a part. “You win that (UC Davis) game, you gain some momentum, you go into the rivalry game, you go on the road and you’re able to come out on top,” he said. “And I truly feel like that stretch is what kind of turned the tide to where we see our program today.” See COSTELLO | 14
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In 2017, MSU finished at 5-6 — a modest improvement from 4-7 the year before — but the Bobcats also beat the Griz again 31-23. In 2018, MSU went 8-5, beat the Griz 29-25 (the famed “Miracle in Missoula”) and made the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2014. The 2019 Bobcats went 11-4, beat Montana 48-14 and advanced to the FCS semifinals.
pionship game is up for debate, but the program had taken another step forward nonetheless.
Rachel Leathe/Chronicle
Leon Costello, Montana State’s athletics director, poses next to the Great Divide Trophy on Oct. 8, 2021.
From COSTELLO | 13
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‘Ultimate goal’ During this stretch of success against the Griz, the matchups have only become more important. “There was more riding on it every single time,” Costello said. “As we’re building our program, our record is improving, then playoff berths are on the line, then seeds are on the line.” Both teams have been nationally ranked in recent seasons, but MSU has been more widely considered to be an actual championship contender. A loss to the Griz wouldn’t derail the Bobcats’ chances, but it’s best to not risk it.
“You have the pressure or the intensity and passion of that game, but then on the backside that game is not the end of the season,” Costello said. “There’s another whole season yet to go in the playoffs, and you’re trying to set yourself up to win a conference championship but also to put yourself in a position to get the highest seed you can to go make a run at a national championship.” After Choate went 4-0 against the Griz in his career, Vigen is 1-1 through two meetings, but he’s won the most recent one — which is all that matters. Vigen is no stranger to rivalry games either after having coached at North Dakota State (which counts South Dakota
State and North Dakota as rivals) and Wyoming (Colorado State) before joining the Bobcats. “I think he would say the first one he probably learned a lot just like I did,” Costello said of Vigen’s introduction against the Griz. “Going through it the first time, it’s a different beast.” Vigen is now in his third season, and Costello believes he has a healthy perspective of the game. Vigen is — outwardly — a fairly measured coach (especially compared to Choate), but he is also known to be a skilled and fiery motivator all the same. What Costello appreciates is that Vi-
gen doesn’t let his emotions get in the way of seeing the bigger picture. “He gets people excited but also understands we have to play within ourselves,” Costello said. “Every coach has their way of how they set up their week, of how they address a rivalry, what they want to do. I’ve loved how Brent has approached the game because he and I think alike in this regard in that it’s a step in the season and in the progression of where we want to be. “It’s vitally important that we own the state, that we continue to compete and win that game, because of in-state recruiting, for our fans to have bragging rights, but it’s also important to be able
Rachel Leathe/Chronicle
The team room in the Bobcat Athletic Complex is pictured on Oct. 8, 2021.
to hopefully, at the end of the year, raise a conference championship trophy. But then the ultimate goal would be to set yourself up for a national championship, and we think alike in that regard.”
‘Pinch yourself’ The decision to not play a football season in 2020 was centered around the welfare of the general public and also the student-athletes, Costello said. In the three years since then, Costello confidently stands by that decision, but he acknowledges the “empty feeling” of an academic year without any football and a game against Montana.
Costello believes not having football for a year has made MSU supporters even more passionate. He notices that especially before home games, when he’s standing in the north end zone as the team runs onto the field. “(My) eight years have been unbelievable, but the last three years have been just ridiculous,” Costello said. “Our fans
right now. “It’s going to be sold out, the environ-
ment’s going to be amazing,” he said, “and for our student-athletes to be able to experience that is pretty special.”
The return of the Cat-Griz game has been particularly meaningful. It’s a rivalry that draws a line between families, friendships and marriages. It’s the game both sets of fans, players and coaches want to win more than any other game. “It’s a part of the culture in the state of Montana,” Costello said. He will surely be reminded of that on Saturday, as he paces on the sideline in Missoula. Costello will be a long way from the silence of his Thursday morning reflection time. He will be enveloped in noise and emotions. Nowhere else has what UM and MSU have. It is a cherished and celebrated rivalry that existed long before Costello arrived and will exist long after his time as AD is up. He just feels lucky to be a part of it
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In the same breath, Costello noted that each player in every sport was awarded another year of eligibility by the NCAA. So while the pandemic may have wiped out football in 2020, everybody still got to play a normal number of seasons.
have shown up. They created this unbelievable atmosphere, and it’s usually about that time, that opening kickoff, and you look around and everybody’s jumping up and down and having fun and it’s like, ‘Wow, this is really happening.’ The music’s blaring, the crowd’s jumping and clapping and you just kind of look around and you want to pinch yourself.”
A look back at
2022’s Brawl of the Wild
All photos by Samuel Wilson/Chronicle
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Members of the Montana State defense celebrate a play during the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022. The Bobcats beat the Grizzlies 55-21.
Members of the Spirit of the West marching band try to keep themselves and their instruments warm during the broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay on the Montana State University campus on Nov. 19, 2022.
Bobcat fans cheer before the broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay on the Montana State University campus on Nov. 19, 2022.
The cast of ESPN’s College GameDay talks on the set as the show is aired live from the MSU campus before the Brawl of the Wild on Nov. 19, 2022.
A sign is left on the ground at Dyche Field during the broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay on the Montana State University campus on Nov. 19, 2022.
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The Montana State football team takes the field during the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
Montana State head coach Brent Vigen holds the Big Sky Conference football title trophy after the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
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Montana State fans celebrate after the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott breaks a tackle during the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
Montana State tight end Derryk Snell celebrates the Bobcats first touchdown of the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
The Spirit of the West marching band stays warm during the broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay on the Montana State University campus on Nov. 19, 2022.
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Flags from universities around the country are flown during the broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay on the Montana State University campus on Nov. 19, 2022.
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The Montana State student section rushes the field after the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
Montana State running back Elijah Elliott nears the end zone during the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
Montana State tight end Derryk Snell lifts quarterback Tommy Mellott into the air after Mellott scored the Bobcats first touchdown of the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
Montana State defensive end Hunter Parsons tackles Montana quarterback Daniel Britt during the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
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Bobcat Stadium is packed during the 121st Brawl of the Wild on Nov. 19, 2022.
Montana State’s Ravi Alston nearly blocks a punt by Montana kicker Patrick Rohrbach during the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
Montana State cheerleaders cheer before the broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay on the Montana State University campus on Nov. 19, 2022.
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Montana State running back Elijah Elliott is tackled by Montana safety Nash Fouch during the 121st Brawl of the Wild at Bobcat Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022.
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