Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

ESPN Missoula

In 1995 the University of Montana football team made a magical run to its first national championship, beating the Marshall Thundering Herd 22-20 on December 16th for the title. We commemorate this remarkable season 25 years later, through the eyes of the players, coaches and personnel involved in bringing a championship to Missoula Montana.

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Dave Guffey - UM Sports Information Director 1978-2015

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

10/15/20 • 51 min

Dave Guffey came to the University of Montana to take the head job at “information services” in the fall of 1978. At the time, Gene Carlson was the head Griz football coach and Mike Montgomery had just taken the head basketball job. Guffey served as the head sports information director at UM for 37 years, giving him perhaps the deepest perspective when it comes to Griz football and men’s basketball of any person to work at the athletic department. Guffey staffed more than 450 Griz football games, only missing three in his 37 years on the job. And even 25 years later, his memories of Montana’s run to the 1995 Division I-AA national title are among his sharpest.

Bill Johnston - Former head of the UM Alumni Association

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

10/06/20 • 58 min

When Bill Johnston retired as the CEO of the University of Montana alumni foundation after 36 years at UM, former Montana President Royce Engstrom stated: "It’s said that Montana is one small town with very long streets. Meeting Bill will make you believe it. "If you’ve ever traveled this state with him, you realize quickly he seems to know everyone. He either knows them, their family or has mutual friends. When you combine that with Bill’s uncanny ability to remember, recognize and recollect so many details about the people and places that intersect with UM, it’s easy to see why, to many people, he is the face of our University." Johnston's memory comes through in full force on Griz Greats as he recollects the impact that Montana's 1995 football national championship had on the University, the MIssoula community, Western Montana and the Treasure State as a whole.

Mike Bouchee

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

11/14/20 • 76 min

Mike Bouchee grew up in Missoula as the son of former Griz lineman Bill Bouchee and the pride of Montana football was instilled in him at an early age. By high school, Bouchee was an all-state linebacker on a few of head coach Van Troxel’s last great teams at Hellgate High. And 1992, he was living a lifelong dream of playing for the Grizzlies and by 1995, he was Montana’s starting middle linebacker. Bouchee played a pivotal role on the Griz defense that season, leading UM with 97 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, five sacks, and forcing two fumbles. He finished his career with 245 career tackles, at the time the 16th most in the history of Griz football. The two-time All-American also earned All-Big Sky Conference honors on the field and academically as well.

Wayne Hogan - Former Athletic Director at UM

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

11/06/20 • 75 min

Wayne Hogan became the AD at UM during the 1995 football season. He was hired by then President George Dennison and officially started on the job in October of 1995. What a time to come on board as two months later the Griz took home their first national championship. Having been in the Florida State Athletic Department through the early 90's, Hogan new what a winning environment looked like and worked to foster that at Montana. He had some ups and downs as the AD, but his perspective and gregarious nature make this episode a can't miss.

Hall of Fame wide receiver Joe Douglass

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

11/25/20 • 60 min

Joe Douglass came to the University of Montana as a transfer after starting his career at Oregon State. In his two seasons with the Griz, he was prolific enough to earn All-American honors both years and earned a spot in the UM Athletics Hall of Fame. Douglass hauled in 145 catches for more than 2,300 yards and 25 touchdowns. As a senior, he set a single-season record with 82 receptions and his 18 touchdowns in 1996 is still the most ever by a Griz. Joe Douglass joins Griz Greats: the Silver Anniversary of the 1995 national champions proudly presented by First Security Bank of Missoula and Blackfoot Communications.

Eric Simonson

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

11/20/20 • 67 min

Eric Simonson came to Montana as a skinny, athletic offensive lineman from Plentywood, Montana. He transformed himself into an elite offensive lineman, one that would earn first-team All-American honors at tackle during his senior season in 1995. That year proved to be an unforgettable one as Simonson, who got married while in college and welcomed his son into the world while his football team was in a midst of a run that culminated in the first national title in school history.

Dave Dickenson, College Hall of Fame quarterback

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

12/16/20 • 76 min

Dave Dickenson is widely considered the greatest player in the history of the Big Sky Conference and the most legendary Griz of all time. The dynamo quarterback from Great Falls led UM to three straight playoff appearances, culminating with a Walter Payton Award winning senior season in 1995 that also included guiding his team to their first-ever Division I-AA national title.

The Legend of the Fall went on to have a stellar career in the Canadian Football League and is also a championship-winning coach for the Calgary Stampeders. But the College Football Hall of Famer is best remembered for his unforgettable career with the Grizzlies.

Jim O'Day, former administrator and UM AD

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

12/15/20 • 55 min

Before Jim O'Day started working for the Grizzly Scholarship Association or as an athletic administrator at the University of Montana and before he became UM's athletic director (2005-2012), the native of Cut Bank was a newspaper man who helped spread the good word for Grizzly athletics on Montana's Hi-Line. O'Day was integral in setting up a charter flight from Great Falls to Huntington, West Virginia so hundreds of small-town Montanans could cheer on the Grizzlies in the 1995 Division I-AA national title game.

Brian Toone

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

12/10/20 • 52 min

Brian Toone was a junior on the 1995 National Championship team. He graduated from Butte High where the Bulldogs made a state championship run in his senior season. From there he became a standout on the Grizzly defense, perhaps most memorably combining with fellow Butte alum Randy Riley on a sack-safety of Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington in the National Championship. That play proved to be the final margin of victory in Montana's 22-20 defeat of the Thundering Herd. Most recently, Toone has now taken over the family business - making jewelry - he owns Jewelry Design Center in Spokane Washington.

Jason Crebo

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

10/23/20 • 61 min

Those who know him best describe Jason Crebo as a gentle giant. Those who watched him play for Montana remember the Helena native as one of the fiercest defensive players the school has ever produced. In 1994, Crebo took over Montana’s famed No. 37 jersey, following in the footsteps of Kraig Paulson, Tim Hauck and Todd Ericson. In 1995, Crebo broke into Montana’s starting lineup at outside linebacker and started etching one of the great careers in the school’s history. He earned first-team All-Big Sky and All-American honors for the first of what would become three straight such accolades. And he helped anchor a fearsome Griz linebacker core that helped the Griz surge to their first football national championship in school history.

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How many episodes does Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions have?

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions currently has 26 episodes available.

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The podcast is about Espn, History, Football, Podcasts and Sports.

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The episode title 'Jason Crebo' is the most popular.

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The average episode length on Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions is 58 minutes.

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Episodes of Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions are typically released every 6 days, 23 hours.

When was the first episode of Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions?

The first episode of Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions was released on Aug 26, 2020.

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Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

ESPN Missoula

Top 10 Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions have?

What topics does Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions cover?

What is the most popular episode on Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions?

What is the average episode length on Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions?

How often are episodes of Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions released?

When was the first episode of Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions?

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