Bill Johnston - Former head of the UM Alumni Association

10/06/20 • 58 min

Griz Greats: The Silver Anniversary of the 1995 National Champions

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.

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Matt Wells - University of Montana HOF Wide Receiver

Matt Wells came to the University of Montana from Ashland, Oregon as an undersized, deceptively quick wide receiver who spent his prep days catching passes from fellow future Griz Bert Wilberger. When Wells arrived at Montana, he found himself sharing a dorm room with another Griz quarterback: Dave Dickenson. Entering the 1995 season, the narrative inside the Griz program leaned heavily on how UM would replace Shalon Baker and Scott Guernsey, the two most productive receivers in school history. The 5-foot-7, 160-pound Wells used his ability to shred opponents on screen passes, on the perimeter and over the middle to help the Griz wide receivers erase any doubt. Wells had more than 1,000 yards receiving and caught 10 touchdowns in his senior year in 1995, playing a pivotal role as Montana rolled to the first national title in school history. Wells finished his career with 248 catches, 3,342 yards and 23 receiving touchdowns, all three the most in program history at the time.

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Dave Guffey - UM Sports Information Director 1978-2015

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.