Bill Kollar's career spanned three Bobcat stadiums and three general stages
Bobcats by the Numbers: 77
6/13/2013 9:07:00 AM | Football
Bill Kollar's spectacular career overshadows a few great #77s
Every day we look at players who donned the jersey number corresponding to the number of days until the Bobcats open the 2013 season on August 29 against Monmouth. The list of MSU football players by the jersey number is based on preseason rosters. The set of available rosters is complete from 1946-81 and '83-present. Only the 1926-27, 1934, 1937 and 1941 rosters are available in the pre-WWII years. Corrections, additions, or rosters that fill out the set are welcome to blamberty@msubobcats.com.
#77
The number 77 is retired for Bill Kollar: Bill Kollar is a Bobcat icon, and rightfully so, but it's worth taking a look at why. He was a dominant presence on the interior of the defensive line at MSU in a day when defenses lined up four, often five men in the trenches to stop opposing run games. Kollar was dominant. As a junior, UPI picked him as the best player in the Big Sky, and AP named him Second Team Little All-America. The next season he was even better, earning All-America honors from essentially every organization that bothered to pick one, landing MVP honors at the 1974 Senior Bowl (for which he received a new car), and landing in the first round of two different drafts – the NFL (Cincinnati) and WFL (Chicago). He ended up as a three-time First Team All-Big Sky selection, and a two-time All-America. Kollar enjoyed a long and productive career as an NFL player, and a longer and more productive career as an NFL assistant coach, which continues today. MSU retired Kollar's jersey pretty much immediately upon the completion of his eligibility.
Notable #77s in the Bobcat Past: The number 77 wasn't worn by a lot of guys in Bobcat history, but man was it worn by some great ones – in fact, three MSU Hall of Famers have donned #77 in Blue and Gold. Ron Warzeka wore it during his legendary All-America campaign in 1956, which culminated in a National Championship, while Joe Tiller was #77 during his great career in the early '60s.
Through the years: Ron Warzeka (1956), Carmen Turley (1957), Clyde Cleveland (1958), Hans Fedge (1960), Joe Tiller (1961-63), Ken Brunsvold (1964), Mickey Matthews (1965-67), Rick Bean (1968-69), Gary Enger (1970), Bill Kollar (1971-73), Retired for Bill Kollar
#77
The number 77 is retired for Bill Kollar: Bill Kollar is a Bobcat icon, and rightfully so, but it's worth taking a look at why. He was a dominant presence on the interior of the defensive line at MSU in a day when defenses lined up four, often five men in the trenches to stop opposing run games. Kollar was dominant. As a junior, UPI picked him as the best player in the Big Sky, and AP named him Second Team Little All-America. The next season he was even better, earning All-America honors from essentially every organization that bothered to pick one, landing MVP honors at the 1974 Senior Bowl (for which he received a new car), and landing in the first round of two different drafts – the NFL (Cincinnati) and WFL (Chicago). He ended up as a three-time First Team All-Big Sky selection, and a two-time All-America. Kollar enjoyed a long and productive career as an NFL player, and a longer and more productive career as an NFL assistant coach, which continues today. MSU retired Kollar's jersey pretty much immediately upon the completion of his eligibility.
Notable #77s in the Bobcat Past: The number 77 wasn't worn by a lot of guys in Bobcat history, but man was it worn by some great ones – in fact, three MSU Hall of Famers have donned #77 in Blue and Gold. Ron Warzeka wore it during his legendary All-America campaign in 1956, which culminated in a National Championship, while Joe Tiller was #77 during his great career in the early '60s.
Through the years: Ron Warzeka (1956), Carmen Turley (1957), Clyde Cleveland (1958), Hans Fedge (1960), Joe Tiller (1961-63), Ken Brunsvold (1964), Mickey Matthews (1965-67), Rick Bean (1968-69), Gary Enger (1970), Bill Kollar (1971-73), Retired for Bill Kollar
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