1. QB Dave Dickenson
The first player on the all-time Montana football players list is Dave Dickenson. Dickenson is the only Walter Payton Award winner in Montana history, taking home the trophy back in 1995. That was a year of firsts for Dickenson, leading the Grizzlies to their first FCS title. The All-American signal-caller threw for 13,484 yards and 116 touchdowns in his career, but his run to the title saw his most impressive numbers.
In the 1995 FCS playoffs, Dickenson threw two, four and five touchdowns in the first three rounds, playing in just the first half, first three quarters and 32 minutes, respectively, of the blowout games. Then in the championship game, as he was battling an AC separation in his right shoulder, Dickenson tossed for 281 yards and two touchdowns while completing 29 of 48 attempts (60 percent). Dickenson's championship run earns him a spot on this list.
2. DB Tim Hauck
When you hear the name Hauck and Montana together, you might think of current Grizzlies head coach Bobby Hauck. However, Coach Hauck's brother and Montana native Tim Hauck was the first Grizzly star in the family as a two-time All-American at safety in 1988 and 1989 for Montana.
Hauck's career on the gridiron was electrifying; he intercepted 15 passes and blocked nine kicks en route to All-American honors and thrice winning Montana's Golden Helmet Award as the teams' hardest hitter. Hauck also kicked off the tradition of the No. 37 jersey as the first defender to represent the Spirit of Montana.
3. S Vince Huntsberger
Vince Huntsberger has a strong claim as the best defender in Montana football history. He is the only Grizzly to ever receive a Heisman vote after all; Huntsberger received the vote after his fantastic 2001 season.
In 2001, Huntsberger made a school-record 145 tackles and three interceptions, forced fumbles and tackles for loss, stuffing the stat sheet. Huntsberger finished as the 2001 runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award, won Big Sky Defensive MVP and earned numerous All-American honors. Yet most importantly, Huntsberger capped off his 2001 season with FCS Championship Game MVP honors as he led Montana to its second FCS title.
Huntsberger's 2001 season alone could have landed him on this list, but when adding in his 469 career tackles (a Montana record including playoffs), he is all but guaranteed a spot.
4. RB Yohance Humphrey
On the offensive side of Montana's 2001 championship season lies running back Yohance Humphrey. The Grizzlies quite literally would not have won the 2001 title without Humphrey as he scored the only Montana touchdown. In 2001, Humphrey set the program's single-season rushing record with 1,658 yards, highlighted by his 265 yards against Weber State. Humphrey finished his career as Montana's all-time leading rusher with 4,892 career rushing yards and 54 rushing touchdowns.
5. LB Dante Olson
In 2019, linebacker Dante Olson became the second player in Montana history to win the Buck Buchanan Award. Olson won the award after breaking the school record for single-season tackles for the second consecutive year with 179 total tackles, the most across any level of college football. He also broke Huntsberger's all-time career tackles record. As one of four Montana players with a major national award under his belt, Olson gets the final spot on the list as the best tackler in Grizzlies history.
Notable Omissions
QB John Edwards
QB Brian Ah Yat
RB Chase Reynolds
OT Scott Gragg
WR Joe Douglass
WR Marc Mariani
DE Kroy Biermann
LB Tyrone Holmes
LB Jordan Tripp
S Trey Young
Who could be next
Patrick O'Connell
Justin Ford
Malik Flowers
