BOZEMAN — From his family ranch in Melstone to the turf in Bobcat Stadium, defensive end and two-time captain Brody Grebe has left a legacy to remember with the Montana State football program.
On Saturday, he'll celebrate senior day alongside 22 of his teammates that have become more like family over the years in their final Brawl of the Wild.
As Grebe reflected on his senior year, he though back to some questions former Montana State coach Jeff Choate would often pose to the team.
"Are you going to bring the program to another level that it hasn’t been? How are you going to leave it better than you found it?" Grebe recounted his former coach asking.
"And, I mean, I found it in a pretty good place," he continued. "And I hope to take this program to a place it hasn’t been in a while, and this group of seniors is pretty special, and I hope we can all do it together.”
Grebe began his career as a Bobcat in 2020, and in 2021 Brent Vigen became the program's 33rd head coach. Vigen has had the firsthand experience of watching Grebe go from a redshirt freshman in 2021, still learning from the veterans around him, to an All-American that continues to stack up accolades.
"He continued this improvement, this every-down mentality," Vigen said. "As a sophomore, garners all-conference honors, and then last year took his game to an All-American level, and his leadership grew throughout that. I think he valued how much guys poured into him as a young player, and he’s continued to do that — not just this year but last year."
Now, Grebe is able to watch the younger defensive linemen he's mentored shine on Saturdays, making big plays for the team.
"It’s pretty special to see them. I mean, I was here when they got here," Grebe said. "Trying to coach them up, do whatever I can to bring them along, because I know that depth and everything like that will help us going forward."
Grebe has donned the legacy No. 41 this season, given to one senior every year from the Treasure State. It’s a tribute to Montana being admitted as the 41st state and also to the 1941 Bobcats which lost 13 men in service.
"It’s a huge honor," Grebe said. "The guys that came before me that wore this number are guys I look up to a ton, from the time I got here and before I was here. And being able to be in that group of people that are very elite on and off the field is something that I’ve always dreamed of."
What’s motivated him and his teammates most this season is the game they’ll play in on Saturday: the 123rd Brawl of the Wild.
"It’s a game that you think about all year long," Grebe said. "Especially after last year, I walk by that spot for the trophy, and it’s not there. And that sticks in your mind every single day, makes you work for something every day. And that’s something good for this team, and I think it’s helped us get to where we are."
For one last time this regular season, Grebe gets to represent Melstone when he graces the gridiron this Saturday — something he takes immense pride in.
"That’s special as well," he said. "I came from a town that’s not very big, and I know there’s going to be a lot of people from Melstone at the game, probably, and I know they’ll be cheering me on, and I appreciate all the support that they gave me growing up and continue to give me."
Saturday's game between No. 9 Montana and No. 2 Montana State kicks off at 12 p.m. inside Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman and will air on CBS affiliates across Montana — KBZK in Bozeman, KPAX in Missoula and the Flathead Valley, KTVQ in Billings, KXLF in Butte, KRTV in Great Falls and KXLH in Helena.
