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Running back Chad Newell used his heart, his character, his determination and his toughness to become one of the most revered MSU players ever
Montana State senior running back Chad Newell, left, a native of Billings, has poured his heart and soul into the MSU program. He's also become one of the top running backs to ever play at MSU, but it's his leadership, on and off the field that will be remembered long after his playing days in Bozeman are done.
Chad Newell is not just a good running back, he's a throwback to the days before college football teams were running spread offenses, before they were throwing it 50 times a game, and well before the days of all these crazy offensive schemes you see today.
But, that doesn't mean Newell doesn't fit into today's college football landscape. No, Newell, the Montana State Bobcat senior has fit in better than anyone thought he would.
Despite being a record-setting running back at Billings Senior, and despite having the size and speed to play just about any position on offense or defense, Newell wasn't highly sought-after by either the Bobcats, or the Montana Grizzlies as his senior year of high school came to an end.
Ultimately though, then MSU head coach Rob Ash offered Newell a walkon spot in Bozeman, and while Newell was a Griz' fan growing up, he jumped at the chance to play NCAA Division I college football.
And the rest they say, is history. Not only is Newell no longer a Griz fan, he's one of the most revered Bobcats in MSU history. For the last four seasons, Newell has embodied everything that is right with college football. He's a team leader, he's that heart and soul guy for the Bobcats, and above all else, he's a model student-athlete.
And Newell's heart is really what drives him, and what drove him to come to MSU.
"I had a scholarship (to play football at Montana Tech) there, but ultimately I felt like I could play at this level and I wanted to chase that dream," Newell said of his choice to walk on at MSU.
"Going back to my senior year, coming here, walking on, I didn't think I would ever be in this position to even be in front of a camera wearing a Bobcat uniform," Newell said this past spring. "So it's been a dream come true."
And Newell turned out to be a dream come true for the Bobcats. During his sophomore campaign – his third year at MSU after redshirting his first season – he first started to blossom when he was named a first-team all-Big Sky special teams selection. He also tied the program's single-game rushing touchdowns record that season. He found the end zone five times in MSU's playoff loss against South Dakota State.
"He's going to be a guy we'll build around, not necessarily just the plays but the attitude and determination that he brings to the table," then MSU head coach Rob Ash said after that playoff loss to the Jackrabbits.
He became the Bobcats' lead running back last year and responded by rushing for 831 yards on just 154 carries. He averaged 5.4 yards per tote and had a team-high 12 rushing touchdowns on his way to earning third-team all-conference honors.
Now, approaching his final game against the Montana Grizzlies, Newell has had an up-and-down senior season. First, he helped his Bobcats go through a dramatic coaching change, one that saw Ash replaced by now head coach Jeff Choate. With it came a different offensive scheme, and Newell was instrumental in helping the Bobcats transition. That's what leaders do.
Then, he rushed for a stellar 104 yards in the season-opener, a narrow loss at Idaho, but also suffered a wrist injury that saw him miss the next two games. In all, Newell has averaged 71 yards per game this season, while rushing for 499 yards and six touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Newell's team has endured major struggles in his final year. One year after going 5-6, the Bobcats have slipped even further, as they are 3-7 and have just one Big Sky win heading into Newell's last Brawl of the Wild. And yet, the heart and soul of the Bobcats' has never given up. He's never wavered on what he stands for. He didn't when he was injured, and he hasn't during a difficult season on the scoreboard,
"I gained more respect for Chad Newell after one game watching him on the sideline supporting his teammates," Choate said after Newell missed the Bryant game earlier this season. "Than I did the week before when he ran for 104 yards."
And that's Chad Newell. He's a fighter. He cares. He cares about his teammates, his coaches and everyone who battles right alongside him. Because one thing Chad Newell has always done is fight. He's always battled. He battled just to get on the team at MSU, he battled to become one of the best MSU running backs in school history, and he's battled, with heart and character through two consecutive losing seasons.
In other words, Chad Newell never quits. And that's why he's one of the most revered Bobcats in school history. And that legacy will live on, long after this Saturday's Cat-Griz game is in the books.
"That's what we do, we fight," Newell said. "If you look at the Montana State football program, you're going to be in for a fight."
Now, like he has done so many times, Newell is ready to lead one last fight in his incredible Bobcat career.
"We're going to go up there and the crowd is going to be huge," Newell said of Saturday's Cat-Griz game, his last. "A hostile environment. We're going to be amped up to go, they're going to amped up to go."
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