Chronicle Article 11/30 -- Claggett

[urcrackinmeup]

Mister Intensity

Claggett’s return gives ’Cats an emotional lift

By TIM DUMAS Chronicle Sports Writer

Will Claggett returns just in time. Not only because Montana State might be down a linebacker this week. And not only because the Bobcats play their most important game in 22 years this weekend. Claggett’s earlier-than-expected reappearance in MSU’s lineup gives the team its emotional leader back. The one his teammates recently voted “Most Inspirational.” Claggett was originally expected to be out until mid-December with a knee injury suffered earlier this month. But the junior from Marysville, Calif., will start at outside linebacker when MSU plays a quarterfinal playoff game at Appalachian State Saturday. “It’s like getting a captain back,” Montana State head coach Mike Kramer said. In a season where leaders have been tough to find — and the few who are come with the “quiet” connotation — Claggett has filled the role passionately. Despite arriving in Bozeman less than a year ago and regardless of a battle with pneumonia last winter that cut into his production during spring drills.
Whether wearing a helmet and pads or the jeans and winter hat he became accustomed to the past three weeks, Claggett has
the been the defense’s champion of positive and vociferous support ever since.
“The guys enjoy having him out there with the things that he brings from an emotional standpoint,” defensive coordinator Rob Christoff said. “A lot of guys feed off that emotion and his personality in general.”
The prospect of having football taken away fuels Claggett on a daily basis.
A league MVP in high school, Claggett arrived at the University of California-Davis as an out-of-position tight end. He longed for a switch to defense, but it never happened, and down the ladder he went.
Claggett transferred to Butte (Calif.) Junior College, worked two jobs and eventually earned himself a scholarship at Montana State.
Now you see where his enthusiasm comes from.
“The thing about me, when I was leaving Davis, I believed I was done and was never going to play football again,” Claggett said Tuesday. “When I got the opportunity to come here, I love it every day.
“Every day that I get to suit up and wear the pads, it’s a great day.”
Claggett was one of MSU’s leading tacklers when he was cut blocked on the first series of the Northern Colorado game Nov. 4. It was a legal block — “I was actually in the wrong gap. The injury was totally my fault,” he admitted — and the result was expected to sideline him for six weeks.
But with fellow starting linebacker Epikopo King expected to see limited duty against Appalachian State, Claggett is back to help a defense that is playing at its highest level.
“When it happened,” Claggett said of the injury, “the doctor told me that I was out, no doubt, unless we made it to the national championship game (Dec. 16). I knew I would be back earlier, but you never know for sure.”
During the three weeks of his own limited duty — which included wearing a straight-leg brace and later workouts on a stationary bike — Claggett straddled the fence.
Pump his fist or retreat into the background.
He had never been injured before, and with MSU on a bye week, Claggett tried a little of each.
“All I could do was just talk and try to get them going,” he said. “At practice sometimes you can get a little quiet. But when you’re not playing, you don’t want to step on the guys who are playing, too, so I tried to keep my distance.
“But if they needed a getme-up, I was there to a little cheerleader for them.”
After missing two of the most anticipated games of the season, Claggett will bring that support back to the field on Saturday.
“I just got to witness exactly how hard our defense plays,” he said. “We played our guts out against Montana and Furman and it just made me realize, ‘hey, when I get out there, I need to play as hard as I can to not let down these guys.’”

[catzz]

Man will it be good to have him back!! I'm glad he worked is butt off to get back a couple weeks early! Turned out to be damn good timing for us!..

[94VegasCat]

I met him after the Triangle Classic and was blown away by his personality. What a great kid! I think that getting him in here was an awesome deal by our defensive coaching staff and I am way too fired up for this weekend.

[ftg3485]

Article was great, I looked down on the field several times last weekend to see Will jumping up and down and he was ALWAYS the first one out there to slap hands with the defense, He didn't get much PT at the beginning of the year I am very excited to see what he can do for a full season. Having him back only makes the D that much stronger (kind of a scary thought.....if you are Appy State)