Dickenson named to college football shrine
Former CFL quarterback still holds University of Montana passing records
Dave Dickenson wasn’t just one of the Canadian Football League’s best ever quarterbacks. The current Calgary Stampeders head coach was also one of the top pivots on the NCAA gridiron. And Monday, the all-time leading passer for the University of Montana Grizzlies learned he’ll be honoured as such.
Dickenson enters the U.S. College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2018.
“I’m very honoured and excited to be included in the Hall of Fame,” said Dickenson, a native of Great Falls, Mont. “We did some special things at Montana. To be able to represent our program, Don Read and the coaches, our school and our city, means a lot to me. More than anything, though, it means a lot to be able to represent my home state of Montana.”
The Charles M. Russell high school star went on to become a standout during his four seasons (1992-95) at the University of Montana and remains the school’s team leader in yards passing and wins as a starter.
In 1995, Dickenson won the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivison as he led Montana to an FCS national championship. Including playoffs, Dickenson threw for 5,676 yards and 51 touchdowns that season.
During his collegiate career, Dickenson was a first team all-Big Sky selection, a Big Sky offensive MVP and an Academic all-American on three occasions. He was a three-time team MVP, and his 11,080 career passing yards and 33 wins as a starter are both program bests at Montana.
He was inducted into the University of Montana’s Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame in 2002, and his No. 15 jersey is one of only two to be retired at the school.
Dickenson went on to a distinguished CFL career that has included 14 years with the Stampeders as a player and coach. He was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2000, is a four-time Grey Cup winner, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
“On behalf of the entire Stampeders organization, I congratulate Dave for this well-deserved (collegiate) honour,” said Stampeders president and general manager John Hufnagel. “I’m well aware of all of his remarkable accomplishments at Montana, and of course, we all know how he carried that excellence into his excellent CFL career.”
Dickenson will be officially inducted into the college shrine nine other players and three coaches on Dec. 4 in New York.
The class includes defensive back Charles Woodson of the Michigan Wolverines, safety Ed Reed of the Miami Hurricanes, receiver Calvin Johnson of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, running back Trevor Cobb of the Rice Owls, QB Kerry Collins of the Penn State Nittany Lions, linebacker Dana Howard of the Illinois Fighting Illini, running back Paul Palmer of the Temple Owls, offensive linemen Matt Stinchcomb of the Georgia Bulldogs and Aaron Taylor of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Honoured coaches include Mack Brown, a national champion with the Texas Longhorns, Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech and Matt Tjeerdsma, who coached the Austin College Roos and the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. STAMPS SIGNINGS: The Stampeders have signed international receiver Reggie Begelton, national offensive linemen Dillon Guy and international defensive lineman Mike Rose. All three were with the Stampeders in 2017 and finished the season on the practice roster. Begelton played nine games for the Stamps, recording 22 catches for 304 yards and one touchdown, as well as two special teams tackles. The NCAA Lamar Cardinals product had NFL tryouts with the Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders before signing with Calgary. Guy was acquired in an Aug. 31 trade with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and spent the remainder of the season on the practice roster. The NCAA Buffalo Bulls alumnus was a fourth-round draft pick of the B.C. Lions in 2016. Rose played one game for the Stamps in 2017 and registered two defensive tackles. He attended training camp with the NFL’s New York Giants in 2016 after four seasons with the NCAA’s North Carolina State Wolfpack.