Griz National Champs to Reunite, Establish Fundraiser

The dark cloud that drastically changed so much of our everyday lives fell close to the beginning of the 2001 college football season .

The Montana Grizzly football team had just returned from their game at Hawaii on September 8. That was followed by the nightmare of terrorist attacks on Tuesday, September 11.

Football games seemed pretty insignificant and were part of thousands of events cancelled for the coming weekend. As America started to get back on its feet and return to "normal," the season went on. The game Montana was supposed to play on September 15 got rescheduled and the respectable loss at Hawaii was the only game the 2001 Griz football team would lose that year, on their way to their second Division 1-AA national title.

That brings us to the upcoming season 20 years later and what members of that fabulous team who gave so much pride and excitement to us want to do to give back. Our thanks to UM Sports Information Director Eric Taber for sharing the news.

Led by an unrelenting defense and a multi-faceted offensive attack, the Grizzlies came home from Chattanooga with a 13-6 win over Furman to claim the school's second national championship, becoming Montana legends in the process. Now, to celebrate their 20th anniversary, the 2001 National Champion Grizzlies are once again coming together to celebrate that legacy and to put in another total team effort that will impact the lives and careers of future Grizzlies for generations to come.

Along with their head coach Joe Glenn, the 2001 Griz are set to make their triumphant return to Missoula for a team reunion on Oct. 15 and an on-field celebration the following day when Montana hosts Sacramento State in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Not only that, the 2001 Grizzlies are seeking to cement their UM legacy forever with a fundraising effort underway to raise enough to benefit the program for years to come.

With the money they raise the team will endow a scholarship in memory of three players from that squad who have sadly passed away: Tim Bush, Curt Colter, and Herb Fernandez. They will also support the ongoing facility improvements for Grizzly Athletics and the football program.

To aid in this effort, the Grizzly Scholarship Association has set up a website where members of the team, friends and family, or even fans who want to help out can make their gifts.

If you know players or coaches on the team that have not been contacted, please reach out to Jared Amoss at jared.amoss@mso.umt.edu or 406-243-5405 for more information about the event. Players can also contact Orizotti at dorizotti@dynavax.com or 406-647-1813.