Back in 1964 Glen Kozleuh first took a shot at running the clock for the Montana Grizzly football team. He announced after the Weber State game on November 16, that 2013 would be his final season.

Working off and on, Kozleuh kept time for the games, before he became the sole clock operator in 1977.

"Well, I started in 1964 doing some subbing, then I started full-time in 1977 so, it's been a lot of years," Kozleuh said.

His favorite memories date back to the mid 1990s, when the Grizzlies went on their first national championship run.

"Well, mostly being able to see the Dave Dickenson years, and some of the great teams the Grizzlies have had and watching them progress through the playoffs," Kozleuh said. "There have been a lot of good memories."

As much as he's loved having a birds-eye view of the home football games, Kozleuh said it's the people, his close friends in the press box that he'll miss the most.

"What I'll miss most is the fellowship here in the press box with all the people who work up here," Kozleuh said. "I'll especially miss Pat Ryan and Ron Nicholas. Pat was a student teacher for me at Roosevelt School many years ago, so it's been really great to work with him in this capacity."

Grizzly football is rightly called "The Greatest Show in Montana" because it combines the best of show business with music, computer graphics on the giant screen dubbed Griz Vision, and literally minute-by-minute timing before, during and after the game. It takes a lot of cogs in a very big machine to make the experience one that fans have come to expect year after year. Many of those who make the program work are volunteers, like Kozleuh.

Year after year, win or lose, visiting coaches, players and fans leave the stadium filled with praise for the stadium, the fans and the entire game-day experience. Many have commented about how loud the stadium can get, especially when their team is on offense. Officially, during the 2009 playoff game with Appalachian State, ESPN measured the noise at about 108 decibels. Montana remains the benchmark for FCS football programs nationwide because of its dedication to excellence in game-day presentation.

The press box is the headquarters for game operations, or 'game-ops' as they are called. Brynn Molloy is in charge of putting the program together for each home game, with a jealously guarded minute-by-minute game protocol that she follows with laser-like precision, with Brent Reser handling the sound and music and Pat Ryan and Ron Nicholas keeping the scoreboard up to date.

There are others throughout the stadium with video cameras that handle the images for Griz Vision from a control studio inside the Adams Center. Inside the press box itself, several student volunteers are kept busy with duties on the many computers in the room.

Glen Kozleuh will be deeply missed in the press box next season, but he says he'll still be watching and cheering for the Griz.

Grizzly Football Clock Operator Glen Kozleuh

 

 

More From 96.9 Zoo FM