BILLINGS — Last year, Justin Lamson was in the unenviable position of being the successor to one of the best and most decorated players in Montana State football history — Walter Payton Award winner Tommy Mellott.
You know the story. All Lamson did was complete a Big Sky Conference-record 71.6% of his passes with 3,172 yards and 26 touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 222-pounder was also a fearless runner, gaining 734 yards with 16 more TDs on the ground.
In MSU's national championship win over Illinois State in Nashville, Tenn., Lamson threw for 280 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns, helping the Cats capture their first title in 41 years.
HEAR FROM MONTANA STATE QUARTERBACK JUSTIN LAMSON:
And he did it all while not putting MSU's defense in vulnerable spots. Lamson threw just three interceptions all year on 356 pass attempts, and none — zip, zero — in Big Sky games.
It was an unbelievable season for a journeyman quarterback with obvious talent who came in without a significant on-field résumé. Lamson had made just four starts in his previous two seasons at FBS Stanford, though he definitely showed flashes.
Last year was his breakout. And sixth-year Bobcats coach Brent Vigen suggested Lamson's season was a jumping off point.
"We feel — and Justin would be the first one to say it — that he's got another level," Vigen said during the Big Sky Kickoff in Spokane, Wash. "What he was down the stretch (last year) versus where he was at the beginning I think was what we needed, for sure. I think what our program expects and what he expects out of himself is (getting to) another level.
"It doesn't mean he's got to necessarily do more. He's just probably got to do it at a little higher clip. I think he really did a good job coming in last year and not assuming anything and just putting his head down and working and establishing a respect level from that.
"There's a lot of areas I know he can improve upon. I think he knows that. Now, we're not talking giant leaps, but you put together a season like he had last year and you can improve upon that. I think that's what we're after."
Related: Filling enormous shoes, QB Justin Lamson the cool hand Montana State needed
Lamson seemed to diversify the offense with a legitimate down-field passing game, but his greatest impact on the Bobcats last season can be traced to two critical plays.
One was his 87-yard touchdown connection with wideout Taco Dowler on a third-and-20 play that went a long way toward a 48-23 win over archrival Montana in the FCS semifinals. The other was his 14-yard TD throw to Dowler on fourth and 10 in overtime of the national title game that led to a 35-34 victory over Illinois State.
His season stats alone in 2025 were enough to prove his worth. But those two plays cemented Lamson's reputation as a poised, capable performer in the most clutch moments.
As the saying goes, big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.
"He figured out a way to step into a role that was really hard, and a lot of people would not be able to do that," Dowler said. "Throughout the year, he just got better and better. And by the end he was the polished quarterback that all you guys watched.
"He is a great leader and puts the ball where it needs to be, and is very competitive and doesn't let people slack. Confident. He's the quarterback that you all see now, and it just speaks to his character and how he goes about each day."
When Lamson arrived in Bozeman, Dowler made a point to pull him into the fabric of Montana State football. Dowler said people would walk up to Lamson and remind him of the big shoes he was brought in to fill.
Dowler said he eventually told him to flip the narrative and respond with, “Good thing I’ve got big feet.”
Lamson was thrown into the mix just weeks before the season opener at Oregon. The first week was a struggle, Dowler admitted, but Lamson kept grinding. And the trust and belief from his teammates followed.
Vigen said Lamson's ambition and drive are what set him apart.
"I think it's his competitive nature and how that spills over into our team, and it was evident against Oregon last year in his first start," Vigen said. "That game certainly didn't go how we had hoped, but one of the more important drives of our season was that last drive, where you could tell he was still in the fight, and I think our guys felt that."
Vigen described Lamson as "an intense competitor, very driven to become his very best. And so there's a chip on his shoulder that is still there. I think this opportunity for him to play and shine came relatively late in his college career.
"So he's not taking anything for granted, and I think you know how intensely focused he is. Then that leads to the low turnovers and all the things that he does to master our offense. He's what you want between the ears, for sure."
Lamson isn't just the clutch performer the Bobcats needed last fall. Now he's ready to jump to another level. And that's a scary prospect for the Big Sky Conference to consider.
