The end of 2024 has been an exciting time in the Mining City. A lot of that excitement is because Butte High graduate Tommy Mellott and the Montana State Bobcats will play in the FCS national championship football game on Monday.

Seeing the success of “Touchdown Tommy,” got some of us thinking about some of the greatest athletes in Butte history.

Butte has turned out so many great athletes that it is nearly impossible to keep track of all of them. One of the best — and one who has been unfairly overlooked — is Cody Carriger.

The 2012 Butte High graduate was a four-year varsity player in football, basketball and track. He left the Bulldogs with 10 or 11 letters — he can’t remember for sure — and the prestigious Harry “Swede” Dahlbert Award for the outstanding male athlete.

In the summer before his senior season, Cody committed to playing football for Coach Chip Kelly and the Oregon Ducks. He earned three letters in his five years with the Oregon program.

While injuries and coaching changes limited his success with the Ducks, Cody had a solid career playing for the Pac-12 school. He was a part of a team that advanced to the national championship game in January of 2015. He has a Rose Bowl ring because the Ducks beat Florida State in the semifinals in Pasadena on Jan. 1 of 2015.

Now 31, Cody is married and working as a police officer in Billings. He still looks like he could play football because he still works out five days a week.

He says he is undefeated in chasing down criminals who try to outrun the law on foot.

Listen in to this podcast as Cody talks about the influence his brother, sister and parents had on his life. Listen as he talks about some of the great coaches he played for at Butte High. That includes Arie Grey, John Thatcher, Jim Konen and Charlie Merrifield.

Listen as he talks about the recruiting process that led to him signing with Oregon. Listen as he talks about the career with the Ducks and the lifelong friendships that followed. This is one you do not want to miss. Carriger is pictured above in a University of Oregon photo.

Today’s podcast is presented by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.