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Matt Clark

 The 1530-yard record still stands to this day

Matt Clark grew up in the Rattlesnake area of Missoula, Montana.  Son of Frank and Lana Clark and brother to Chris and Leah, he spent most of his time outside and being active.  Much of the activity was spent with his big brother Chris.  It was the intense competitions between the two of them that Matt gives credit for his athletic accomplishments. 

Class of 1986 - Hellgate High School

Matt Clark attended Hellgate High School and was a 3-sport athlete participating in football, basketball, and track.  Matt’s first year playing football was as a Junior at Hellgate.  His older brother, Chris, told people that his little brother was scared of contact which inspired Matt to go out for the football team to prove him wrong.  Matt was a 2-year starter, and as a senior was utilized as a running back, receiver, defensive back, and a punt and kick returner.  Matt started his senior football season as a receiver but was moved to running back halfway through the season and responded by rushing for over 500 yards.  He was All-State Kick Returner and was selected as a team captain.  Matt started on the 1985 State AA Championship Basketball Team.  The first basketball state championship in school history.  In 1986, Matt’s senior year, he was selected as MVP of the basketball team and received 1st team All Western Conference and 1st team All-State recognition.  He was also a team captain.  Matt was inducted into the Hellgate Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

1986-1990 - University of Montana Football

Matt was a 4-year starter for the University of Montana Football Team.  His first-year playing was the beginning of the Don Read Era and Washington Grizzly Stadium.  As a Freshman, Matt was named UM’s most valuable freshman.  As a junior Matt was the 5th leading receiver in the Big Sky Conference and ranked 17th in the nation, averaging 5.5 catches per game.  He finished his career 3rd on the All Time Receiving List (at the time of his graduation) with 133 receptions for 1639 yards and 10 TD’s.  In 1990 Matt received the Pat Norwood Award as the team’s Most Inspirational Player.  Matt was chosen Team Co-Captain for his senior season and played with Montana Football HOF members Tim Hauck, Kirk Scrafford and Coach Bob Beers.

1991 – 1996, 1998  - Canadian Football League – British Columbia Lions

Matt played 7 seasons in the CFL, mainly with the BC Lions and 1 game with the Edmonton Eskimos.  In 1991 he was a member of the most prolific passing offenses in CFL history with Doug Flutie at the helm, setting the single season league record of 6619 yards.  That year Matt set league records for a first-year player making 79 receptions for 1530 yards and 10 TD’s. During this record-breaking season, Matt was selected to the Western Division and CFL All Star Teams. The 1530-yard record still stands to this day some 30+ years later.  In Matt’s 4th season with the Lions, Matt was a starter on the 1994 Grey Cup winning BC Lions Team (the Canadian equivalent to the Super Bowl).  The 94 Grey Cup Champs were later inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame and into the BC Lions Wall of Fame.  Matt finished his CFL career with 338 receptions for 5099 yards and 25 TD’s, playing in a total of 101 games.  Matt’s Head Coach in BC was Montana Football HOF member Bob O’Billovich.

Professional Life – Educator/Coach 

Most recently Matt has been Teaching and Coaching at Bozeman High School and currently at Gallatin High School in Bozeman, Montana.  He has been a part of 8 State Championship Teams while in Bozeman, winning 7 Golf State Championships and a Football State Championship (Coaching with Montana Football HOF member Shane Collins).  Matt has been recognized as the Montana State AA Golf Coach of the Year 7 times, the United States Northwest Section Golf Coach of the year, and the State of Montana Coach of the Year.  In his free time Matt tries to grow the game of golf.   Matt spends his summers as the Executive Director of the First Security Bank Junior Golf Tour which hosts several golf tournaments around the Gallatin Valley for golfers aged 7-17 years old.  

Matt is married to Jill Clark and they have 2 amazing children, Jordan (13) and Alex (9)!

“I can’t tell you how honored I am to be chosen as a member of the Montana Football HOF.  As a resident of this great state, it gives me great pride.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.” ~ Matt Clark