Eli Gillman looks to cement his legacy as an all-time Montana great as he enters his senior season.
The 6-foot and 213-pound Minnesota native is staring down school records. He has 3,677 career rushing yards and 49 touchdowns. Gillman trails Lex Hilliard (4,018), Chase Reynolds (4,067), and Yohance Humphery (4,070) in yards. And he trails Hilliard (50) and Reynolds (52) in touchdowns.
In the transfer portal/NIL era, program records and being a future Hall of Famer may not be as coveted for some players as NIL money. But legacies may be worth more in the long run.
And going down as an all-time great in a historic program like Montana’s is priceless.
Gillman is a multi-time FCS All-American and All-Big Sky performer.
After getting a taste of college ball in 2022, playing in two games and totaling 65 rushing yards and a score, Gillman splashed onto the FCS scene in 2023. He rushed 194 times for 968 yards and 12 touchdowns (5.0 yards per carry). Gillman was named on the All-Big Sky Second Team, earned Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors, and won the Jerry Rice Award as the best FCS freshman.
In 2024, he rushed 167 times for 1,104 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 6.6 YPC. He earned another spot on the All-Big Sky Second Team.
Gillman was at the top of his game last season.
He went for 1,540 yards and 21 TDs on 250 attempts (6.2 YPC). Gillman finished No. 5 in FCS rushing yards, No. 3 in rushing touchdowns, and No. 9 in rushing yards per game (102.7). His 90.3 PFF rushing grade ranked No. 6 among FCS running backs.
Gillman earned a spot on the All-Big Sky First Team, was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year, and received multiple All-American accolades.
Gillman is also utilized in the passing game, totaling 71 career catches for 561 yards and four touchdowns, including 33 receptions for 240 yards in 2025.
Montana looks to have an elite offense in 2026 after averaging 41.0 points per game (No. 4 in the FCS). Gillman will play a major role in that success as he etches his name in the record books.
