Tucker Yates
Tucker Yates
- Born: 1996, Billings, Montana, United States
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: High school teacher, football coach
- Known For
- Key player for Montana State University football team
- Notable play in the Montana Montana State rivalry
- High school coaching career
- Wrestling champion and football standout in Montana
Early life and education
Tucker Yates grew up in Chinook and later Colstrip, Montana. He demonstrated exceptional toughness and athletic ability from a young age, excelling in wrestling, football, and track. As a high school athlete, he was a three-time Montana state champion in heavyweight wrestling, winning titles in 2011, 2012, and 2013 despite suffering a torn pectoral muscle during his senior year. He also earned two state titles in shot put and was a three-time all-state football player.
Yates was the son of Stacy Yates, who served as a high school football coach in Montana. His family emphasized strength, toughness, and discipline, which shaped his athletic development. He credits his background in wrestling and strength training as foundational to his success in football.
College career
Yates enrolled at Montana State University, where he played as a defensive lineman. Standing approximately 6 feet tall and weighing around 300 pounds, he established himself as a dominant force on the line.
-2014: Redshirted; earned Montana State’s Defensive Scout of the Week honors three times.
-2015: Played in eight games, starting five, recording 22 tackles and a fumble recovery. -
-2016: Appeared in nine games, starting six, before injury limited his play. -
-2017: Started all 11 games; shared Montana State’s Joe Tiller Defensive MVP award; recorded a career-high 11 tackles against Northern Arizona.
-2018: As a senior, became one of the top interior defensive linemen in the Big Sky Conference, earning honorable mention all-conference honors and continuing his dominance on the line.
Yates is best known for his role in the 2018 rivalry game against Montana, where he and Grant Collins caused a fumble on the goal line, recovered by Derek Marks, sealing a victory for Montana State. He finished his college career with 125 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks.
Notable achievements
Yates has been recognized for his physicality and leadership both on and off the field. He is known for his toughness, exemplified by pinning his way to his third straight heavyweight wrestling state title with a torn pectoral muscle.
The Montana-Montana State rivalry has produced many memorable moments over the past decade. Notably:
-November 17, 2018 ("The Miracle in Missoula"): Montana State overcame a 22-0 deficit to take the lead with two minutes remaining. The Grizzlies fumbled at the one-yard line with 14 seconds left, and Yates forced the fumble, recovered by Derek Marks, sealing the victory for Montana State.[1]
Post-college career
Following his graduation, Yates briefly coached alongside his father at Colstrip High School. He then moved to Gallatin High School in Bozeman, Montana, where he serves as a health and physical education teacher and is the defensive coordinator. Under his leadership, Gallatin's defense ranked among the best in the state during the 2024 season.
Yates has participated in the Montana East-West Shrine Game as a player and returned as a coach in 2025. He has trained for professional football opportunities and continues to pursue a career in coaching and teaching.
Personal Life
Yates is married to Court Yates.[^5] Known for his physical toughness and leadership, he has become a prominent figure in Montana football circles. His work ethic and competitive spirit continue to define his athletic and coaching pursuits.
References
[^1]: [Montana State University roster page](https://msubobcats.com/sports/football/roster/tucker-yates/4043) [^2]: [Montana Sports article](https://www.montanasports.com/category/high-school/football/shrine-game-gave-gallatin-high-assistant-former-bobcat-tucker-yates-a-new-view-of-coaching) [^3]: [SWX Local Sports article](https://www.swxlocalsports.com/montana/montana-grizzlies/top-moments-in-brawl-of-the-wild-rivalry-over-the-past-decade/article_9d9692ee-f87d-4569-95f2-b017647aaef7.html) [^4]: [Gallatin Raptors coaching staff](https://gallatinraptorfootball.com/coaching-staff/) [^5]: [Zola wedding page](https://www.zola.com/wedding/courtandtuck) [^6]: [Billings Gazette article on Yates' early college career](https://billingsgazette.com/sports/college/big-sky-conference/montana-state-university/football/enormous-freshman-tucker-yates-finding-his-way-in-bobcats-defense/article_34f66ab1-7a1a-5463-ba70-992de7884ca3.html) [^7]: [MontanaSports.com article on 2019 Little Sullivan finalists](https://www.montanasports.com/cat-griz/montana-state-bobcats/2019/04/20/meet-the-2019-little-sullivan-award-finalists-tucker-yates/) [^8]: [Skyline Sports article on Yates’ leadership](https://skylinesportsmt.com/colossal-captain-strength-drive-helps-yates-become-bobcat-leader/)
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- ↑ Coordinator, Vince Bagby SWX Local Sports Content (2025-11-21). "Top moments in Brawl of the Wild rivalry over the past decade". Nonstop Local SWX Sports. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
