BILLINGS — Billings Central’s Vinnie Souza will be living out a lifelong dream by joining the Montana State Bobcats football team in the fall of 2025.
Souza, set to be a senior for the Rams this upcoming fall, made the commitment to play for MSU on Thursday. He has secured an athletic scholarship and is anticipated to play linebacker for the Cats.
“Playing at that level has always been my dream since I started playing football, so this is a significant moment for me,” Souza shared with The Billings Gazette and 406 MT Sports on Thursday night.
Billings Central’s Vinnie Souza (4) makes his way onto the field during introductions for a Class A football game against Lockwood at Lockwood High School on Oct. 13, 2023. Souza committed to the Montana State Bobcats football team on Thursday.
Souza was an all-state football player and was an Eastern A first-team all-conference cornerback as a junior for the Rams last season. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder also played tight end for the Rams.
Souza made his commitment announcement to the Bobcats through the social media site X on Thursday.
Souza posted on X: “After an amazing official visit, I am excited to announce I will be continuing my football and academic career at Montana State University. I’d like to thank Coach (Brent) Vigen, Coach (Bobby) Daly, and the Bobcat coaching staff for providing me with this opportunity. To my family, friends and all of my coaches, I couldn’t have made it here without you. Go Cats!”
The Montana Grizzlies and Carroll College Saints also made offers to Souza, he said, but in the end MSU won out.
“I’ve been to their campus three times now and it all looks really awesome and the facilities look awesome,” he said. “It looks like a great atmosphere to learn and grow and I’m just excited to be there.”
Billings Central football coach Jim Stanton said he was thrilled that Souza would be playing for the Bobcats. Stanton called Souza “an outstanding kid and a great student.”
“The kid has came a long ways over the last couple of years and battled through some injuries early on when he was younger and had a remarkable season last year,” said Stanton. “Size-wise he just really matured.”
“He didn’t even letter as a sophomore because he was injured and he made first-team all-state as a junior. That’s got to be a first,” Stanton added, noting Souza battled “all sorts of injuries” while he developed as a sophomore.
Souza, who also participates in basketball and track at Central, said he persevered to overcome a knee injury.
“At the end of my freshman year in track I had an injury in my knee, so that carried on to sophomore year in football so I couldn’t play then,” he said. “I was able to play basketball that year and had a good season. And then I just kind of did some training and rehabilitation and got my leg stronger and back to 100% and that really helped me have a great junior year for football.”
Souza carries a weighted 4.06 overall grade-point average. He said he will study engineering at MSU.
“I’ve been interested in it (engineering) for a while and I think it is just what I want to do,” Souza said.
In basketball, Souza was a second-team all-conference pick last season.
Stanton said Souza has always been a team player for the Rams.
“He’s just very coachable and very team-oriented,” Stanton said. “He definitely wants to contribute any way he can.”
Last year, the Rams football team made the Class A quarterfinal round and finished with a record of 9-1. This coming fall, Souza expects the Rams to once again have a good team. With his commitment to MSU now in place, Souza can concentrate on school and the fall football season.
“I definitely wanted to make up my mind early so I could focus on my senior season and just helping out Central and just being with my friends and playing football,” he said.
“We look to have a good team and culture. I think we have six seniors this year and we are really committed to what we are doing here. We have a great underclass, so I’m really excited about this year.”
Earlier this week, the the first two known Bobcats commitments for the Class of 2025 were reported with Graysen Schneider, a defensive lineman from Minnesota, and Carter Cocke, a tight end from Washington state, committing to MSU.
Last season, No. 6 seed Montana State lost in overtime to North Dakota State, 35-34, in the second round of the FCS playoffs at Bobcat Stadium to finish 8-4.
Souza is ready to join the Bobcats, who have become a FCS power in recent years.
“For sure. It is a winning culture over there with a great coaching staff,” he said. “I’m definitely excited.”
