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OGDEN, UTAH (Nov. 22, 2011) - Co-Big Sky Conference champions Montana and Montana State both placed six player on the First Team of the 2011 All-Conference Team, which was released Tuesday. Both squads also claimed individual awards.
The All-Conference Team and individual award winners were selected by the nine Big Sky Conference coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players.
Montana senior linebacker Caleb McSurdy was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year, while Montana State junior running back Tray Robinson garnered the Newcomer of the Year.
Eastern Washington quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, a leading candidate for the Walter Payton Award, was named the Offensive Player of the Year after becoming just the fourth player in league history to throw for 4,000 yards in 11 games.
Mitchell, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior from Katy, Texas, enjoyed one of the most prolific seasons in Big Sky history. Mitchell completed 318 of 503 passes (63.2 percent) for 4,009 yards with 33 touchdowns. Mitchell leads the nation in touchdown passes, total passing yards, passing yards per game, and total offense. He guided Eastern Washington to a 5-3 conference record and a 6-5 overall mark despite the team suffering a myriad of key injuries early in the season.
Mitchell helped Eastern Washington to the 2010 Division I National Championship, and finished his career with 19 victories in 26 starts. Mitchell’s 4,009 passing yards rank fifth all-time in Big Sky history. The three other quarterbacks who threw for 4,000 yards in just 11 games – Montana’s Dave Dickenson, Idaho’s John Friesz, and Weber State’s Jamie Martin – all won the Walter Payton Award.
McSurdy, a 6-foot-1, 242-pounder from Boise, Idaho, is fourth in the league with 113 total tackles. He also has 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. Montana’s defense finished the regular season tied for first in the league overall, allowing 321.5 yards per game. UM allowed a league-low 20.4 points and 123 rushing yards per game during the regular season. In conference play, UM surrendered 19 points and 318.1 yards per game.
Robinson, a 6-1, 221-pound junior from Euless, Texas, rushed for 572 yards and five touchdowns in his first season with the Bobcats after transferring from Nebraska. Robinson also had 15 catches for 155 yards, and was a standout on special teams, recording five tackles.
Montana and Montana State will both compete in the Division I Championship next weekend. Montana is the No. 4 seed in the 20-team tournament. The Grizzlies will play the winner of the first-round game between Central Arkansas/Tennessee Tech. Montana State will be at home against New Hampshire.
McSurdy led the six pack of Grizzlies on the First Team. Senior cornerback Trumaine Johnson, a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, was named to the First Team for the third straight season. Offensive tackle Jon Opperud, tight end Greg Hardy, return specialist Jabin Sambrano, and defensive tackle Bryan Waldhauser rounded out the First-Team Grizzlies.
Johnson, who recorded 40 tackles and 10 pass breakups, is considered one of the best cover-corners in the nation, was one of six unanimous selections. McSurdy, Eastern Washington wide receiver Nicholas Edwards, Northern Arizona’s Zach Bauman, Montana State defensive tackle Zach Minter and Bobcat outside linebacker Jody Owens were the others.
Minter, a 6-1, 285-pound junior from Glendale, Ariz., enters the playoffs with 44 tackles – 10.5 for loss – seven sacks and seven quarterback hurries. Owens, a 6-1, 221-pound junior from Mesquite, Texas, enters the playoffs with 87 tackles – 11.5 for loss – five sacks, and an interception.
Senior wide receiver Elvis Akpla, senior offensive tackle Conrad Burbank, senior offensive tackle Alex Terrien, and sophomore running back Cody Kirk were the other Bobcats selected to the First Team. Kirk, a sophomore from Frenchtown, Mont., rushed for a 1,233 yards and 14 touchdowns. Akpla caught 49 passes for 941 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Edwards, a 6-3, 200-pound junior from Tacoma, Wash., put up huge numbers for Eastern Washington. He caught a school-record 95 passes for 1,250 yards with 19 touchdowns. The 19 touchdowns finished one shy of the Big Sky single-season record. He ranks third in the nation in scoring and fourth in receptions per game, receiving yards per game, and total receiving yards.
Edwards was one of five Eagles selected to the First Team. Senior center Chris Powers and senior safety Matt Johnson were selected for the second straight year. Mitchell and cornerback T.J. Lee were also named to the top squad.
Bauman, a 5-10, 200-pound sophomore from Chandler, Ariz., won the Big Sky rushing title with 1,435 yards. He scored 15 rushing touchdowns, and ranks eighth in the nation in all-purpose yards with an average of 162.5 yards per game. Lumberjack teammate Isaac Bond joined Bauman on the first team. Bond, a senior defensive end, is a repeat pick.
There were a total of eight players selected to the team for a second straight season. Weber State offensive guard J.C. Oram, Portland State running back Cory McCaffrey, Weber State linebacker Nick Webb, Sacramento State defensive end Zack Nash, Idaho State punter David Harrington, and Johnson and Powers of Eastern Washington were the repeat picks.
Idaho State linebacker A.J. Storms joined Trumaine Johnson as three-time selections. Storms, a 6-foot, 230-pound senior from Meridian, Idaho, tallied 122 tackles this season and finished his career with 434 total tackles, which ranks second all-time in league history.
Idaho State junior wide receiver Rodrick Rumble also garnered First-Team honors, after catching a Big Sky single-season record 112 passes for 1,348 yards with nine touchdowns.
Portland State, which finished a surprising 7-4 overall, placed four players on the first team. Senior safety DeShawn Shead, who moved from cornerback, was named to the top squad, along with junior kicker Zach Brown and McCaffrey, who missed the final six games with an injury. In five games, however, McCaffrey rushed for 731 yards and 13 touchdowns. Brown leads the nation in field goals with an average of 2.18 per game. He made 24 of 27 field goals, with a long of 53. Nevin Lewis was named to the No. 1 team as a special teams player. Lewis blocked three kicks this season, and was a mainstay on the Vikings’ special teams units.
Weber State freshman fullback Tevia Tolutau rounds out the First Team. He was the only freshman named to the First or Second Team.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Position Name Year School
Wide Receivers *Nicholas Edwards Jr. Eastern Washington
Elvis Akpla Sr. Montana State
Rodrick Rumble Jr. Idaho State
Tackles Jon Opperud Sr. Montana
Conrad Burbank Sr. Montana State
Guards Alex Terrien Sr. Montana State
#J.C. Oram Sr. Weber State
Center Chris Powers Sr. Eastern Washington
Tight End Greg Hardy Jr. Montana
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell Sr. Eastern Washington
Running Backs *Zach Bauman So. Northern Arizona
Cody Kirk So. Montana State
#Cory McCaffrey Sr. Portland State
Fullback Tevia Tolutau Fr. Weber State
Placekicker Zach Brown Jr. Portland State
Return Specialist Jabin Sambrano Sr. Montana
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Position Name Year School
Tackles *Zach Minter Jr. Montana State
Bryan Waldhauser Sr. Montana
Ends #Isaac Bond Sr. Northern Arizona
#Zack Nash Sr. Sacramento State
Outside LBs *Jody Owens Jr. Montana State
#Nick Webb Sr. Weber State
Inside LBs $A.J. Storms Sr. Idaho State
Caleb McSurdy Sr. Montana
Cornerbacks $*Trumaine Johnson Sr. Montana
T.J. Lee So. Eastern Washington
Safeties #Matt Johnson Sr. Eastern Washington
DeShawn Shead Sr. Portland State
Punter #David Harrington Sr. Idaho State
Special Teams Nevin Lewis Jr. Portland State
*Unanimous Selection
#Two-Time First Team
$Three-Time First Team
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Position Name Year School
Wide Receivers Greg Herd Jr. Eastern Washington
Jabin Sambrano Sr. Montana
Patrick Walker Sr. Northern Colorado
Tackles Dustin Waldron Sr. Portland State
Nate Doverspike Sr. Sacramento State
Guards Danny Kistler So. Montana
Tytan Timoteo Jr. Weber State
Center Alex Mott Sr. Northern Arizona
Tight End Steven Foster Jr. Montana State
Quarterback DeNarius McGhee So. Montana State
Running Backs Tray Robinson Jr. Montana State
Josh Booker So. Weber State
Fullback Jake Hess Jr. Northern Arizona
Placekicker Jason Cunningham Sr. Montana State
Return Specialist
Dominic Gunn Jr. Northern Colorado
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Position Name Year School
Tackles Renard Williams Sr. Eastern Washington
Myles Wade Sr. Portland State
Ends Brad Daly So. Montana State
Trevor Pletcher Jr. Weber State
Outside LBs John Kanongata'a So. Montana
Ian Sluss Jr. Portland State
Inside LBs Clay Bignell Sr. Montana State
Clarence Bumpas So. Northern Colorado
Cornerbacks
Houston Roots Sr. Montana
Darius Jones Jr. Montana State
Kyle Monson Sr. Sacramento State
Safeties
Mike McCord Sr. Montana
Joel Fuller Jr. Montana State
Punter Josh Kealamakia So. Weber State
Special Teams Darriell Beaumonte Sr. Eastern Washington
HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
Wide Receivers - Sam Gratton, Jr., Montana; Tanner Bleskin, So., Montana State Khalil Paden, Sr., Northern Arizona; Justin Monahan, Jr., Portland State; Morris Norrise, So., Sacramento State; Shaydon Kehano, So., Weber State
Tackles - Gabe Jackson, Sr., Eastern Washington; Braeden Clayson, Sr., Idaho State; Will Post, Jr., Eastern Washington Charles Burton, Sr., Montana; Trey Gilleo, Jr., Northern Arizona; Lee Barbaisz, Sr., Northern Colorado; Caleb Turner, Sr., Weber State
Guards - Dwight Boyd, Sr., Northern Arizona; Kyle Walker, So., Northern Arizona; Kyle Ritt, Jr., Portland State
Center - Stephen Sabin, Sr., Montana; Shaun Sampson, Jr., Montana State; Mitch Gaulke, So., Portland State; Tyson Tiatia, So., Weber State
Tight End - Josh Hill, Jr.,Idaho State; Brian Riley, Sr., Northern Arizona; Brian Jankowski, Jr., Weber State
Wild Cards
Quarterbacks - Jordan Johnson, So., Montana; Cary Grossart, Jr., Northern Arizona Connor Kavanaugh, Sr., Portland State; Mike Hoke, Jr., Weber State
Running Back - Peter Nguyen, Jr., Montana
Placekickers - Mike Jarrett, Sr., Eastern Washington; Brody McKnight, Sr., Montana
Return Specialists - Shawn Johnson, Fr., Montana State; DeShawn Shead, Sr., Portland State
HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
Tackles - Charles Moetului, Sr., Eastern Washington Jordan Monga, Sr., Idaho State; Tim Wilkinson, So., Northern Arizona; Blayne Anderson, Sr., Northern Arizona; Marcus Felker, Sr., Northern Colorado; Ryan Eastrman, Jr., Weber State; Pete Rolf, Sr., Weber State
Ends - Paul Ena, Jr., Eastern Washington; Bobby Alt, Sr., Montana; Ryan Fetherston, Sr., Montana; Caleb Schreibeis, Jr., Montana State; Nick Hernon, Sr., Northern Colorado; Devontae Chapple, Sr., Northern Colorado; Jack Forbes, Sr., Portland State; David Coleman, Sr, Sacramento State; Caldwell Taylor, Jr., Weber State
Outside Linebackers – Scott McKeever, Sr., Northern Arizona; Cameron Friend, Jr., Northern Colorado; Joel Sisler, Jr., Portland State; Mo Neal, Sr., Weber State
Inside Linebackers – Basim Hudeen, Sr., Idaho State Alex Shaw, Sr., Montana; Ryan Rau, Sr., Portland State; Todd Davis, So., Sacramento State; Anthony Morales, So., Weber State
Cornerbacks – Donovan Henley, Jr., Idaho State; Anders Battle, So., Northern Arizona; Marcel Gibbons, Jr., Northern Colorado
Safeties – Jeff Minnerly, Jr., Eastern Washington; Steven Bethley, So., Montana State Chuks Nweke, Sr., Northern Colorado; Joe Larche, Sr., Sacramento State; Willie Okwuonu, So., Weber State; Tony Epperson, So., Weber State
Punter – Jake Miller, Fr., Eastern Washington; Brody McKnight, Sr., Montana; Cameron Kaman, Sr., Northern Colorado; Thomas Duyndam, Jr., Portland State
Special Teams – Donny Lisowski, Sr., Montana; Tray Robinson, Jr., Montana State; Ben Bachelier, Sr., Northern Arizona; Trevor Pletcher, Jr., Weber State
