Bobcats, Grizzlies top Big Sky All-Conference Teams

With the Brawl of the Wild last Saturday, the 2021 Big Sky Conference football season came to an exciting end. And while both the Montana State Bobcats and Montana Grizzlies have plenty to play for still, with the upcoming FCS playoffs, the league handed out its annual awards on Tuesday.

In total, 14 Grizzlies and 13 Bobcats landed on the Big Sky All-Conference Team.

MSU was led by senior linebacker Troy Andersen, who was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. Andersen had 111 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions in his final season in Bozeman.

Meanwhile, Montana's Justin Ford was named Big Sky Newcomer of the year. Ford, a junior cornerback transfer from Louisville, has an FCS-high eight interceptions this season.

Both Andersen and Ford were also named First-Team All-Conference.

The Griz also landed two others on the First Team Defense, in junior linebacker Patrick O'Connell and junior safety Robby Hauck. Malik Flowers was named First Team Kickoff Returner, while Brian Bruschini was named First Team Punter and Trevin Gradney was First Team Special Teams.

The Griz saw DT Alex Gunner, LB Jace Lewis and OL Conlan Beaver earn Second-Team All-Conference, while OL Hunter Mayginnes was Third Team. Mitch Roberts (WR), Cole Grossman (TE), Joe Babros (DE) and Justin Belknap (DE) were named Honorable Mention.

The Bobcats landed RB Isaiah Ifanse, WR Lance McCutcheon, OL Lewis Kidd, DT Chase Benson and DE Daniel Hardy on the First Team, while OL Taylor Tuiasosopo, LB Callahn O'Reilly and S Ty Okada were Second Team, and Tre Webb (S) and Blake Gessner (K) landed on the Third Team. Honorable Mention honors went to DE Amadre Williams and DB Jeffrey Manning Jr.

2021 Big Sky All-Conference

Offensive Player of the Year: Eric Barriere, QB, Eastern Washington

Defensive Player of the Year: Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State

Newcomer of the Year: Justin Ford, DB, Montana

Freshman of the Year: RJ Martinez, QB, Northern Arizona

First Team All-Big Sky Offense

QB: Eric Barriere, EWU

RB: Isaiah Ifanse, MSU; Ulonzo Gilliam, UC Davis

FB: Logan Kendall, Idaho

WR: Talolo Limu-Jones, EWU; Lance McCutcheon, MSU; Pierre Williams, Sacramento State

TE: Marshel Martin, Sac State

OL: Lewis Kidd, MSU; Braxton Jones, Southern Utah; Tristen Taylor, EWU; Thomas Parker, Sac State; Noah Atagi, Weber State; Jake Parks, UC Davis

First Team All-Big Sky Defense

DT: Jared Schiess, Weber State; Chase Benson, MSU

DE: Daniel Hardy, MSU; Josiah Erickson, Sac State

OLB: Patrick O'Connell, Montana; Conner Mortensen, Weber State

MLB: Troy Andersen, MSU; Tre Walker, Idaho

DB: Justin Ford, Montana; Eddie Heckard, Weber State; Robby Hauck, Montana; Anthony Adams, Portland State; Jordan Perryman, UC Davis

First Team All-Big Sky Special Teams

K: Kyle Sentkowski, Sac State

P: Brian Buschini, Montana

KR: Rashid Shaheed, Weber State; Malik Flowers, Montana

PR: Rashid Shaheed, Weber State

ST: Trevin Gradney, Montana

AP: Asher O'Hara, Sac State

Second Team All-Big Sky Offense

QB: Davis Alexander, Portland State

RB: Kevin Daniels, NAU; Dennis Merritt, EWU

FB: Ryan Rivera, Cal Poly

WR: Andrew Boston, EWU; Beau Kelly, Portland State; Tanner Conner, Idaho State; Rashid Shaheed, Weber State

TE: McCallan Castles, UC Davis

OL: Connor Pettek, UC Davis; Kooper Richardson, Sac State; Grant Stephens, UNC; Taylor Tuiasosopo, MSU; Brandon Weldon, Sac State; Conlan Beaver, Montana

Second Team All-Big Sky Defense

DT: Alex Gubner, Montana; Bryce Rodgers, UC Davis

DE: George Tarlas, Weber State; VJ Malo, Portland State

OLB: David Hoage, UNC; La'akea Kaho'ohanohano-Davis, SUU; Marte Mapu, Sac State; Callahan O'Reilly, MSU

MLB: Jace Lewis, Montana; Marcus Hawkins, Sac State

DB: Greg Filer III, Sac State; Ty Okada, MSU; Preston Smith, Weber State; Morgan Vest, NAU; Jaylin White, UC Davis

Second Team All-Big Sky Special Teams

K: Isaiah Gomez, UC Davis

P: Daniel Whelan, UC Davis

KR: Lan Larison, UC Davis

PR: Isaiah Thomas, UC Davis

AP: Trent Tompkins, UC Davis

Third Team All-Big Sky Offense

QB: Jake Dunniway, Sac State

RB: Cameron Skattebo, Sac State; Roshaun Johnson, Idaho

WR: Efton Chism III, EWU; Freddie Roberson, EWU; Terez Traynor, Idaho

TE: Hayden Meacham, Weber State

OL: Hunter Mayginnes, Montana; Logan Floyd, Idaho; Jonas Leader, NAU; Wyatt Musser, EWU; Terren Carey, Idaho State

Third Team All-Big Sky Defense

DT: Josh Jerome, EWU; Myles Cecil, Cal Poly

DE: Mitchell Johnson, EWU; Francis Bemiy, SUU; Charles Akanno, Idaho

MLB: Matt Shotwell, Cal Poly; Jack Sendelbach, EWU

DB: Calin Criner, EWU; Jerone Jackson, UNC; Kobe Singleton, SUU; Tre Webb, MSU; Malik Jeter, Sac State

Third Team All-Big Sky Special Teams

K: Blake Glessner, MSU

P: Sam Clark, Sac State

Big Sky Honorable Mention Team

WR: Kassidy Woods, UNC; Mitch Roberts, Montana; Nate Bennett, Portland State; Coleman Owen, NAU; Hendrix Johnson, NAU

TE: Cole Grossman, Montana; Jared Scott, Idaho State

DT: Semise Kofe, Portland State; Noah Ellis, Idaho; Doug Schiess, Weber State; Jett Stanley, Sac State

DE: Carson Taylor, NAU; Joe Babros, Montana; Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly; Joe Golden, UNC; Justin Belknap, Montana; Amandre Williams, MSU

MLB: Sherwin Lavaka, Weber State; Jace Bobo, UNC; Ty Graham, EWU; Tristen Vance, NAU; Harrison Beemiller, NAU

DB: Marque Collins, Weber State; Jeffrey Manning Jr., MSU; Jayden Dawson, Idaho State; Tyrese Dedmon, Idaho

P: Kevin Ryan, Idaho State; DJ Arnson, NAU