FARMINGTON, Utah (Nov. 27, 2024) — The Big Sky Conference unveiled the 2024 all-conference teams and individual awards on Wednesday morning, with Montana State headlining the announcement following a perfect season for the Bobcats.
The all-conference teams and individual awards were voted on by the league's 12 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team's nominees.
After earning its first-ever 12-0 season and first outright Big Sky title since 2011, Montana State was rewarded with four of the five individual awards in the postseason voting.
Brent Vigen was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year for the second time in his career, after his perfect season with the Bobcats. Vigen is the first MSU coach to win the award twice since Mike Kramer won the honor in 2002 and 2005.
Tommy Mellott was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Bobcat to win the honor since DeNarius McGhee in 2010. Overall, Mellott becomes just the third Bobcat to win the offensive honor as he joins McGhee and Kelly Bradley from 1984. Mellott earned 33 total touchdowns and over 2,600 offensive yards this season, while only throwing one interception.
Brody Grebe was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, as he fulfilled the preseason expectations after being named the MVP heading into the season. Montana State has won the top defensive honor seven times since 2003. Grebe was an anchor for one of the best defenses in the FCS this year, getting 7.5 tackles for loss and six sacks as he wrecked opposing team's game plans.
Adam Jones was named the Big Sky Freshman of the Year, becoming the third Bobcat to win the honor since it began in 2013. Jones rushed for nearly 1,000 yards on just 123 carries, scoring nine touchdowns on the ground and another receiving.
Ty Pennington broke up the Bobcat sweep on Wednesday, as the Lumberjack was named the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year. Pennington had 20 total touchdowns in his first season with Northern Arizona, with over 2,500 total offensive yards. Pennington also led the Lumberjacks to their first playoff appearance since 2017.
After winning four of the five individual awards, it was no surprise Montana State led the way in all-conference honors as well, with the Bobcats having nine first teamers and 17 selections overall.
There were seven unanimous first-team selections, with UC Davis' Lan Larison, Northern Arizona's Bryzai White, Montana State's Marcus Wehr and Sacramento State's Jackson Slater on the offensive side and Montana State's Brody Grebe, UC Davis' Rex Connors and Northern Arizona's Alex McLaughlin on defense.
Below is the full list of individual awards and all-conference honors.
2024 Big Sky Football Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Tommy Mellott, Montana State
Defensive Player of the Year: Brody Grebe, Montana State
Newcomer of the Year: Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona
Freshman of the Year: Adam Jones, Montana State
Coach of the Year: Brent Vigen, Montana State
Coaches could not vote for their own nominees
* - Unanimous first-team selection
First Team All-Big Sky Offense
QB: Tommy Mellott, Montana State
RB: Lan Larison, UC Davis*
RB: Scottre Humphrey, Montana State
FB: Rohan Jones, Montana State
WR: Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington
WR: Jeff Weimer, Idaho State
WR: Christian Fredericksen, Idaho State
TE: Bryzai White, Northern Arizona*
TE: Winston Williams, UC Davis
OL: Marcus Wehr, Montana State*
OL: Jackson Slater, Sacramento State*
OL: Conner Moore, Montana State
OL: Brandon Casey, Montana
OL: Wyatt Hansen, Eastern Washington
OL: Ayden Knapik, Idaho
AP: Michael Wortham, Eastern Washington
First Team All-Big Sky Defense
DL: Brody Grebe, Montana State*
DL: Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho
DL: Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly
DL: Dallas Afalava, Idaho
DL: Zach Kennedy, UC Davis
LB: McCade O'Reilly, Montana State
LB: David Meyer, UC Davis
LB: Jaxton Eck, Idaho
LB: Tommy Ellis, Northern Arizona
LB: Will Leota, Sacramento State
DB: Rex Connors, UC Davis*
DB: Alex McLaughlin, Northern Arizona*
DB: Tommy McCormick, Idaho
DB: Andrew Marshall, Idaho
DB: Kavir Bains, UC Davis
DB: Rylan Ortt, Montana State
First Team All-Big Sky Specialists
KR: Junior Bergen, Montana
PR: Taco Dowler, Montana State
K: Gabe Panikowski, Idaho State
P: Hunter Green, Northern Colorado
ST: Dwayne McDougle, Idaho
Second Team All-Big Sky Offense
QB: Miles Hastings, UC Davis
RB: Damon Bankston, Weber State
RB: Eli Gillman, Montana
FB: Austin York, Eastern Washington
WR: Jacob Sharp, Weber State
WR: Jared Gipson, Sacramento State
WR: Keelan White, Montana
WR: Jordan Dwyer, Idaho
TE: Mike Martinez, Idaho
TE: Tanner Beaman, Portland State
OL: Jonny Bottorff, Northern Arizona
OL: Titan Fleischmann, Montana State
OL: Stryker Rashid, Idaho State
OL: Eli Simonson, UC Davis
OL: Gavin Ortega, Weber State
OL: Cole Sain, Montana State
AP: Dante Chachere, Portland State
Second Team All-Big Sky Defense
DL: Kemari Munier-Bailey, Weber State
DL: Hayden Harris, Montana
DL: Matt Brown, Eastern Washington
DL: Paul Brott, Montana State
DL: Evan Bearden, UC Davis
LB: Riley Wilson, Montana
LB: Peyton Wing, Portland State
LB: Porter Connors, UC Davis
LB: Ryan Tirrell, Montana
LB: Danny Uluilakepa, Montana State
DB: Andrew Powdrell, Montana State
DB: DJ VanHook, Northern Arizona
DB: Zach Lewis, Northern Arizona
DB: Trevin Gradney, Montana
DB: Mason Rivera, Cal Poly
DB: Derek Ganter Jr., Eastern Washington
Second Team All-Big Sky Specialists
KR: Michael Wortham, Eastern Washington
PR: Junior Bergen, Montana
K: Hunter Ridley, UC Davis
P: Brendan Hall, Montana State
ST: TJ Rausch, Montana
Honorable Mention Offense (at least 3 votes)
QB: Dante Chachere, Portland State
RB: Adam Jones, Montana State
RB: Elijah Tau-Tolliver, Sacramento State
WR: Giancarlo Woods, Cal Poly
WR: Mark Hamper, Idaho
WR: Junior Bergen, Montana
TE: Jett Carpenter, Eastern Washington
OL: Nate Azzopardi, Idaho
OL: Jack Seelye, Eastern Washington
OL: Billy Lutui, Portland State
OL: Ernesto Nava, UC Davis
OL: Luke Dahlgren, Eastern Washington
OL: Journey Grimsrud, Montana
OL: Richard Estrella, Portland State
Honorable Mention Defense (at least 3 votes)
DL: Micah Carreon, Northern Arizona
DL: Princeton Toki, UC Davis
DL: Ethan Rodriguez, Cal Poly
DL: Malakai Williams, Idaho
DL: Kenneth Eiden IV, Montana State
DL: Brayden Wilson, Weber State
LB: Garrett Beck, Weber State
LB: Isiah King, Idaho
LB: Ammon Allen, Northern Arizona
LB: Zach Johnson, Idaho
LB: Brandon Wong, Northern Arizona
DB: Jaxon Lee, Montana
DB: Tyreese Shakir, Portland State
DB: DaJean Wells, Eastern Washington
DB: Cam Chapa, Northern Colorado
Honorable Mention Specialists (at least 3 votes)
KR: Andrew Marshall, Idaho
PR: Isaiah Eastman, Northern Arizona
K: Zach Schreiner, Sacramento State
K: Mathias Uribe, Portland State
P: Ben D’Aquila, Northern Arizona
ST: Jeremy Justice, Cal Poly
ST: Sean Farfan, Northern Arizona
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