Griz land four players on preseason all-conference teams
7/20/2015 10:05:00 AM | Football
The University of Montana Grizzlies have landed two offensive players and two defensive players on the Big Sky Conference all-league teams announced Monday at the conference's annual football kickoff event.
On the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver Jamaal Jones got the nod, while Ellis Henderson made the team as a returner. Defensively, senior linebackers Kendrick Van Ackeren and Jeremiah Kose made the preseason award list.
"I think it's a deserving honor for all four," said Griz head coach Bob Stitt. "Jamaal is a guy that will be a go-to guy for us. He was in the spring, and he's a great leader on offense. Ellis is a big-time player. He can make big plays and in the return game he can take it to the house at any point.
"Kenny and 'Miah' are leaders on our defense. They're the heart and soul of our defense at the linebacker position. I expect great things out of them."
Jones' (6'1", 191, Spanaway, Wash./Washington) inclusion on the list will be of little surprise to Montana fans as the only Griz receiver to surpass the 1,000-yard mark on the 2014 team that returned to the FCS playoffs for the 22nd time in school history.
By comparison, Henderson (6'0", 185, Vancouver, Wash./Skyview HS), could be considered a bit of a surprise inclusion after sitting out the 2014 season with health issues. Henderson returns as a former 2nd team All-Big Sky receiver in 2013 after surpassing the 1,000 yard mark.
Van Ackeren (6'1", 220, Belleview, Wash./Hawaii) returns to the Griz linebacker corps as the conference's 12th-best tackler last season, registering 122 takedowns and averaging 8.7 per game.
Kose (6'2", 230, Oceanside, Calif./Vista HS) will also be looking to make his mark, registering 117 tackles last season, which put him 15th in the final conference standings in 2014.
Idaho State took home six all-conference selections to lead the league, followed by Montana State with five, and Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington tie the Griz with four selections each.
2015 Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team
OFFENSE
Pos. - Player – Year - Hometown - School
QB - Dakota Prukop - Jr. - Austin, Texas - Montana State
RB - #Xavier Finney - Sr. - Oceanside, Calif. - Idaho State
RB - Kori Garcia - Jr. - Los Angeles, Calif. - Cal Poly
FB - *#Nick Butier - Sr. - San Luis Obispo, Calif - Northern Arizona
TE - R.J. Rickert - Sr. - Gilbert, Ariz. - Northern Arizona
OG - #JP Flynn Jr. - Bettendorf, Iowa - Montana State
OG - #Aaron Neary Sr. - Richland, Wash. - Eastern Washington
C - Christian Diehm Sr. - Carson, Calif. - Idaho State
OT - *Clay DeBord - Sr. - Asotin, Wash. - Eastern Washington
OT - John Weidenaar - Sr. - Manhattan, Mont. - Montana State
WR - *#Cooper Kupp - Jr. - Yakima, Wash. - Eastern Washington
WR - #Madison Mangum - Jr. - Boise, Idaho - Idaho State
WR - Nnamdi Agude - Sr. - Corona, Calif. - Sacramento State
WR - Jamaal Jones - Sr. - Spanaway, Wash. - Montana
PK - #Brad Cornish - Sr. - Santee, Calif. - Sacramento State
Returns - Ellis Henderson - Jr. - Vancouver, Wash. - Montana
DEFENSE
Pos. – Player – Year – Hometown - School
DE - *#James Cowser - Sr. - Fruit Heights, Utah - Southern Utah
DE - Samson Ebukam - Jr. - Portland, Ore. - Eastern Washington
DT - Tyler Kuder - Sr. - Payette, Idaho - Idaho State
DT - Taylor Sheridan - Sr. - Littleton, Colo. - Montana State
OLB - Mario Jenkins - So. - Nampa, Idaho - Idaho State
OLB - Kendrick Van Ackeren - Sr. - Bellevue, Wash. - Montana
ILB - Darnell Sankey - Sr. - San Jose, Calif. - Sacramento State
ILB - Jeremiah Kose - Sr. - Oceanside, Calif. - Montana
CB - *#Marcus Alford - Sr. - Oxnard, Calif. - Northern Arizona
CB - LeShaun Sims - Sr. - Las Vegas, Nev. - Southern Utah
S - Taison Manu - Sr. - Pocatello, Idaho - Idaho State
S - Miles Killebrew - Sr. - Henderson, Nev. - Southern Utah
P - Ryan Hawkins - Sr. - Peoria, Ariz. - Northern Arizona
Special Teams – Chad Newell - Jr. - Billings, Mont. - Montana State
Offensive MVP – Cooper Kupp - Jr. – WR - Eastern Washington
Defensive MVP – James Cowser - Sr. – DE - Southern Utah
*Unanimous selection
#2014 First Team All-Conference
Players Mentioned
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