Buss, Gustafson named Grizzly 2016 MVPs

Linebacker Josh Buss and quarterback Brady Gustafson have been named the University of Montana's 2016 Steve Carlson Award co-winners for Griz football's offensive and defensive Most Valuable Players.

Montana head coach Bob Stitt and his staff presented the team awards on Sunday, Nov. 20, at the team's annual awards banquet at the Doubletree Hotel in Missoula.

Gustafson, a senior from Billings, Mont., and nominee for the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award for the National Offensive Player of the Year, is currently ranked as the nation's No. 6 passer, averaging 309.4 yards-per-game. He threw for 300-plus yards in five of the nine games he played in this season, missing two games to injury.

He finished his Grizzly career as a two-year starter with 4,809 passing yards. With 2,785 yards this season he passed Jordan Johnson's 2014 total (2,784) by a single yard to make 2016 the sixteenth-best single-season passing performance in school history.

Buss led Montana in tackles this season with 81 and is currently tied at No. 10 in the nation in tackles-for-loss with 20. He is also tied for the second-most sacks on the team this year with 5.5.

The redshirt sophomore from Boise, Idaho, earned Montana's conference and national Player of the Week nomination five times in 2016 and was named the ROOT Sports Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week after posting a career-high 10 total tackles, another career-high 4.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack against Sacramento State.

With two years of eligibility remaining, if Buss continues the form he showed this season, he could become the first defensive MVP to win the Steve Carlson MVP Award twice since Jason Crebo did it in 1996 and 1997.

Another of Montana's defensive stars took home the Larry Miller Award for outstanding defensive end. The apex of Ryan Johnson's career came this week against Montana State, where the Vancouver, Wash. native shattered his previous career high (7) with 15 tackles.

Johnson enjoyed a breakout season at defensive end, finishing the year as UM's fourth-leading tackler with 57 takedowns, but led the Grizzlies in sacks with six, and posted the second-most tackles-for-loss with 13.

Jackson Thiebes was recognized as Montana's outstanding offensive lineman of the year, receiving the Paul Weskamp Award. A former walk-on (who was cut, then successfully walked on again), Thiebes was one of the anchors of the O-line, one of Montana's most improved units this season.

As a staple of Montana's rushing attack since 2013, senior running back John Nguyen was presented the Terry Dillon Award for outstanding back or receiver by coach Justin Green.

Nguyen became the sixth-leading rusher in Montana history against Montana State, bringing his career yardage total to 2,066, moving past Steve Caputo's mark of 2,033 yards set between 1969-71. Against Northern Colorado, Nguyen also passed his brother Peter on UM's career rushing list at No. 7.

Linebacker Dante Olson was named the Hauck Family Special Teams Player of the Year, continuing his rise to prominence on the Grizzly defense. Olson, a redshirt freshman from Medford, Oregon, was Montana's tenth-leading tackler of the season with 29 takedowns, two tackles-for-loss and a sack in his first year of action. In 2015 as a redshirt, he was named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year.

Safety Justin Strong, a junior transfer from Oregon State, was selected as the team's hardest hitter as the recipient of the Golden Helmet Award. It's a recognition that will come as little surprise to Griz fans, who have seen Strong in action. Strong was UM's third-leading scorer in 2016, taking a team-high three interceptions.

The Tony Barbour Award, which goes to the player who "best exemplifies outstanding practice habits and makes an unselfish contribution to the betterment of the Grizzly football team," was given to backup quarterback Chad Chalich, a senior from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Chalich made the most his opportunity to start in his role as backup, lighting up the scoreboard against Idaho State with a school-record seven touchdowns, and rushing for another TD for a personal haul of eight, also a school record.

Redshirt freshman Jesse Sims played a key role in Montana's defense, earning a starting job in six of Montana's 11 games this season. He's been able to come in as a young player and make a physical impact thanks to his work in the weight room, and as such, was named the Offseason MVP my UM strength and conditioning coach Matt Nicholson.

Senior center Ben Weyer was voted the recipient of the Pat Norwood Award, which goes to the team's "Most Inspirational Player." The Bozeman native's junior season was cut short by injury. When many players would have hung up their helmets, Weyer battled back and rehabbed after knee surgery to become a starter once again on UM's offensive line in 2016, only to be lost for the season again in the opening game against Saint Francis.

The Scout Team Player of the Year on offense was redshirt freshman receiver Samuel Akem from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The Scout Team Player of the Year on defense was redshirt freshman defensive tackle Randy Rodriguez from Peoria, Arizona.

2016 Grizzly Football Award Recipients

Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year Presented by: Coach Selle

Winner: Randy Rodriguez

Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year Presented by: Coach Hall

Winner: Samuel Akem

Offseason MVP Presented by: Coach Nicholson

Winner: Jesse Sims

Hauck Family Special Teams Player of the Year Award Presented by: Coach Niekamp

Winner: Dante Olson

Terry Dillon Award Presented by: Coach Green

Honoring the outstanding back or receiver – was established in 1964 following the accidental death of former Grizzly Terry Dillon.
Winner: John Nguyen

Tony Barbour Award Presented by: Coach Selle

Given in memory of a loyal Grizzly Fan. It is presented annually to a UM player "who best exemplifies outstanding practice habits and makes an unselfish contribution to the betterment of the Grizzly Football Team."
Winner: Chad Chalich

Paul Weskamp Award Presented by: Coach Germer

Established in memory of Paul Weskamp, a tackle on Ed Chinske's 1954 Grizzly Team. The award honors UM's outstanding offensive lineman and was established by citizens of Ronan.
Winner: Jackson Thiebes

Larry Miller Award Presented by: Brian Hendricks

In memory of the great Grizzly defensive lineman and wrestler who was an All-American for UM in 1969 and 1970. Miller died in an automobile accident in 1974.
Winner: Ryan Johnson

Golden Helmet Award Presented by: Coach Schillinger

Honors the hardest hitter on the team. It was set up on a nation-wide basis by Coca-Cola in 1967.
Winner: Justin Strong

Pat Norwood Award Presented by: Coach Hendricks

Pat Norwood was a four-year starter at offensive tackle for the Grizzlies (1979-82) from Billings who died of cancer in 1983. This award is given to the most inspirational player, who oftentimes had to overcome an injury.
Winner: Ben Weyer

Steve Carlson Award MVP

Given to the team's most valuable player in memory of former Grizzly football player who died in 1977.
– Presented by: Coach Semore – Winner: Josh Buss
– Presented by: Coach Stitt – Winner: Brady Gustafson

University of Montana Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Samuel Akem

Josh Buss

Chad Chalich

Brady Gustafson

Ryan Johnson

John Nguyen

Dante Olson

Randy Rodriguez

Jesse Sims

Justin Strong

Jackson Thiebes

Ben Weyer

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