FOOTBALL
For Immediate Use: Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Contact: Javan Hedlund (719) 488-4059
MOUNTAIN WEST ANNOUNCES 2012 FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS AND INDIVIDUAL HONORS
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West announced its 2012 All-Conference football teams and individual award winners today as selected by the 10 head coaches and select media panel. Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr was chosen as the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, while Bulldog defensive back Phillip Thomas was named MW Defensive Player of the Year. Hawai‘i kick returner Mike Edwards earned the MW Special Teams Player of the Year award, while Fresno State wide receiver Davante Adams was honored as the MW Freshman of the Year. Rocky Long of San Diego State was selected as the MW Coach of the Year.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – DEREK CARR, JUNIOR, QB, FRESNO STATE • Is Fresno State’s first offensive player of the year honoree, and ninth overall, since his brother David Carr won the award in 2001. • Is the fifth straight quarterback to be named MW Offensive Player of the Year. • Leads MW and is ninth nationally in pass efficiency (160.6). • Leads the MW and is eighth in the FBS in passing yards per game (311.8). Also ranks second in the league and 12th nationally in total offense with an average of 315.3 yards per game. • Has thrown for a career-high 3,742 yards this season with 36 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He is 216 yards shy of breaking the MW single-season record of 3,957 passing yards, set by BYU’s Max Hall in 2008. His 36 passing TDs trail only Boise State’s Kellen Moore for the most by a MW player in a single season. Moore connected on a league-record 43 touchdown passes in 2011. • He is 289 yards away of breaking the MW’s single-season record of 4,072 total offense yards set by BYU’s Max Hall in 2008. • Named the MW Offensive Player of the Week three times in 2012 (Oct. 1, Oct. 29 and Nov. 26). • Has eclipsed the 400-yard passing mark on three occasions this season, surpassing the MW record of two shared by BYU’s John Beck (2006), San Diego State’s Adam Hall (2002) and BYU’s Kevin Feterik (1999).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – PHILLIP THOMAS, SENIOR, DB, FRESNO STATE • Is the first defensive back to win the award since Utah’s Eric Weddle earned it in both 2005 and 2006. • Is the 10th Bulldog player, and first since defensive end Chris Carter, to capture league defensive player of the year accolades. • Has recorded a career-high 82 tackles (64 solo) in 2012. • Leads the MW and FBS with eight total interceptions, establishing a new MW record for the most in a single season. The previous record of seven picks was shared by UNLV’s Kevin Thomas (2001), Utah’s Eric Weddle (2006), Air Force’s Anthony Wright (2009) and San Diego State’s Larry Parker (2011). Thomas also has returned three of those interceptions for touchdowns to lead all FBS players and tie the MW single-season record of three (UNLV’s Kevin Thomas in 2001 and Utah’s Andre Dyson in 2000). • Ranks third in the MW with 12.0 tackles for loss. • Is fourth in the league and tied for 14th nationally with 0.33 forced fumbles per game. • Named MW Defensive Player of the Week twice in 2012 (Sept. 17 and Oct. 8). • Named to the 2012 AFCA and CBSSports.com All-America Teams. • One of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – MIKE EDWARDS, SENIOR, KR, HAWAI‘I • Is the first Hawai‘i player to win special teams player of the year honors since placekicker Jason Elam in 1992. • He is the fourth straight kick returner to be named MW Special Teams Player of the year. • Ranks second in the MW and sixth nationally with a kickoff return average of 30.38. • One of just four players nationally with at least three kickoff returns for touchdown in 2012. • His three kickoff return touchdowns established a MW single-season record, eclipsing the previous mark shared by New Mexico’s Chase Clayton (2012), San Diego State’s Colin Lockett (2012), TCU’s Greg McCoy (2011) and Cory Rodgers (2005). • Only player in MW history to record two 100-yard kick returns in a single season. • Edwards’ 1,215 total kick return yards in 2012 is a new MW single-season record. The previous mark of 1,165 kick return yards was held by UNLV’s Deante’ Purvis (2009).
15455 Gleneagle Drive, Suite 200 TheMWC.com Phone: (719) 488-4040 Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Twitter: @TheMWC Fax: (719) 487-7240
2012 Mountain West Football Honors Release Page 2
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – DAVANTE ADAMS, FRESHMAN, WR, FRESNO STATE • Is the third wide receiver to garner MW Freshman of the Year honors (Austin Collie, BYU-2004 and Ryan Wolfe, UNLV- 2006). • Becomes just the third player in Fresno State history to earn conference freshman of the year honors Ryan Wendell, OG, 2004 and Paul Pinegar, QB, 2002). • Leads the MW in receptions (89), receptions per game (7.42), receiving yards (1,168), yards per game (97.3) and touchdown catches (13). • Ranks first among all freshmen in the country in receptions, receiving yards, yards per game, touchdowns and is second in receptions per game. • His 13 touchdowns are tied for the second-most in school history and the third-most in MW history. • Set a new MW record for most receiving yards by a freshman in a single season with 1,168. • He is the first freshman in league and school history to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a single season. • Recorded five games with over 100 yards receiving, including a season-high 198-yard performance on nine catches with two touchdowns at New Mexico on Oct. 27. • Caught a touchdown pass in each of the last seven games of the regular season, setting a new MW record and tying the second-longest streak in school history for consecutive games with a touchdown reception. The previous MW record of six consecutive games was held by Utah’s Steve Savoy in 2004.
COACH OF THE YEAR – ROCKY LONG, SAN DIEGO STATE • Selected as MW Coach of the Year after leading San Diego State to a 9-3 overall record and a share of the MW title with a 7-1 mark. It marked the Aztecs’ first-ever MW title and first league crown since 1998. • This is Long’s second MW Coach of the Year honor. Long also won the award in 2002 after leading New Mexico to a 7-7 overall record and a 5-2 mark in Conference play. • He is the second Aztec coach to garner the award, joining Brady Hoke in 2010. • He is the fourth coach to earn multiple MW Coach of the Year honors (Sonny Lubick, Colorado State in 1999-2000, Urban Meyer, Utah in 2003-2004 and Gary Patterson, TCU in 2005 and 2009).
NOTABLES • Two student-athletes were repeat first-team All-Conference selections from 2011, including San Diego State tight end Gavin Escobar and defensive back Leon McFadden. McFadden is the lone three-time first team honoree this season. • Fresno State senior DB Phillip Thomas, junior QB Derek Carr and freshman WR Davante Adams are unanimous first-team selections. Thomas is the third DB in league history to earn unanimous first-team honors (Andre Dyson, Utah-2000; Jamaal Brimmer, UNLV-2003; Eric Weddle, Utah-2006), while Carr is the fifth QB with that distinction (Brandon Doman, BYU-2001; Alex Smith, Utah- 2004; John Beck, BYU-2006; Andy Dalton, TCU-2010). Adams is the first MW freshman and second WR in Conference history to be selected to the first-team unanimously (J.R. Tolver, San Diego State-2002). • Seniors Nick Carlson (OL-Wyoming) and Pete Kontodiakos (P-Colorado State) are both first-team selections in 2012 after being second- team honorees in 2011. • Seniors Chris McNeill (WR-Wyoming) and Alec Johnson (OL-San Diego State) are both second-team honorees for the second consecutive season.
• Of the 50 first and second-team selections, 27 were seniors, 11 juniors, 10 sophomores, one freshman and one graduate student. The first team had 14 seniors, seven juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. • Fresno State’s Davante Adams is just the second freshman wide receiver in MW history to be named to the first-team (Ryan Wolfe, UNLV in 2006). • Nick Carlson is the first Wyoming offensive lineman to earn first-team honors since Chase Johnson in 2006. • Nolan Kohorst is the first UNLV player to receive MW first-team placekicker honors. • John Lotulelei becomes just the third UNLV linebacker to be named to the MW first team (Adam Seward, 2003 and Beau Bell, 2007). • Derron Smith of Fresno State is just the fourth sophomore to earn first-team defensive back accolades in the 14-year history of the MW (Jernaro Gilford, BYU-2001; Jamaal Brimmer, UNLV-2002; Leon McFadden, SDSU-2010).
-more-
15455 Gleneagle Drive, Suite 200 TheMWC.com Phone: (719) 488-4040 Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Twitter: @TheMWC Fax: (719) 487-7240
2012 Mountain West Football Honors Release Page 3
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Derek Carr, Jr., QB, Fresno State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Phillip Thomas, Sr., DB, Fresno State
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR Mike Edwards, Sr., KR, Hawai‘i
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State
COACH OF THE YEAR Rocky Long, San Diego State
2012 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL FIRST-TEAM
Offense Defense Pos. Player Cl. School Pos. Player Cl. School QB Derek Carr# Jr. Fresno State DL Mike Atkinson Sr. Boise State WR Davante Adams# Fr. Fresno State DL Demarcus Lawrence So. Boise State WR Brandon Wimberly Sr. Nevada DL Tyeler Davidson So. Fresno State RB Stefphon Jefferson Jr. Nevada DL Mike Purcell Sr. Wyoming RB Robbie Rouse Sr. Fresno State LB J.C. Percy Sr. Boise State TE Gavin Escobar* Jr. San Diego State LB Albert Rosette Sr. Nevada OL Jeff Nady Sr. Nevada LB John Lotulelei Sr. UNLV OL Austin Wentworth Jr. Fresno State DB Jamar Taylor Sr. Boise State OL Matt Paradis Jr. Boise State DB Phillip Thomas# Sr. Fresno State OL Nick Carlson Sr. Wyoming DB Derron Smith So. Fresno State OL Nik Embernate Sr. San Diego State DB Leon McFadden** Sr. San Diego State PK Nolan Kohorst Jr. UNLV P Pete Kontodiakos Sr. Colorado State PR/KR Mike Edwards Jr. Hawai‘i
*--Two-Time First-Team Selection **--Three-Time First-Team Selection #--Unanimous Selection
2012 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL SECOND-TEAM
Offense Defense Pos. Player Cl. School Pos. Player Cl. School QB Cody Fajardo So. Nevada DL Paipai Falemalu Sr. Hawai‘i WR Matt Miller So. Boise State DL Brock Hekking So. Nevada WR Chris McNeill Sr. Wyoming DL Andy Jennings Jr. Fresno State RB Kasey Carrier Jr. New Mexico DL Lanston Tanyi Grad. Colorado State RB Adam Muema So. San Diego State LB Travis Brown Sr. Fresno State TE Zach Sudfeld Sr. Nevada LB Alex Means Sr. Air Force OL Jordan Eason Sr. Air Force LB Jake Fely So. San Diego State OL Charles Leno Jr. Boise State DB Mike Edwards Jr. Hawai‘i OL Chris Barker Sr. Nevada DB Jerrell Gavins Sr. Boise State OL Alex Johnson Sr. San Diego State DB Duke Williams Sr. Nevada OL Brenel Myers Sr. Boise State DB Nat Berhe Jr. San Diego State PK Jared Roberts So. Colorado State P Alex Dunnachie Sr. Hawai‘i PR/KR Khalid Wooten Sr. Nevada
-more-
15455 Gleneagle Drive, Suite 200 TheMWC.com Phone: (719) 488-4040 Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Twitter: @TheMWC Fax: (719) 487-7240
2012 Mountain West Football Honors Release Page 4
2012 HONORABLE MENTION
Air Force: Cody Getz, Sr., RB; Brian Lindsay, Sr., DB; Jason Kons, Sr., OL; Austin Niklas, Sr., LB. Boise State: D.J. Harper, Sr., RB; Jeremy Ioane, So., DB; Tommy Smith, Sr., LB; Ricky Tjong-A Tjoe, Jr., DL. Colorado State: Shaquil Barrett, Jr., LB; Shaq Bell, Jr., DB; Weston Richburg, Jr., OL. Fresno State: Sean Alston, So., DB; Isaiah Burse, Jr., WR; Richard Helepiko, Sr., OL; Marcel Jensen, Jr., TE; L.J. Jones, Jr., DB; Andrew Shapiro, Sr., P. Hawai‘i: Ben Clarke, Fr., OL; Tavita Woodard, Jr., DL. Nevada: Joel Bitonio, Jr., OL; Allen Hardison, Sr., PK. New Mexico: Justus Adams, Jr., PK; Dallas Bollema, Jr., LB; LaMar Bratton, So., OL; Chase Clayton, So., KR; Dillon Farrell, Jr., OL; Jacori Greer, Jr., DL; Darryl Johnson, Jr., OL; Matt Raymer, Sr., DB; Ben Skaer, Jr., P. San Diego State: Derek Largent, So., LB; Sam Meredith, So., DL; Bryce Quigley, Jr., OL. UNLV: Tim Cornett, Jr., RB; Robert Waterman, So., OL. Wyoming: Robert Herron, Jr., WR; Tim Gleason, Fr., P; Ghaali Muhammad, Sr., LB; Brett Smith, So., QB.
--mw--
15455 Gleneagle Drive, Suite 200 TheMWC.com Phone: (719) 488-4040 Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Twitter: @TheMWC Fax: (719) 487-7240