COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Mountain West announced its 2008 All-Conference football teams and individual award winners today as selected by the nine head coaches and media panel. Utah quarterback Brian Johnson was chosen as the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, while TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes was named MWC Defensive Player of the Year. Utah place kicker/punter Louie Sakoda earned the MWC Special Teams Player of the Year award for the third straight season. Air Force quarterback Tim Jefferson was honored as MWC Freshman of the Year, while Kyle Whittingham of Utah was selected as the MWC Coach of the Year.
Notables
- Five student-athletes were repeat first-team all-Conference selections from 2007, including Utah punter Louie Sakoda, BYU offensive linemen Ray Feinga and Dallas Reynolds, tight end Dennis Pitta and defensive lineman Jan Jorgensen.
- TCU senior Jason Phillips is a first team honoree for the second time in his career. He was selected as a first team linebacker in 2006 and was a second team honoree in 2005 and 2007. Phillips also is the second player in MWC history, and first defensive player, to be honored on the first or second team all four years of his career (DonTrell Moore, New Mexico was a first team honoree 2002-05).
- UNLV junior WR Ryan Wolfe is a first team honoree for the second time in his career. He was selected as a first team wide receiver in 2006 and was an honorable mention pick last year.
- Austin Collie (WR-BYU), Stephen Hodge (DB-TCU), Jason Phillips (LB-TCU), Blake Schlueter (OL-TCU), Zane Beadles (OL-Utah), Robert Conley (OL-Utah), Brice McCain (DB-Utah) and Louie Sakoda (PK-Utah) are all first-team selections in 2008 after being second-team honorees in 2007.
- TCU has claimed a first-team kick returner honoree in each of its four years as a member of the MWC (Jeremy Kerley - 2008, Brian Bonner-2006-07, Cory Rodgers-2008).
- Devin Moore is the first Wyoming running back and Ward Dobbs if the first Cowboy linebacker to be selected to the first team since the inception of the MWC.
- Of the 50 first and second-team selections, 26 were seniors, 21 juniors and three sophomores. The first team had 16 seniors, seven juniors and two sophomores. The 21 juniors on both teams eclipse the previous high of 18 in both 2000 and 2002.
- BYU has claimed the first team tight end position four consecutive years (Dennis Pitta-2007-08, Jonny Harline-2005-06).
- Jake Paulson is the first Air Force defensive lineman to be chosen to the first team in MWC history.
- Brian Johnson is the second Utah quarterback selected to the first team in MWC history (Alex Smith-2004).
- Utah has had a first team defensive lineman honoree eight consecutive years (Paul Kruger in 2008) and nine out of 10 years.
Offensive Player of the Year
Brian Johnson, Sr., QB, Utah
Defensive Player of the Year
Jerry Hughes, Jr., DE, TCU
Special Teams Player of the Year
Louie Sakoda, Sr., PK/P, Utah
Freshman of the Year
Tim Jefferson, QB, Air Force
Coach of the Year
Kyle Whittingham, Utah
All-Mountain West Football First-Team
Offense
Pos. Player Cl. School
QB Brian Johnson Sr. Utah
WR Austin Collie Jr. BYU
WR Ryan Wolfe* Jr. UNLV
RB Gartrell Johnson III Sr. Colorado State
RB Devin Moore Sr. Wyoming
TE Dennis Pitta*# Jr. BYU
OL Ray Feinga* Sr. BYU
OL Dallas Reynolds* Sr. BYU
OL Blake Schlueter Sr. TCU
OL Zane Beadles Jr. Utah
OL Robert Conley Sr. Utah
PK Louie Sakoda Sr. Utah
PR/KR Jeremy Kerley So. TCU
Defense
Pos. Player Cl. School
DL Jake Paulson Sr. Air Force
DL Jan Jorgensen* Jr. BYU
DL Jerry Hughes# Jr. TCU
DL Paul Kruger So. Utah
LB Robert Henson Sr. TCU
LB Jason Phillips* Sr. TCU
LB Ward Dobbs Sr. Wyoming
DB Glover Quin Sr. New Mexico
DB Brice McCain Sr. Utah
DB Stephen Hodge Sr. TCU
DB Sean Smith Jr. Utah
P Louie Sakoda* Sr. Utah
*--Two-Time First-Team Selection
#--Unanimous Selection
All-Mountain West Football Second-Team
Offense
Pos. Player Cl. School
QB Max Hall Jr. BYU
WR Rashaun Greer Jr. Colorado State
WR Freddie Brown Sr. Utah
RB Harvey Unga So. BYU
RB Rodney Ferguson Sr. New Mexico
TE Kory Sperry Sr. Colorado State
OL Nick Charles Jr. Air Force
OL Travis Bright Sr. BYU
OL Shelley Smith Jr. Colorado State
OL Erik Cook Jr. New Mexico
OL Marshall Newhouse Jr. TCU
PK Ryan Harrison Sr. Air Force
PR/KR Ian Clark Jr. New Mexico
Defense
Pos. Player Cl. School
DL Cody Moore Sr. TCU
DL Matt Panfil Sr. TCU
DL Koa Misi Jr. Utah
DL John Fletcher Jr. Wyoming
LB David Nixon Sr. BYU
LB Jason Beauchamp Jr. UNLV
LB Stevenson Sylvester Jr. Utah
DB Chris Thomas Jr. Air Force
DB DeAndre Wright Sr. New Mexico
DB Steven Coleman Sr. TCU
DB Rafael Priest Jr. TCU
P Anthony Hartz Jr. Colorado State
Honorable Mention
Air Force: Hunter Altman; Sr., LB, Chris Campbell, Jr., OL; Ken Lamendola, So., LB; Andrew Pipes, Sr., C; Reggie Rembert; So.; KR.
BYU: C.J. Santiago, Sr., P; David Tafuna, Sr., DB.
Colorado State: Ricky Brewer, So., LB; Mychal Sisson, Fr., LB; Jason Smith, Sr., PK; Tim Walter, Jr., C.
New Mexico: Zach Arnett, Sr., LB; Herbert Felder, Sr., LB.
San Diego State: Russell Allen, Sr., LB; Corey Boudreaux, Sr., DB; B.J. Williams, So., DE.
TCU: Aaron Brown; Sr., K; Marcus Cannon, So., OL; Andy Dalton, So., QB; Anson Kelton, Fr., P; Nick Sanders; Jr., CB; James Vess, Sr., NT; Jimmy Young, So., WR.
UNLV: Johan Asiata, Sr., OL; Casey Flair, Sr., WR, Frank Summers, Sr., RB; Malo Tuamua; So., DL.
Utah: Greg Newman, Sr., DL; David Reed, Jr., KR; Zane Taylor, So., OL; Mike Wright; Jr., LB.
Wyoming: Tim Bond; Sr., C; Kyle Howard, Sr., OL; Chris Prosinski, So., DB; Mitch Unrein, Jr., DL.
