Big Sky Coaches Preseason All-Conference Team

[smallcollegefbfan]

2015 Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team

Offensive MVP – Cooper Kupp, Jr., WR, Eastern Washington
Defensive MVP – James Cowser, Sr., DE, Southern Utah

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

*Unanimous selection
#2014 First Team All-Conference

[nodak651]

So how does one of the best defenses in the league, which has almost all of the starters returning, not have a single player selected?

[smallcollegefbfan]

So how does one of the best defenses in the league, which has almost all of the starters returning, not have a single player selected?

I do think Will Ratelle is underrated. He is very short but he can run and is very active. Ratelle is the only player you have who I think has an argument for 1st team but it is also hard to argue against the ones who were picked.

This list is about what you should expect. I also did not have any UND players on my 1st team defense but have 2 on the 2nd team and 1 on the 3rd team.

[Nodak78]

UND doesn't have one player on the defense that was picked. Idaho State has 3 picked. If that is the case how could the Bengals end up at the bottom of the league in defense. ummmm.

[smallcollegefbfan]

UND doesn't have one player on the defense that was picked. Idaho State has 3 picked. If that is the case how could the Bengals end up at the bottom of the league in defense. ummmm.

Easy answer here. In football you need to be strong from 1-11. Idaho State has 2-3 real good defensive players but the rest of the unit was very weak. They didn't have enough good players to do well. The group had a couple stars but too many below average players. UND is solid all around with just one player who I could argue for first team right now but 4-6 who could challenge for 2nd-3rd team and another 2-3 for honorable mention while ISU has those 3 players and then nothing else. UND has a better unit top to bottom.

Look at it this way. When you compare the top players on defense 1-11 Idaho State's first 2 are better than your first two but everyone from 3-11 is much better than what Idaho State has. I expect Dranka to step up and become a star this year. He flashed and should be a first-teamer by the end of 2016, along with a couple others.

[Nodak78]

Easy answer here. In football you need to be strong from 1-11. Idaho State has 2-3 real good defensive players but the rest of the unit was very weak. They didn't have enough good players to do well. The group had a couple stars but too many below average players. UND is solid all around with just one player who I could argue for first team right now but 4-6 who could challenge for 2nd-3rd team and another 2-3 for honorable mention while ISU has those 3 players and then nothing else. UND has a better unit top to bottom.

Look at it this way. When you compare the top players on defense 1-11 Idaho State's first 2 are better than your first two but everyone from 3-11 is much better than what Idaho State has. I expect Dranka to step up and become a star this year. He flashed and should be a first-teamer by the end of 2016, along with a couple others.

I see your point and agree for the most part. I believe Dranka was close to first team this year and will be 1st team at the end of the year. a special player for sure.