Elvis Akpla earned Third Team All-America honors on Thursday
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Akpla Lands All-America Honors
12/15/2011 8:15:00 PM | Football
Elvis becomes first Bobcat receiver to earn AA honors above honorable mention
Elvis Akpla joined an exclusive group on Thursday when the Associated Press named Montana State's senior receiver Third Team All-America.
Akpla became the fourth Bobcat to earn All-America honors at his position, the first higher than honorable mention. Akpla caught 63 passes for 1,145 yards in 2011, and finished his career as the best pass-catcher in school history in terms of receiving yards.
The Portland product who transferred to MSU after two seasons at Oregon capped his outstanding senior season in sensational fashion in the FCS Playoff Quarterfinals at Sam Houston State captivated college football fans nationally with a catch that was featured on most national sports shows. He also posted his third consecutive 100-yard receiving day, two of which came against teams with defensive backs on the AP All-America team, Montana's Trumaine Johnson and Sam Houston State's Daxton Swanson.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback - Bo Levi Mitchell, senior, 6-2, 210, Eastern Washington.
Running backs - Shakir Bell, sophomore, 5-8, 185, Indiana State; Eric Breitenstein, junior, 5-11, 225, Wofford.
Linemen - J.C. Oram, senior, 6-4, 300, Weber State; George Bias, senior, 6-3, 305, Stephen F. Austin; Paul Cornick, senior, 6-6, 309, North Dakota State; Brett Moore, senior, 6-3, 255, Georgia Southern; Tom Compton, senior, 6-6, 314, South Dakota.
Receivers - Rodrick Rumble, junior, 6-2, 201, Idaho State; Aaron Mellette, junior, 6-4, 212, Elon; Ryan Spadola, junior, 6-3, 205, Lehigh.
All-purpose - Jonathan Grimes, senior, 5-10, 201, Williams & Mary.
Kicker - Zach Brown, junior, 6-1, 200, Portland State.
FIST TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen - Ben Boothby, senior, 6-0, 280, Northern Iowa; Zack Nash, senior, 6-4, 260, Sacramento State; Ben Obaseki, junior, 6-3, 260, Indiana State; Adrian Hamilton, senior, 6-3, 255, Prairie View A&M.
Linebackers - Tyler Holmes, senior, 6-0, 224, Massachusetts; Kadarron Anderson, senior, 6-1, 234, Furman; Caleb McSurdy, senior, 6-1, 242, Montana.
Defensive backs - Marcus Williams, sophomore, 5-11, 190, North Dakota State; Trumaine Johnson, senior, 6-3, 210, Montana; Ryan Steed, senior, 5-11, 188, Furman; Josh Norman, senior, 6-2, 190, Coastal Carolina.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback - Chris Lum, senior, Lehigh.
Running backs - Terrance West, freshman, Towson; Tim Flanders, sophomore, Sam Houston State.
Linemen - Bryan Boerner, senior, Southern Illinois; Gino Gradowski, senior, Delaware; Nate Page, senior, Wofford; Blake Matthews, senior, Norfolk State; Joe Faiella, senior, Stony Brook.
Receivers - Brian Quick, senior, Appalachian State; Mario Louis, senior, Grambling; Nicholas Edwards, junior, Eastern Washington.
All-purpose - Brock Jackloski, senior, Stony Brook.
Kicker - Ryan Estep, senior, Norfolk State.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen - Brent Russell, junior, Georgia Southern; Blake Olijaro, sophomore, San Diego; Andrew Schaetzke, senior, Georgetown; Ronnie Cameron, senior, Old Dominion.
Linebackers - Matt Evans, junior, New Hampshire; Blake Peiffer, junior, Southeast Missouri State; A.J. Storms, senior, Idaho State.
Defensive backs - Kejuan Riley, junior, Alabama State; Justin Bethel, senior, Presbyterian; Darnell Taylor, junior, Sam Houston State; Bryce Robertson, senior, Bucknell.
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback - Casey Brockman, junior, Murray State.
Running backs - Nick Schweiger, senior, Dartmouth; Matt Denham, junior, Eastern Kentucky.
Linemen - Scott Schweitzer, senior, Tennessee Tech; Jon Opperud, senior, Montana; Malcolm Boyd, junior, Liberty; Jeff Adams, senior, Columbia; Troy McKenna, junior, Lehigh.
Receivers - Elvis Akpla, senior, Montana State; Shane Savage, senior, Cornell; Tre Gray, senior, Richmond.
All-purpose - Gralyn Crawford, junior, Stephen F. Austin.
Kicker - Tyler Sievertsen, sophomore, Northern Iowa.
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen -Ryan Davis, senior, Bethune-Cookman; Tyler Osborne, senior Southern Utah; Josue Ortiz, senior, Harvard; Joseph Lebeau, junior, Jackson State.
Linebackers - L.J. Fort, senior, Northern Iowa; Derek Rose, junior, Northwestern State; Keith Pough, junior, Howard.
Defensive backs - Serge Kona, junior, Duquesne; Asa Jackson, junior, Cal Poly; Jeremy Caldwell, senior, Eastern Kentucky; Daxton Swanson, junior, Sam Houston State.
Punter - Patrick Murray, junior, Fordham.
Akpla became the fourth Bobcat to earn All-America honors at his position, the first higher than honorable mention. Akpla caught 63 passes for 1,145 yards in 2011, and finished his career as the best pass-catcher in school history in terms of receiving yards.
The Portland product who transferred to MSU after two seasons at Oregon capped his outstanding senior season in sensational fashion in the FCS Playoff Quarterfinals at Sam Houston State captivated college football fans nationally with a catch that was featured on most national sports shows. He also posted his third consecutive 100-yard receiving day, two of which came against teams with defensive backs on the AP All-America team, Montana's Trumaine Johnson and Sam Houston State's Daxton Swanson.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback - Bo Levi Mitchell, senior, 6-2, 210, Eastern Washington.
Running backs - Shakir Bell, sophomore, 5-8, 185, Indiana State; Eric Breitenstein, junior, 5-11, 225, Wofford.
Linemen - J.C. Oram, senior, 6-4, 300, Weber State; George Bias, senior, 6-3, 305, Stephen F. Austin; Paul Cornick, senior, 6-6, 309, North Dakota State; Brett Moore, senior, 6-3, 255, Georgia Southern; Tom Compton, senior, 6-6, 314, South Dakota.
Receivers - Rodrick Rumble, junior, 6-2, 201, Idaho State; Aaron Mellette, junior, 6-4, 212, Elon; Ryan Spadola, junior, 6-3, 205, Lehigh.
All-purpose - Jonathan Grimes, senior, 5-10, 201, Williams & Mary.
Kicker - Zach Brown, junior, 6-1, 200, Portland State.
FIST TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen - Ben Boothby, senior, 6-0, 280, Northern Iowa; Zack Nash, senior, 6-4, 260, Sacramento State; Ben Obaseki, junior, 6-3, 260, Indiana State; Adrian Hamilton, senior, 6-3, 255, Prairie View A&M.
Linebackers - Tyler Holmes, senior, 6-0, 224, Massachusetts; Kadarron Anderson, senior, 6-1, 234, Furman; Caleb McSurdy, senior, 6-1, 242, Montana.
Defensive backs - Marcus Williams, sophomore, 5-11, 190, North Dakota State; Trumaine Johnson, senior, 6-3, 210, Montana; Ryan Steed, senior, 5-11, 188, Furman; Josh Norman, senior, 6-2, 190, Coastal Carolina.
Punter - David Harrington, senior, 6-2, 1985, Idaho State.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback - Chris Lum, senior, Lehigh.
Running backs - Terrance West, freshman, Towson; Tim Flanders, sophomore, Sam Houston State.
Linemen - Bryan Boerner, senior, Southern Illinois; Gino Gradowski, senior, Delaware; Nate Page, senior, Wofford; Blake Matthews, senior, Norfolk State; Joe Faiella, senior, Stony Brook.
Receivers - Brian Quick, senior, Appalachian State; Mario Louis, senior, Grambling; Nicholas Edwards, junior, Eastern Washington.
All-purpose - Brock Jackloski, senior, Stony Brook.
Kicker - Ryan Estep, senior, Norfolk State.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen - Brent Russell, junior, Georgia Southern; Blake Olijaro, sophomore, San Diego; Andrew Schaetzke, senior, Georgetown; Ronnie Cameron, senior, Old Dominion.
Linebackers - Matt Evans, junior, New Hampshire; Blake Peiffer, junior, Southeast Missouri State; A.J. Storms, senior, Idaho State.
Defensive backs - Kejuan Riley, junior, Alabama State; Justin Bethel, senior, Presbyterian; Darnell Taylor, junior, Sam Houston State; Bryce Robertson, senior, Bucknell.
Punter - Jonathan Plisco, junior, Old Dominion.
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback - Casey Brockman, junior, Murray State.
Running backs - Nick Schweiger, senior, Dartmouth; Matt Denham, junior, Eastern Kentucky.
Linemen - Scott Schweitzer, senior, Tennessee Tech; Jon Opperud, senior, Montana; Malcolm Boyd, junior, Liberty; Jeff Adams, senior, Columbia; Troy McKenna, junior, Lehigh.
Receivers - Elvis Akpla, senior, Montana State; Shane Savage, senior, Cornell; Tre Gray, senior, Richmond.
All-purpose - Gralyn Crawford, junior, Stephen F. Austin.
Kicker - Tyler Sievertsen, sophomore, Northern Iowa.
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen -Ryan Davis, senior, Bethune-Cookman; Tyler Osborne, senior Southern Utah; Josue Ortiz, senior, Harvard; Joseph Lebeau, junior, Jackson State.
Linebackers - L.J. Fort, senior, Northern Iowa; Derek Rose, junior, Northwestern State; Keith Pough, junior, Howard.
Defensive backs - Serge Kona, junior, Duquesne; Asa Jackson, junior, Cal Poly; Jeremy Caldwell, senior, Eastern Kentucky; Daxton Swanson, junior, Sam Houston State.
Punter - Patrick Murray, junior, Fordham.
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