Dakota Prukop leads the way for MSU's preseason honors
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Five Bobcats Tabbed as Preseason All-Big Sky Selections
7/20/2015 8:06:00 AM | Football
Preseason All-Americas Prukop, Flynn lead the list
Preseason All-Americas J.P. Flynn and Dakota Prukop headline a list of five Bobcats selected as Preseason All-Big Sky selections, the league announced Monday. Those two are joined by offensive tackle John Weidenaar, defensive tackle Taylor Sheridan, and special teams ace Chad Newell.
"This is a great honor for these individuals, and a great tribute to our program," said MSU head coach Rob Ash. "Each of these players have a track record of success and production. I think it speaks volumes that three of our four team captains (Prukop, Sheridan and Newell were each elected following spring drills) made this list. It's not an accident when a team's best players are its leaders, but it's certainly a positive."
Prukop, a Third Team All-America and FCS Player of the Year Watch List selection by STATS Inc., earned the nod at quarterback for the preseason Big Sky squad. He is a junior from Austin, Tex., whose 3,525 yards of total offense in 2014 was second-most in school history. Flynn, a First Team All-America choice by STATS Inc. and returning First Team All-Big Sky selection as a sophomore in 2014, was tabbed at guard. He has started MSU's last 21 games.
Weidenaar has started all of his 38 games at Montana State, and the Manhattan product was a Third Team All-Big Sky choice a season ago. He and Flynn make MSU one of two league schools – joining Eastern Washington – with a pair of offensive linemen on the preseason team. MSU and the Eagles are also the two schools with three players chosen to offensive positions.
Newell, in competition to start at running back for the Cats this season, was tabbed as the preseason special teams player after earning First Team All-Big Sky honors in that capacity as a sophomore last season. The Billings Senior product led the team with a dozen special teams tackles last season, appearing on almost every kick teams play of the season, and also forced and recovered a fumble in that capacity. Taylor Sheridan, a senior from Littleton, Colo., was a Second Team All-Big Sky choice last year, as well. He recorded 50 tackles on the season, five for a loss.
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
"This is a great honor for these individuals, and a great tribute to our program," said MSU head coach Rob Ash. "Each of these players have a track record of success and production. I think it speaks volumes that three of our four team captains (Prukop, Sheridan and Newell were each elected following spring drills) made this list. It's not an accident when a team's best players are its leaders, but it's certainly a positive."
Prukop, a Third Team All-America and FCS Player of the Year Watch List selection by STATS Inc., earned the nod at quarterback for the preseason Big Sky squad. He is a junior from Austin, Tex., whose 3,525 yards of total offense in 2014 was second-most in school history. Flynn, a First Team All-America choice by STATS Inc. and returning First Team All-Big Sky selection as a sophomore in 2014, was tabbed at guard. He has started MSU's last 21 games.
Weidenaar has started all of his 38 games at Montana State, and the Manhattan product was a Third Team All-Big Sky choice a season ago. He and Flynn make MSU one of two league schools – joining Eastern Washington – with a pair of offensive linemen on the preseason team. MSU and the Eagles are also the two schools with three players chosen to offensive positions.
Newell, in competition to start at running back for the Cats this season, was tabbed as the preseason special teams player after earning First Team All-Big Sky honors in that capacity as a sophomore last season. The Billings Senior product led the team with a dozen special teams tackles last season, appearing on almost every kick teams play of the season, and also forced and recovered a fumble in that capacity. Taylor Sheridan, a senior from Littleton, Colo., was a Second Team All-Big Sky choice last year, as well. He recorded 50 tackles on the season, five for a loss.
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
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballThursday, July 31
Monday, May 19
Wednesday, May 03
Wednesday, May 03
