Three Bobcat Gridders Land on HERO Sports 2020 FCS Preseason All-America Team
5/28/2020 11:32:00 AM | Football
Troy Andersen, Amandre Williams, Lewis Kidd earn preseason All-America honors
BOZEMAN, Montana – Three Bobcats landed on the HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-America Team on Thursday. Senior linebacker Troy Andersen earned first team honors, while offensive lineman Lewis Kidd and Buck Amandre Williams each picked up spots on the third team.
Andersen (Dillon, Montana) landed on the First Team Defense at Athlete, an appropriate spot for one of college football's unique talents. Andersen earned Freshman All-America honors as a running back in 2017, was an All-America quarterback in 2018, and earned All-America honors at linebacker during his injury-shorted 2019 season. In 10 games last season, Andersen registered 54 total tackles, 11.5 for a loss, and also recorded 6.5 sacks. He intercepted one pass and broke up five others, and hurried opposing quarterbacks twice. He also rushed the ball 49 times for 336 yards, averaging 6.9 per carry, and scored seven touchdowns.
The offensive productivity Andersen enjoyed came behind the Big Sky's best offensive line statistically. The Cats led the Big Sky in rushing (258.1 yards per game) and fewest sacks allowed (0.9 per game). Third-year starter Kidd (Fridley, Minnesota) helped anchor the 2019 line at right guard, after starting all 13 games at that position in 2018 and the final five games there during his freshman season. He earned Third Team All-Big Sky honors in 2019.
After transferring to Montana State for the 2019 season, Williams enjoyed one of the most productive seasons in the league at the Buck position, a hybrid outside linebacker and defensive end position. His 0.33 sacks per game was 13th in the Big Sky, and his 1.07 tackles-for-loss per game was fourth. His 65 total tackles was third on the squad, and he also intercepted two passes, broke up two others, and hurried the quarterback three times. He recovered one fumble and forced another.
The full HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-America team is below…
First Team Offense
QB: Trey Lance, NDSU; Kevin Thomson, Sac State
RB: Karl Mofor, Albany; Jah-Maine Martin, North Carolina A&T; Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State
OL: Dillon Radunz, NDSU; Liam Fornadel, James Madison; Cordell Volson, NDSU; PJ Burkhalter, Nicholls; Drew Himmelman, Illinois State
WR: Cade Johnson, South Dakota State; DeAngelo Wilson, Austin Peay; Samori Toure, UM.
TE: Dalton Kincaid, San Diego
AP: Shane Simpson, Towson
ATH: Brandon Rainey, The Citadel (QB)
First Team Defense
DL: Elerson Smith, Northern Iowa; Romeo McKnight, Illinois State; Jermaine McDaniel, North Carolina A&T; Kobie Turner, Richmond
LB: Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw; Jace Lewis, UM; Ryan Grennhagen, Fordham; Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
DB: Robby Hauck, UM; Brandon Easterling, Dayton; Kordel Jackson, Austin Peay; Ferlando Jordan, SE Louisiana
ATH: Troy Andersen, Montana State.
First Team Special Teams
P: Chris Faddoul, Florida A&M.
K: Luis Aguilar, Northern Arizona.
LS: Colten Menges, Alcorn State.
PR: Montrell Washington, Samford.
KR: Lonnie Moore, Monmouth.
ST: De'Angelo Amos, James Madison.
Second Team Offense
QB: Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington; Bailey Zappe, Houston Baptist; Jeff Undercuffler, Albany.
RB: Josh Davis, Weber State; Marcus Knight, Montana; Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison.
OL: Nash Jensen, NDSU; Paul Grattan, Villanova; Ty Whitworth, Weber State; Kyle Nunez, Stony Brook; J'Von Brown, Central Connecticut.
WR: Changa Hodge, Villanova; Isaiah Weston, Northern Iowa; Xavier Smith, Florida A&M.
TE: Colton Dowdell, UT Martin.
AP: Elijah Dotson, Sacramento State.
ATH: Danny Smith, Villanova (QB).
Second Team Defense
DL: Mike Greene, James Madison; Jared Brinkman, Northern Iowa; Roderick Perry, South Carolina State; Trace Moscorro, Sam Houston State.
LB: DeShawn Stevens, Maine; Levi Metheny, Albany; Colby Campbell, Presbyterian; Adrian Hope, Furman.
DB: Michael Tutsie, NDSU; Kendrick Whitehead, Delaware; Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas; Devin Taylor, Illinois State.
DB: Kedrick Whitehead, Delaware.
DB: Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas.
DB: Devin Taylor, Illinois State.
Second Team Special Teams
P: D.J. Arnson, Northern Arizona.
K: Trey Tuttle, Weber State.
LS: Bradey Sorenson, SDSU.
PR: Mike Roussos, Columbia.
KR: Quay Holmes, ETSU.
ST: Elijah Soloman, Villanova.
Third Team Offense
QB: Breylin Smith, Central Arkansas; Felix Harper, Alcorn State.
RB: Devin Wynn, Furman; Wesley Duggar, Davidson; Julius Chestnut, Sacred Heart.
FB: Clint Ratkovich, Western Illinois.
OL: Lewis Kidd, Montana State; Blake Mitchell, Austin Peay; Connor Mignone, Central Connecticut; Keenan Forbes, Florida A&M; Colby Thomas, Sam Houston St; Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa.
WR: Lujuan Winningham, Central Arkansas; Pierre Williams, Sacramento State; Brandon Porter, NAU.
TE: Chris James, Chattanooga.
AP: Alex Ramsey, The Citadel (former VMI).
ATH: E.J. Perry, Brown (QB).
Third Team Defense
DL: Amandre Williams, Montana State; Josephus Smith, Austin Peay; DJ Coleman, Jacksonville State; Malik Hamm, Lafayette; Shaundre Mims, Charleston Southern.
LB: Willie Eubanks, The Citadel; Glenn Cunningham, Fordham; Keonte Hampton, Jackson State; Chris Ojoh, Eastern Washington.
DB: Christian Uphoff, Illinois State; Devin Dunn, McNeese State; Shawn Steele, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Jaquon Amos, Villanova; Xavior Williams, Northern Iowa.
Third Team Special Teams
P: Brady Schutt, South Dakota.
K: Ethan Ratke, James Madison.
LS: Robert Soderholm, VMI.
KR: Bronson Yoder, William & Mary.
Andersen (Dillon, Montana) landed on the First Team Defense at Athlete, an appropriate spot for one of college football's unique talents. Andersen earned Freshman All-America honors as a running back in 2017, was an All-America quarterback in 2018, and earned All-America honors at linebacker during his injury-shorted 2019 season. In 10 games last season, Andersen registered 54 total tackles, 11.5 for a loss, and also recorded 6.5 sacks. He intercepted one pass and broke up five others, and hurried opposing quarterbacks twice. He also rushed the ball 49 times for 336 yards, averaging 6.9 per carry, and scored seven touchdowns.
The offensive productivity Andersen enjoyed came behind the Big Sky's best offensive line statistically. The Cats led the Big Sky in rushing (258.1 yards per game) and fewest sacks allowed (0.9 per game). Third-year starter Kidd (Fridley, Minnesota) helped anchor the 2019 line at right guard, after starting all 13 games at that position in 2018 and the final five games there during his freshman season. He earned Third Team All-Big Sky honors in 2019.
After transferring to Montana State for the 2019 season, Williams enjoyed one of the most productive seasons in the league at the Buck position, a hybrid outside linebacker and defensive end position. His 0.33 sacks per game was 13th in the Big Sky, and his 1.07 tackles-for-loss per game was fourth. His 65 total tackles was third on the squad, and he also intercepted two passes, broke up two others, and hurried the quarterback three times. He recovered one fumble and forced another.
The full HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-America team is below…
First Team Offense
QB: Trey Lance, NDSU; Kevin Thomson, Sac State
RB: Karl Mofor, Albany; Jah-Maine Martin, North Carolina A&T; Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State
OL: Dillon Radunz, NDSU; Liam Fornadel, James Madison; Cordell Volson, NDSU; PJ Burkhalter, Nicholls; Drew Himmelman, Illinois State
WR: Cade Johnson, South Dakota State; DeAngelo Wilson, Austin Peay; Samori Toure, UM.
TE: Dalton Kincaid, San Diego
AP: Shane Simpson, Towson
ATH: Brandon Rainey, The Citadel (QB)
First Team Defense
DL: Elerson Smith, Northern Iowa; Romeo McKnight, Illinois State; Jermaine McDaniel, North Carolina A&T; Kobie Turner, Richmond
LB: Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw; Jace Lewis, UM; Ryan Grennhagen, Fordham; Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
DB: Robby Hauck, UM; Brandon Easterling, Dayton; Kordel Jackson, Austin Peay; Ferlando Jordan, SE Louisiana
ATH: Troy Andersen, Montana State.
First Team Special Teams
P: Chris Faddoul, Florida A&M.
K: Luis Aguilar, Northern Arizona.
LS: Colten Menges, Alcorn State.
PR: Montrell Washington, Samford.
KR: Lonnie Moore, Monmouth.
ST: De'Angelo Amos, James Madison.
QB: Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington; Bailey Zappe, Houston Baptist; Jeff Undercuffler, Albany.
RB: Josh Davis, Weber State; Marcus Knight, Montana; Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison.
OL: Nash Jensen, NDSU; Paul Grattan, Villanova; Ty Whitworth, Weber State; Kyle Nunez, Stony Brook; J'Von Brown, Central Connecticut.
WR: Changa Hodge, Villanova; Isaiah Weston, Northern Iowa; Xavier Smith, Florida A&M.
TE: Colton Dowdell, UT Martin.
AP: Elijah Dotson, Sacramento State.
ATH: Danny Smith, Villanova (QB).
Second Team Defense
DL: Mike Greene, James Madison; Jared Brinkman, Northern Iowa; Roderick Perry, South Carolina State; Trace Moscorro, Sam Houston State.
LB: DeShawn Stevens, Maine; Levi Metheny, Albany; Colby Campbell, Presbyterian; Adrian Hope, Furman.
DB: Michael Tutsie, NDSU; Kendrick Whitehead, Delaware; Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas; Devin Taylor, Illinois State.
DB: Kedrick Whitehead, Delaware.
DB: Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas.
DB: Devin Taylor, Illinois State.
Second Team Special Teams
P: D.J. Arnson, Northern Arizona.
K: Trey Tuttle, Weber State.
LS: Bradey Sorenson, SDSU.
PR: Mike Roussos, Columbia.
KR: Quay Holmes, ETSU.
ST: Elijah Soloman, Villanova.
QB: Breylin Smith, Central Arkansas; Felix Harper, Alcorn State.
RB: Devin Wynn, Furman; Wesley Duggar, Davidson; Julius Chestnut, Sacred Heart.
FB: Clint Ratkovich, Western Illinois.
OL: Lewis Kidd, Montana State; Blake Mitchell, Austin Peay; Connor Mignone, Central Connecticut; Keenan Forbes, Florida A&M; Colby Thomas, Sam Houston St; Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa.
WR: Lujuan Winningham, Central Arkansas; Pierre Williams, Sacramento State; Brandon Porter, NAU.
TE: Chris James, Chattanooga.
AP: Alex Ramsey, The Citadel (former VMI).
ATH: E.J. Perry, Brown (QB).
Third Team Defense
DL: Amandre Williams, Montana State; Josephus Smith, Austin Peay; DJ Coleman, Jacksonville State; Malik Hamm, Lafayette; Shaundre Mims, Charleston Southern.
LB: Willie Eubanks, The Citadel; Glenn Cunningham, Fordham; Keonte Hampton, Jackson State; Chris Ojoh, Eastern Washington.
DB: Christian Uphoff, Illinois State; Devin Dunn, McNeese State; Shawn Steele, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Jaquon Amos, Villanova; Xavior Williams, Northern Iowa.
Third Team Special Teams
P: Brady Schutt, South Dakota.
K: Ethan Ratke, James Madison.
LS: Robert Soderholm, VMI.
KR: Bronson Yoder, William & Mary.
Players Mentioned
Leon Costello Press Conference: Kennedy-Stark Athletic Center
Thursday, July 31
A Conversation with President Dr. Waded Cruzado | Montana State Athletics
Monday, May 19
Big Cats, Little Trucks - Willie Patterson
Wednesday, May 03
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, May 03
