Daniel Hardy (right) earned First Team All-Big Sky honors on Tuesday
Troy Andersen Leads Strong Contingent of Bobcats Receiving All-Big Sky Honors
11/23/2021 11:01:00 AM | Football
Six Bobcats earn First Team All-Big Sky honors, including five for the first time
BOZEMAN, Montana – Troy Andersen became Montana State's eighth Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year and five other Bobcats earned First Team All-Big Sky honors, the league announced on Tuesday. In all, 13 Bobcats landed all-conference honors for 2021.
Andersen finished second in the Big Sky in total tackles and solo tackles this season, amassing 114 (59 solos), with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks. The senior from Dillon, Montana, intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, and broke up seven others. During his career he earned First Team All-Big Sky honors at linebacker in 2019 and 2021, and as a quarterback in 2018. He also snagged Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors in 2017 as a running back.
Big Sky Conference coaches lauded five other Bobcats as first teamers for the first time, including two others that join Andersen among defensive players honored. Defensive tackle Chase Benson (senior, Helena, Montana) logged 38 tackles (12 solos), including eight for a loss and 3.5 sacks. He was among the most dominant interior linemen in the FCS, and senior Daniel Hardy (Beaverton, Oregon) posted a similar season at end. He finished second in the Big Sky and ninth in the FCS in sacks (1.0 per game), and was fourth in the league and 10th nationally in tackles-for-loss (1.6 per game).
Offensively, three Bobcats received first team kudos. Junior Isaiah Ifanse (Bellevue, Washington) led the Big Sky with 1,258 rushing yards in 2021, fourth-most in the FCS and the eighth-best season in Bobcat history. One of the linemen who cleared Ifanse's path throughout his career, senior Lewis Kidd (Minneapolis, Minnesota), earned First Team All-Big Sky honors after landing on the second team in 2019 and the third team in 2018. His 44 consecutive starts is seventh-most in school history, and as a junior and senior he anchored the offensive line that produced the Big Sky's best rushing team. Senior receiver Lance McCutcheon finished second in the Big Sky with 904 receiving yards, 17th in the FCS, and is 60 short of joining MSU's single-season top 10.
Senior offensive lineman Taylor Tuiasosopo (Lancaster, California), junior linebacker Callahan O'Reilly (Bozeman, Montana) and junior safety Ty Okada (Woodbury, Minnesota) landed second team honors. Safety Tre Webb (grad student, Riverside, California) and freshman kicker Blake Glessner (Camas, Washington) joined the third team. Senior defensive end Amandre Williams (Maple Valley, Washington) and junior safety Jeffrey Manning (Los Angeles, California) earned honorable mention honors.
The Bobcats return to action on December 4 at 2 pm, hosting either Missouri State or UT Martin in the second round of the FCS Playoffs. The Cats earned the eighth seed and a first-round bye. Purchase tickets at msubobcats.com.
BIG SKY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Troy Andersen, Linebacker (Dillon, Montana)
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG SKY
RUNNING BACK: Isaiah Ifanse, jr (Bellevue, Washington)
RECEIVER: Lance McCutcheon, sr (Bozeman, Montana)
OFFENSIVE LINE: Lewis Kidd, sr (Minneapolis, Minnesota - unanimous)
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Chase Benson, sr (Helena, Montana)
DEFENSIVE END: Daniel Hardy, sr (Beaverton, Oregon)
MIDDLE LINEBACKER: Troy Andersen, sr (Dillon, Montana)
SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG SKY
OFFENSIVE LINE: Taylor Tuiasosopo, sr (Lancaster, California)
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: Callahan O'Reilly, jr (Bozeman, Montana)
DEFENSIVE BACK: Ty Okada, jr (Woodbury, Minnesota)
THIRD TEAM ALL-BIG SKY
SAFETY: Tre Webb, Gr (Riverside, California)
KICKER: Blake Glessner, fr (Camas, Washington)
HONORABLE MENTION
DEFENSIVE END: Amandre Williams, sr (Maple Valley, Washington)
SAFETY: Jeffrey Manning Jr., jr. (Los Angeles, California)
#GoCatsGo
Andersen finished second in the Big Sky in total tackles and solo tackles this season, amassing 114 (59 solos), with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks. The senior from Dillon, Montana, intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, and broke up seven others. During his career he earned First Team All-Big Sky honors at linebacker in 2019 and 2021, and as a quarterback in 2018. He also snagged Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors in 2017 as a running back.
Big Sky Conference coaches lauded five other Bobcats as first teamers for the first time, including two others that join Andersen among defensive players honored. Defensive tackle Chase Benson (senior, Helena, Montana) logged 38 tackles (12 solos), including eight for a loss and 3.5 sacks. He was among the most dominant interior linemen in the FCS, and senior Daniel Hardy (Beaverton, Oregon) posted a similar season at end. He finished second in the Big Sky and ninth in the FCS in sacks (1.0 per game), and was fourth in the league and 10th nationally in tackles-for-loss (1.6 per game).
Offensively, three Bobcats received first team kudos. Junior Isaiah Ifanse (Bellevue, Washington) led the Big Sky with 1,258 rushing yards in 2021, fourth-most in the FCS and the eighth-best season in Bobcat history. One of the linemen who cleared Ifanse's path throughout his career, senior Lewis Kidd (Minneapolis, Minnesota), earned First Team All-Big Sky honors after landing on the second team in 2019 and the third team in 2018. His 44 consecutive starts is seventh-most in school history, and as a junior and senior he anchored the offensive line that produced the Big Sky's best rushing team. Senior receiver Lance McCutcheon finished second in the Big Sky with 904 receiving yards, 17th in the FCS, and is 60 short of joining MSU's single-season top 10.
Senior offensive lineman Taylor Tuiasosopo (Lancaster, California), junior linebacker Callahan O'Reilly (Bozeman, Montana) and junior safety Ty Okada (Woodbury, Minnesota) landed second team honors. Safety Tre Webb (grad student, Riverside, California) and freshman kicker Blake Glessner (Camas, Washington) joined the third team. Senior defensive end Amandre Williams (Maple Valley, Washington) and junior safety Jeffrey Manning (Los Angeles, California) earned honorable mention honors.
The Bobcats return to action on December 4 at 2 pm, hosting either Missouri State or UT Martin in the second round of the FCS Playoffs. The Cats earned the eighth seed and a first-round bye. Purchase tickets at msubobcats.com.
BIG SKY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Troy Andersen, Linebacker (Dillon, Montana)
FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG SKY
RUNNING BACK: Isaiah Ifanse, jr (Bellevue, Washington)
RECEIVER: Lance McCutcheon, sr (Bozeman, Montana)
OFFENSIVE LINE: Lewis Kidd, sr (Minneapolis, Minnesota - unanimous)
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Chase Benson, sr (Helena, Montana)
DEFENSIVE END: Daniel Hardy, sr (Beaverton, Oregon)
MIDDLE LINEBACKER: Troy Andersen, sr (Dillon, Montana)
SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG SKY
OFFENSIVE LINE: Taylor Tuiasosopo, sr (Lancaster, California)
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: Callahan O'Reilly, jr (Bozeman, Montana)
DEFENSIVE BACK: Ty Okada, jr (Woodbury, Minnesota)
THIRD TEAM ALL-BIG SKY
SAFETY: Tre Webb, Gr (Riverside, California)
KICKER: Blake Glessner, fr (Camas, Washington)
HONORABLE MENTION
DEFENSIVE END: Amandre Williams, sr (Maple Valley, Washington)
SAFETY: Jeffrey Manning Jr., jr. (Los Angeles, California)
#GoCatsGo
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