PROVO -- The Nassau County Sports Commission has named junior tight end Daniel Coats to the 2005 John Mackey Award watch list. The award is given annually to the best collegiate tight end.
Coats is coming off a sophomore season in which he started all 11 games. He was credited with 13 receptions for 160 yards in 2004, including a season-high four receptions for 46 yards against UNLV. As a freshman in 2003, he earned Freshman All-America honors from the Sporting News. He set a BYU freshman tight end record with 30 receptions for 378 yards and was named the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week in his first collegiate game after helping the Cougars defeat Georgia Tech, 24-13. Coats caught six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns against the Yellow Jackets and followed that performance with career highs of eight receptions for 114 yards against the eventual national champion USC Trojans.
The Layton, Utah native enjoyed a decorated high school football career at Northridge High School as a wide receiver. He led Northridge to back-to-back 5-A state championships his junior and senior years while being named Mr. Football by the Deseret News his senior season. USA Today named him the Utah State Player of the Year his junior season. Coats is married to the former Alicia Johnson and they have one daughter, Tyra.
The John Mackey Award recipient is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee and announced in mid-December. It has been awarded since 2000 and the past four winners are currently playing in the NFL.
Coats is the third Cougar to be named to a watch list for a major award. Junior linebacker Cameron Jensen is on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, senior offensive lineman Lance Reynolds is a Rimington Trophy candidate and junior offensive lineman Jake Kuresa is on the Outland Trophy Watch List.
DAN COATS
Tight End
6-3, 250, Jr.
Layton, UT / Northridge HS
At BYU
SOPHOMORE - (2004): Started all 11 games at tight end ... earned letterman honors as a sophomore ... credited with 13 receptions for 160 yards on the season ... averaged 12.3 yards per reception ... averaged 14.5 yards per game ... had a season-high four receptions for 46 yards against UNLV ... credited with a season-high 26 yard reception against Air Force ... participated in spring drills ... recorded two receptions for 30 yards, including a 16-yard reception, in the annual Blue-White game.
FRESHMAN - (2003): Earned 2003 Freshman All-America honors (The Sporting News) ... earned letterman honors as a redshirt freshman ... saw action in 10 of the Cougars' 12 games during the season ... holds the BYU freshman tight end record with 278 yards receiving and 30 receptions on the season ... credited with four touchdowns on the season ... named the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week after helping BYU to a season opening 24-13 win over Georgia Tech ... had the nation's top performance by a tight end with six receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns against the Yellow Jackets ... earned receiver-of-the-game honors ... his first career reception was good for a season-high, finger-tip, 38-yard touchdown ... entered the USC game as the top-ranked tight end in the nation ... named the Chevrolet Player of the Game after a career-high eight receptions for 114 yards against third-ranked USC ... his 114 yards marked the most receiving yards by a BYU tight end since Doug Jolley recorded 177 yards against Air Force in 2001 ... credited with a 14-yard touchdown against the Trojans ... averaged a nation's best 103.5 yards per game and 7.0 receptions per contest through the first two games of the season ... credited with three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown against Stanford ... named receiver of the game by the BYU coaching staff ... picked up 38 yards on five receptions against Wyoming ... averaged 12.6 yards per receptions ... participated in spring drills ... switched from receiver to tight end ... credited with four receptions for 34 yards in three spring scrimmages, including three receptions for 20 yards in the first scrimmage of the season.
REDSHIRT - (2002): Redshirted as a true freshman.
Before BYU
Utah State Player of the Year ... named the 2001 Deseret News Mr. Football ... earned 5A MVP honors as a junior ... led Northridge HS to back-to-back 5-A state championships as a junior and senior ... ranked nationally among top receivers by Student Sports ... USA Today Utah State Player of the Year as a junior ... recorded 2,386 yards and 23 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Northridge HS, including 47 receptions for 1,247 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior ... led Northridge to a combined 23-2 record during his junior and senior seasons ... recruited by UCLA, Washington, Washington State, Cal, Nebraska and Clemson.
Personal
A native of Layton, Utah ... married to the former Alicia Johnson of Layton, Utah in July, 2002 ... the couple has one daughter, Tyra ... son of Judy Coats.
CAREER STATS
Yr No. Yds TD LG
2003 30 378 4 38
2004 13 160 0 26