LAS -- BYU senior quarterback Max Hall was named the Preseason Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year and joins four other Cougar teammates selected to the MWC Preseason All-Conference Team announced Tuesday by the league.
The preseason player awards and all-conference team were selected by members of who media covering the league.
Hall was joined on the All-MWC offense by junior running back Harvey Unga and senior tight end Dennis Pitta, who was the lone unanimous selection to the offensive team. Senior defensive end Jan Jorgensen was named to the all-conference defensive team while junior Mitch Payne was predicted to be the league’s top place kicker in 2009.
Besides Hall, TCU senior defensive end Jerry Hughes was selected Defensive Player of the Year, TCU junior kick returner Jeremy Kerley was chosen Special Teams Player of the Year and TCU running back Ed Wesley (TCU) was tabbed Freshman of the Year for the preseason.
Hall, a second-team all-MWC honoree in 2008, passed for league highs of 3,957 yards and 35 touchdowns last fall, leading the MWC in both categories for the second straight season. His passing and total yardage (4,072) numbers ranked among the top 10 nationally while setting MWC records for a junior signal-caller.
Pitta totaled 1,083 yards on 83 catches to earn All-America Third Team honors in 2008 and, along with fellow senior Andrew George, gives BYU perhaps the most potent tight end position in the nation.
Jorgensen enters the season as the MWC’s career sacks leader after earning first-team All-MWC honors last year along with Pitta. The experienced defensive end will be a four-year starter and is expected to lead an improved defensive in 2009.
Unga earned second-team All-MWC accolades last season and is on pace to become BYU’s leading all-time rusher in only his junior campaign in 2009. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Unga needs 863 yards to pass Curtis Brown atop the Cougars’ career rushing leaders.
Payne is a two-year starter at place kicker who made 10-of-14 field goals and 54-of-56 point-after attempts in 2008. With his experience, the junior is expected to be a significant contributor to the team’s success in 2009.
Hughes, a consensus All-American and the MWC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, was a first-team all-MWC selection for TCU a year ago after leading the nation with an MWC single-season record of 15 sacks. He also tied for the lead nationally with six forced fumbles. Kerley, a first-team all-MWC selection as a kick returner in 2008, led the league in punt returns (25) and total punt return yardage (348) last season. Wesley rushed for 1,309 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior year at MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas.
The 2009 preseason team is loaded with experience, featuring 19 players that were all-Conference selections in 2008, including six first-team honorees. Twenty-one seniors, three juniors and two sophomores comprise the 26-member squad. TCU placed seven members to the team while BYU and Utah featured five selections. Air Force, Colorado State and UNLV had two players selected while Wyoming, New Mexico and San Diego State each placed one player on the preseason team.
2009 PRESEASON ALL-MWC
Offense
QB Max Hall, BYU**
WR Ryan Wolfe, UNLV*
WR Rashaun Greer, Colorado State**
WR Vincent Brown, San Diego State
RB Harvey Unga, BYU**
RB Matt Asiata, Utah
OL Zane Beadles, Utah*
OL Nick Charles, Air Force**
OL Shelley Smith, Colorado State**
OL Erik Cook, New Mexico**
OL Marshall Newhouse, TCU**
TE Dennis Pitta, BYU*#
Defense
DL Jan Jorgensen, BYU*
DL Jerry Hughes, TCU*#
DL John Fletcher, Wyoming**
DL Koa Misi, Utah**
LB Daryl Washington, TCU
LB Jason Beauchamp, UNLV**
LB Stevenson Sylvester, Utah**#
DB Chris Thomas, Air Force**
DB Rafael Priest, TCU**
DB Nick Sanders, TCU
DB Robert Johnson, Utah
Specialists
P Anson Kelton, TCU
PK Mitch Payne, BYU
Ret Jeremy Kerley, TCU*
Offensive Player of the Year:
Max Hall, Sr., QB, BYU
Defensive Player of the Year:
Jerry Hughes, Sr., DL, TCU
Special Teams Player of the Year:
Jeremy Kerley, Jr., KR/PR, TCU
Freshman of the Year:
Ed Wesley, RB, TCU
# - unanimous 2009 preseason selection.
* - member of the 2008 All-Mountain West Conference first-team.
** - member of the 2008 All-Mountain West Conference second-team.