Sixteen Cougars receive preseason All-Independent honors

football_possibility_1_0_0football_possibility_1_0_0

CLEVELAND – Nine Cougars were named to Phil Steele’s All-Independent First Team with seven more being named to the second team as announced Tuesday.

Junior quarterback Taysom Hill and junior running back Jamaal Williams were joined by incoming junior wide receiver Devon Blackmon on the first-team offense.

Hill led BYU last year with 2,938 passing yards, 1,344 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. Only Heisman Trophy quarterback Ty Detmer has ever produced more total offense for the Cougars as a sophomore.

Williams rushed for 1,260 yards and seven touchdowns to mark the first time BYU has ever produced two 1,000-yard rushers in the same backfield.

Safety Craig Bills, defensive back Robertson Daniel, linebackers Alani Fua and Bronson Kaufusi and defensive end Remington Peck were named to the first-team defensive unit.

Seniors Bills and Daniel both finished tied for the team lead in interceptions (2) last season. Kaufusi, a junior, tied for a team-high four sacks in 2013, while Fua, a senior, and Peck, a junior, each finished tied for third on the team with three sacks.

Junior running back Adam Hine was named as the first-team kick returner after finishing 2013 ranked No. 12 with 27.2 average yards per kick return.

Linebacker Manoa Pikula, nose tackle Marques Johnson and punter Scott Arellano were named to the second team entering their senior seasons. Seniors Michael Yeck and Solomone Kafu join freshman Tuni Kanuch on the second-team offensive line, while senior Devin Mahina was named as the second-team tight end.

Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is one of the nation’s most informative preseason football magazine and has always provided a preseason All-American team as well as preseason All-Conference teams. For more information or to obtain a copy of each of the All-Conference teams, please visit PhilSteele.com.

 

OFFENSE
QBTaysom HillBYU
RBJamaal WilliamsBYU
RBTerry BaggettArmy
WRDaVaris DanielsNotre Dame
WRDevon BlackmonBYU
TEBen KoyackNotre Dame
OLNick MartinNotre Dame
OLStephen ShumakerArmy
OLSteve ElmerNotre Dame
OLBradyn HeapNavy
OLRonnie StanleyNotre Dame
   
DEFENSE
DLSheldon DayNotre Dame
DLJarron JonesNotre Dame
DLRemington PeckBYU
LBJaylon SmithNotre Dame
LBBronson KaufusiBYU
LBChris JohnsonNavy
LBAlani FuaBYU
CBKeiVarae RussellNotre Dame
CBRobertson DanielBYU
SCraig BillsBYU
SParrish GainesNavy
   
SPECIAL TEAMS
KKyle BrindzaNotre Dame
PPablo BeltranNavy
RETAdam HineBYU
OFFENSE
QBKeenan ReynoldsNavy
QBEverrett GolsonNotre Dame
RBRaymond MaplesArmy
RBTarean FolstonNotre Dame
WRChris BrownNotre Dame
TEDevin MahinaBYU
OLMichael YeckBYU
OLChristian LombardNotre Dame
OLTuni KanuchBYU
OLJake ZuzekNavy
OLSolomone KafuBYU
   
DEFENSE
DLRobert KoughArmy
DLMarques JohnsonBYU
DLBernard SarraNavy
LBManoa PikulaBYU
LBJordan DrakeNavy
LBBen CouncellNotre Dame
LBNyles MorganNotre Dame
CBBrendon ClementsNavy
CBCody RiggsNotre Dame
SMax RedfieldNotre Dame
SGeoffery BaconArmy
   
SPECIAL TEAMS
KNick SloanNavy
PScott ArellanoBYU
RETCam McDanielNotre Dame