COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-- The Mountain West Conference announced the 2004 All-Conference teams and individual award winners today as selected by the League coaches and media panel. A total of 15 BYU players earned All-Conference recognition, including four first-team selections.
In his first season at BYU, receiver Todd Watkins was selected to the all-league first team, while Aaron Francisco eared first-team honors for the second straight season. Linebacker Brady Poppinga and punter Matt Payne were two of five players to earn first-team honors for the third straight season.
Quarterback John Beck, running back Curtis Brown and offensive lineman Scott Young were named to the All-MWC second team, while defensive lineman Shaun Nua also picked up second-team honors. Payne garnered second-team honors as a place kicker.
Defensive lineman Manaia Brown, defensive back Jon Burbidge, receiver Austin Collie, linebacker Cameron Jensen, offensive lineman Jake Kuresa, kick returner Bryce Mahuika and offensive lineman Lance Reynolds, Jr., each received All-Mountain West honorable-mention honors.
Mountain West Champion Utah garnered three individual honors as quarterback Alex Smith was named Offensive Player of the Year, defensive back Morgan Scalley was selected Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Urban Meyer was chosen Coach of the Year for the second straight season. San Diego State linebacker Kirk Morrison also earned Co-Defensive Player of the Year, marking the second consecutive season he has captured that honor. Collie was named Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Cougar since Luke Staley in 1999 to garner the award.
Overall, there are 11 repeat honorees on this year's All-MWC teams from a year ago, including nine first-team selections from 2003 -- Francisco, Payne and Poppinga; Colorado State's Erik Pears; New Mexico's Ryan Cook, DonTrell Moore and Claude Terrell; San Diego State's Kirk Morrison and UNLV's Jamaal Brimmer.
A listing of the 2004 All-Mountain West teams and individual honors are below.
Offensive Player of the Year
Alex Smith, Jr., QB, Utah
Co-Defensive Players of the Year
Kirk Morrison, Sr., LB, San Diego State
Morgan Scalley, Sr., DB, Utah
Freshman of the Year
Austin Collie, WR, BYU
Coach of the Year
Urban Meyer, Utah
All-Mountain West First-Team
Offense
Pos. Player Cl. School
QB Alex Smith# Sr. Utah
WR Steve Savoy So. Utah
WR Todd Watkins Jr. BYU
RB Dominique Dorsey Sr. UNLV
RB DonTrell Moore#/** Jr. New Mexico
TE Joel Dreessen# Sr. Colorado State
OL Ryan Cook* Jr. New Mexico
OL Trenton Franz Sr. Wyoming
OL Chris Kemoeatu Sr. Utah
OL Erik Pears* Sr. Colorado State
OL Claude Terrell#* Sr. New Mexico
PK Deric Yaussi Jr. Wyoming
PR/KR Hoost Marsh Fr. Wyoming
Defense
Pos. Player Cl. School
DL Steve Fifita Jr. Utah
DL Zach Morris Sr. Wyoming
DL Marcus Parker Jr. New Mexico
DL Sione Pouha Sr. Utah
LB Kirk Morrison** Sr. San Diego State
LB Brady Poppinga** Sr. BYU
LB Nick Speegle Sr. New Mexico
DB Jamaal Brimmer** Sr. UNLV
DB Aaron Francisco* Sr. BYU
DB Brandon Payne Sr. New Mexico
DB Morgan Scalley# Sr. Utah
P Matt Payne** Sr. BYU
#--Unanimous Selection
*--Two-Time First-Team Selection
**--Three-Time First-Team Selection
All-Mountain West Second-Team
Offense
Pos. Player Cl. School
QB John Beck So. BYU
WR David Anderson Jr. Colorado State
WR Paris Warren Sr. Utah
RB Curtis Brown So. BYU
RB Marty Johnson Sr. Utah
TE John Wadkowski Jr. Wyoming
OL Jesse Boone Jr. Utah
OL Joel Critchfield Sr. UNLV
OL Mike Kracalik Sr. San Diego State
OL Scott Young Sr. BYU
OL Jon Wilson Jr. Air Force
PK Matt Payne Sr. BYU
PR/KR Jovon Bouknight Jr. Wyoming
Defense
Pos. Player Cl. School
DL Patrick Goodpaster Sr. Colorado State
DL Dusty Hoffschneider Jr. Wyoming
DL Blake Lobel Sr. San Diego State
DL Shaun Nua Sr. BYU
LB Ryan Claridge Sr. UNLV
LB Matt McCoy Jr. San Diego State
LB Adam Seward Sr. UNLV
DB Josh Bazinet Sr. New Mexico
DB Gabriel Fulbright Jr. New Mexico
DB Derrick Martin So. Wyoming
DB Eric Weddle So. Utah
P Adam Brooks Jr. Wyoming
Honorable Mention
Air Force: Ryan Carter, Sr., DL; Denny Poland, Jr., DB; John Rudzinski,
Sr., LB Darnell Stephens, Sr., RB; Ross Weaver, Jr., OL. BYU: Manaia
Brown, Jr., DL; Jon Burbidge, Sr., DB; Austin Collie, Fr., WR; Cameron
Jensen, So., LB; Jake Kuresa, So., OL; Bryce Mahuika, Fr., KR; Lance
Reynolds, Jr., OL. Colorado State: Jeff Babcock, Sr., K/P; Albert Bimper,
Jr., OL; Michael Brisiel, Jr., OL; Adam Lancisero, Sr., DB; Jonathon Simon,
Sr., DL. New Mexico: Hank Baskett, Jr., WR; Fola Fashola, Sr., LB; Robert
Turner, So., OL; Wes Zunker, Sr., K. San Diego State: Jonathan Bailes,
So., DL; Heath Farwell, Sr., LB; Marviel Underwood, Sr., DB; Jeff Webb,
Jr., WR. UNLV: Sergio Aguyo, Fr., K; Gary Cook, Sr., P; Earvin Johnson,
Sr., WR; Joe Miklos, Jr., DB. Utah: Makai Aalona, Sr., OL; Quinton
Ganther, Jr., RB; Tommy Hackenbruck, Sr., LB; Matt Kovacevich, Sr., P;
Spencer Toone, Jr., LB. Wyoming: Corey Bramlet, Jr., QB; Jovon Bouknight,
Jr., WR; Chase Johnson, So., OL; John Wendling, So., DB.