Staley Named MWC Freshman of the Year; Cougars Take Home All-Conference Honors
PROVO, Utah -- BYU freshman running back Luke Staley was today named the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year following a vote of the league's coaches. Staley, a true freshman from Tualatin, Ore., led the Mountain West in scoring, despite missing the Cougars' final two games due to injury. Staley finished the season as the nation's highest-ranking freshman in scoring with 10 of the Cougars' 13 rushing touchdowns and added three touchdown receptions.
A total of 10 BYU players were selected as All-Conference performers, including six first-team selections and four second-team picks. Among the first-team honorees, senior quarterback Kevin Feterik, junior wide receiver Margin Hooks, senior lineman Matt Johnson, senior defensive end Byron Frisch, senior linebacker Rob Morris and senior cornerback Brian Gray. Second-team selections included senior offensive lineman Jimmy Richards, junior defensive lineman Setema Gali, sophomore linebacker Justin Ena and junior kicker Owen Pochman.
Following is a list of each BYU All-Conference selection and bio information from the season:
#7 Kevin Feterik (First Team All-Conference)
Quarterback; Sr.; 6-0; 200; Los Alamitos, Calif.
A Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award finalist...After 11 regular-season games, ranks 16th nationally in passing efficiency (138.9), 8th nationally in total offense (316.1) and has lead the Cougars to a 8th-place ranking in passing offense, averaging 324.3 yards per game and also a 15th-place ranking in total offense (425.6 yards per game)...Named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week and the USA Today.com National Player of the Week after completing 39-of-59 attempts in a 35-28 win over Washington in the Cougars' season-opener, including three touchdown passes...Used 12 different receivers against the Huskies to total 501 yards -- the most passing yards by a BYU quarterback since the first game of the 1996 season...Set a Cougar Stadium record with 59 pass attempts and paced BYU to 37 first downs, another stadium record against the Huskies...Followed the season-opener with a 310-yard passing performance against Colorado State, leading BYU to a 34-13 victory...Was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week for a second straight week with two TD passes on 28-of-37 attempts against the Rams...Completed 28-of-47 attempts against Virginia for 303 yards -- his third straight 300-yard performance of the season...Led a BYU comeback that included three touchdown passes, as the Cougars fell just five points shy of overcoming a 22-point deficit against Virginia...Equaled a career-high four touchdown completions on 23-of-36 attempts for 289 yards in a 34-31 overtime win at Utah State...Tallied four TD completions for a second straight week in a 38-28 win over Cal, completing 25-of-41 attempts for 414 yards -- his fourth 300-yard performance of the season...In just three quarters of play, tallied 211 yards passing on 15-of-27 attempts in a 31-7 win at New Mexico...Connected with Doug Jolley in the first quarter (at UNLV) to collect his 46th career touchdown completion...Is 8-3 as a starter when passing for over 300 yards...Ranks 9th on BYU's all-time touchdown completions list with 53 TDs...With his 262-yard performance against San Diego State, improved to 17-4 as a starter when passing for over 200 yards...Finished his career at 17-6 when passing for over 200 yards...Including the Utah game, has completed at least one touchdown pass in 16 straight games, including 19 of his last 20 games...Over 452 attempts, has thrown just 15 interceptions, averaging only one miscue every 30.1 attempts...Has thrown a career-high 25 touchdown completions on the season...Earned Mountain West Player-of-the-Week honors after completing 24-of-33 passes against Air Force, including a 14-for-15 performance in the first half ... With 309 yards passing against Utah, logged his sixth 300-yard game of the season.
#26 Luke Staley
(Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year)
6-1; 215; Fr.; Tualatin, Oregon
As a true freshman, leads the Mountain West Conference in scoring, averaging 9.8 points per game ... Listed as the nation's highest ranking freshman in scoring with a team-leading 10 rushing and three touchdown receptions ... Leads the Mountain West in touchdowns with 13 TDs ... Has scored at least one touchdown in every game he has played this season, including three touchdowns against Colorado State on his 19th birthday ... Has scored 10 of the Cougars' 13 rushing touchdowns on the season ... Ranks second on the roster with 432 rushing yards, averaging 54 yards per contest and 4.7 yards per carry ... Ranks eighth in the Mountain West (second on the BYU roster) with 771 all-purpose yards, averaging 96.4 yards per game ... Recorded the Cougars' longest rush of the season, scoring on a 61-yard rush on BYU's first offensive play of the second half at New Mexico ... Selected by the BYU coaching staff as the offensive back of the game following his performances against Colorado State, Virginia and Air Force ... Picked up 339 receiving yards, averaging over 42 yards per game ... Recorded over 50 yards in receptions in four different games on the season, including a season-high 78 yards against New Mexico.
#14 Margin Hooks (First Team All-Conference)
Receiver; 5-11; 190; Waco, Texas
Started each of the Cougars...11 games on the season...Leads the Cougars with 60 receptions over 11 games, averaging a league-leading 5.45 receptions per game...Leads the Mountain West Conference and ranks 18th nationally, averaging 97.0 yards per game...Produced a league-leading 1,067 receiving yards on the season, averaging a team-leading 17.8 yards per reception...Leads all BYU receivers with seven touchdown receptions on the season, including four against Conference opponents...Recorded six 100-yard receiving games on the season, including four 100-yard performances against MWC opponents...Produced four 100-yard outings in his last five games as a junior...Picked up a season-high 143 yards against Wyoming and added 139 yards against Utah to wrap up the regular season...Ranks seventh in the Mountain West with an average 97.4 all-purpose yards per game...Has produced a career-high 1,067 yards on the season, ranking 6th on the Cougars' all-time single-season list...Was on the receiving end of a 77-yard Kevin Feterik pass against Utah, which ranks as the longest play from scrimmage for the Cougars this season...Finished his junior season needing just...yards to become BYU's all-time receiving yardage leader...Was selected by the BYU coaches as the Receiver of the Game against Washington, Colorado State, California, Air Force, Wyoming and Utah.
#62 Matt Johnson (First Team All-Conference)
6-4; 320; Sr.; South Bend, Oregon
All-Conference Nominee
#62 Matt Johnson (Offensive Line)
6-4; 320; Sr.; South Bend, Oregon
Started all 11 games at guard for the Cougars...Named by the BYU coaching staff as the offensive lineman of the game against Utah State, California, New Mexico and UNLV... Helped anchor an offensive line that helped the Cougars to a first-place ranking in the Mountain West in first downs (261), second in fourth-down conversions (3-5), second in scoring offense (30.2), first in passing offense (324.3 y/pg) and first in total offense (425.6 y/pg).
#93 Byron Frisch (First Team All-Conference)
Defensive End; 6-5; 265; Sr.; Bonita, California
Ranked third on the BYU defense with 55 tackles, including 32 unassisted tackles ... Recorded a team-leading 17 tackles for a combined loss of 69 yards ... Produced a team-leading eight sacks on the season, registering 41 yards in lost yardage ... Knocked down one pass and tallied a team-leading 14 quarterback hurries ... Forced two fumbles ... Chalked up a season-high 12 tackles against Utah State ... Helped BYU produce the league's toughest defense against the run, allowing just just over 100 yards per game ... Helped BYU produce the league's second-ranked defense, allowing just over 307 yards per game ... Was named the team's outstanding lineman in games against Washington, Utah State and UNLV.
#3 Brian Gray (First Team All-Conference)
Cornerback; 6-2; 205; Sr.; Hawthorne, California
Started all 11 games for the Cougars at cornerback ... Ranked 10th on the BYU defense with 36 tackles on the season, including 23 unassisted and 13 assisted takedowns ... Led the team with eight pass breakups ... Ranked second on the squad with three interceptions, including a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown against Virginia ... Ranked first on the BYU defense with eight pass break-ups ... Guided a BYU secondary that allowed just over 200 yards passing per game and 307.8 total yards per contest, which ranks second in the Mountain West Conference ... Selected by the BYU coaching staff as the defensive back of the game against Washington, Virginia and Utah State.
#44 Rob Morris (First Team All-Conference)
Linebacker; 6-2; 245; Sr.; Nampa, Idaho
Despite missing four games to injury, ranked second on the BYU defense in total tackles, recording 77 on the season ... Produced 45 solo and a team-best 32 assisted takedowns ... Produced 10 tackles for a loss of 60 yards ... Wrapped up six sacks on the season and caused four QB hurries and one pass break-up ... Forced two fumbles (one of which was recovered by Hans Olsen and returned for a touchdown) ... Was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week after recording a game-high 15 tackles in the Cougars' 30-7 win over San Diego State ... Collected a season-high five tackles for a combined loss of 30 yards, including three sacks for minus-25 yards against the Aztecs ... Produced four games (of the seven he played) with 10 or more tackles, including three straight games with 13 or more tackles ... Named the linebacker of the game by the BYU coaches following games against UNLV, San Diego State and Wyoming ... Helped BYU produce the league's toughest defense against the run, allowing just just over 100 yards per game ... Helped BYU produce the league's second-ranked defense, allowing just over 307 yards per game.
#27 Owen Pochman (Second Team All-Conference)
Kicker; 6-0; 165; Jr.; Mercer Island, Washington
Leads the Mountain West Conference with 18 field goals, averaging 1.64 per game ... Ranks second in the league in field goal percentage, connecting on 18-of-25 (.720) attempts on the season ... Ranks second in the Mountain West in scoring (top-ranked kicker), averaging 8.2 points per game ... Was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week after leading BYU to a 29-0 win over UNLV ... Recorded a BYU record for kickers with 17 points on the night, connecting on five straight field goals, which tied a 30-year-old school record for most field goals in a single game ... Extended his school-record streak to 15 straight field goals, before having his 57-yard attempt blocked against Utah ... After scoring five points against Utah, became BYU's all-time leading point producer with 247 points (and one more year of eligibility to extend that streak.)
#99 Setema Gali (Second Team All-Conference)
Defensive End; 6-5; 250; Jr.; Orem, Utah
Started at defensive end in all 11 games for the Cougars ... Ranked 8th on the team in tackles, recording 27 unassisted and 12 assisted takedowns ... Registered 10 tackles for a combined loss of 55 yards ... Ranked second on the squad with seven sacks for 48 yards ... Recorded one interception on the season ... Ranked second on the team with 10 quarterback hurries ... Helped the Cougars to a second-place ranking in the Mountain West in total defense, allowing just 307.8 yards per game ... Helped BYU produce the league's toughest defense against the run, allowing just just over 100 yards per game ... Record back-to-back sacks against New Mexico, marking the first time a BYU player has produced a sack on back-to-back plays ... Had multiple sack games against New Mexico (4) and UNLV (2) ... Selected by the BYU coaching staff as the defenseive lineman of the game against Colorado State and New Mexico.
#47 Justin Ena (Second Team All-Conference
Linebacker; 6-3; 265; So.; Shelton, Washington
Ranked fifth on the BYU defense with 49 tackles on the season, including 24 unassisted takedowns ... Picked up five tackles for a cobined loss of 14 yards ... Recorded three pass breakups and one quarterback hurry ... Caused two fumbles on the season and added a blocked kick against UNLV ... Produced a season-high nine tackles against California ... Selected as the linebacker of the game against Virginia ... Helped BYU produce the league's toughest defense against the run, allowing just just over 100 yards per game ... Helped BYU produce the league's second-ranked defense, allowing just over 307 yards per game.
#66 Jimmy Richards (Second Team All-Conference)
Center; 6-4; 295; Sr.; West Jordan, Utah
Started all 11 games at center for the Cougars...Named by the BYU coaching staff as the offensive lineman of the game against Washington, Colorado State, Air Force, San Diego State and Wyoming...Did not commit a single errant snap in the Cougars' newly implemented shotgun offense... Helped anchor an offensive line that helped the Cougars to a first-place ranking in the Mountain West in first downs (261), second in fourth-down conversions (3-5), second in scoring offense (30.2), first in passing offense (324.3 y/pg) and first in total offense (425.6 y/pg).
For a complete list of the All-Mountain West Conference teams and individual honors, please visit the Mountain West Conference web site at www.mountainwestconf.com.
