Kistler, Tripp, Wagenmann named preseason AAs by Phil Steele magazine
7/18/2013 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 18, 2013
Three University of Montana football players have been named to the 2013 preseason Football Championship Subdivision All-American team in Phil Steele's College Football Preview magazine and a total of eight UM players were named to that publication's preseason All-Big Sky Conference squad, it was announced Thursday.
Offensive tackle Danny Kistler Jr. and linebacker Jordan Tripp were named first team on offense and defense, respectively, while defensive end Zack Wagenmann was named to the second team.
Earlier this month those three players were also named to The Sports Network's FCS All-American team.
Joining those three players on Steele's preseason all-league first team was center Kjelby Oiland and defensive tackle Tonga Takai.
Linebackers Brock Coyle and John Kanonagta'a, along with quarterback Jordan Johnson were named to Steele's second team. Tripp was tabbed the Big Sky's preseason defensive player of the year by the magazine.
A 6-8, 315-pound senior from Seattle, Wash., Kistler, who is UM's co-captain on offense this season, started all 11 games at right tackle last year and was a first team All-Big Sky pick. He was also the co-recipient of UM's Paul Weskamp Award (outstanding offensive lineman).
Tripp, a 6-3 ½, 237-pound senior from Missoula, was second on the team with 95 tackles a year ago, and named to several All-America teams and was first team all-league. Tripp, who was recently tabbed the Big Sky's preseason player of the year on defense by the league's media and coaches, finished 10th in the balloting for the Buck Buchanan Award last season.
A 6-3 ½, 250-pound junior defensive end from Missoula, Wagenmann was ranked fourth in the FCS last season, averaging 1.05 sacks a game. Wagenmann was named to three different All-America teams last season, including the Associated Press, The Sports Network , and Phil Steele Magazine. He was a first team All-Big Sky selection.
Oiland, a 6-4, 290-pound senior from Spokane, will be starting at center for the second season in a row, and he also serves as UM's short snapper. Last year he played in all 11 games and started in nine, and was an honorable mention All-Big Sky pick.
Takai was the Grizzlies' 12th (tie) leading tackler with 30 stops last season and led the team with two fumble recoveries. A 6-2, 301-pound junior from Honolulu, Takai was tabbed honorable mention All-Big Sky last year.
Coyle, a 6-2, 245-pound senior from Bozeman, is UM's team co-captain on defense this year along with Tripp. Last season he started in all 11 games and led the Griz with 107 tackles. He was ranked 28th (tie) in the nation, averaging 9.73 tackles a game, and was named honorable mention all-league.
Kanongata'a played in 10 games and started in nine last season, and was third on the team with 72 tackles. The 6-2, 215-pound senior from Bellevue, Wash., was also an All-Big Sky honorable mention pick a year ago.
A 6-1, 200-pound redshirt junior from Eugene, Ore., Johnson was voted to serve as one of UM's co-captains on offense (with Kistler) this season. Johnson passed for 2,400 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 506 yards and four scores in 2011, when he was an honorable mention All-Big Sky selection.
