League-best six Griz earn preseason all-conference honors from HERO Sports
6/17/2020 5:24:00 PM | Football
A league-high six Grizzlies have been named to HERO Sports' Preseason All-Big Sky team, the organization announced Wednesday.
Making the 16-man offensive team are senior receivers Samori Toure and Samuel Akem, along with senior tackle Conlan Beaver and junior return specialist Malik Flowers. Earning a spot on the defensive team is senior linebacker Jace Lewis and junior safety Robby Hauck.
In Toure and Akem, Montana holds one of the most dangerous receiving corps in all of FCS football, returning a combined 2,343 yards from the 2019 season and 40 combined career touchdown catches.
Beaver is expected to anchor an improved offensive line that helped pave the way for Montana's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2014 last season. Flowers posted a league-leading 879 kick return yards and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as a sophomore in 2019– one of only two players nationwide to do so.
Defensively, Lewis and Hauck put up gaudy tackle numbers a year ago with a combined 260 total stops – placing each of them amongst the Big Sky's top-10 tacklers, despite Buchanan Award winner Dante Olson breaking the conference record for single-season stops in the same year.
Toure, Lewis, Hauck, and Flowers were also named Preseason All-Americans by HERO Sports in late May.
Montana is scheduled to open the 2020 season on Sept. 5 at home against Central Washington. Season tickets are available now at GrizTix.com.
Making the 16-man offensive team are senior receivers Samori Toure and Samuel Akem, along with senior tackle Conlan Beaver and junior return specialist Malik Flowers. Earning a spot on the defensive team is senior linebacker Jace Lewis and junior safety Robby Hauck.
In Toure and Akem, Montana holds one of the most dangerous receiving corps in all of FCS football, returning a combined 2,343 yards from the 2019 season and 40 combined career touchdown catches.
Beaver is expected to anchor an improved offensive line that helped pave the way for Montana's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2014 last season. Flowers posted a league-leading 879 kick return yards and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as a sophomore in 2019– one of only two players nationwide to do so.
Defensively, Lewis and Hauck put up gaudy tackle numbers a year ago with a combined 260 total stops – placing each of them amongst the Big Sky's top-10 tacklers, despite Buchanan Award winner Dante Olson breaking the conference record for single-season stops in the same year.
Toure, Lewis, Hauck, and Flowers were also named Preseason All-Americans by HERO Sports in late May.
Montana is scheduled to open the 2020 season on Sept. 5 at home against Central Washington. Season tickets are available now at GrizTix.com.
HERO SPORTS PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Offense
| POS. | NAME (YR.) | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Eric Barriere (Sr.) | EWU |
| RB | Josh Davis (Jr.) | Weber St. |
| RB | Isaiah Ifanse (Jr.) | Montana St. |
| FB | Clay Moss (Sr.) | Weber St. |
| WR | Samori Toure (Sr.) | Montana |
| WR | Pierre Williams (Jr.) | Sac St. |
| WR | Samuel Akem (Sr.) | Montana |
| TE | Marshel Martin (So.) | Sac St. |
| AP | Elijah Dotson (Sr.) | Sac St. |
| OL | Ty Whitworth (Sr.) | Weber St. |
| OL | Lewis Kidd (Sr.) | Montana St. |
| OL | Taylor Tuiasosopo (Sr.) | Montana St. |
| OL | Conlan Beaver (Sr.) | Montana |
| OL | Tristen Taylor (Sr.) | EWU |
| PK | Luis Aguilar (Sr.) | NAU |
| RS | Malik Flowers (Jr.) | Montana |
Defense
| POS. | NAME (YR.) | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|
| DL | Amandre Williams (Sr.) | Montana St. |
| DL | Jared Schiess (Sr.) | Weber St. |
| DL | George Tarlas (Jr.) | Weber St. |
| DL | Chase Benson (Sr.) | Montana St. |
| LB | Jace Lewis (Sr.) | Montana |
| LB | Chris Ojoh (Jr.) | EWU |
| LB | Christian Elliss (Sr.) | Idaho |
| LB | Tre Walker (Jr.) | Idaho |
| DB | Robby Hauck (Jr.) | Montana |
| DB | Anthony Adams (Jr.) | Portland St. |
| DB | Daron Bland (Sr.) | Sac St. |
| DB | Devon King (Jr.) | UC Davis |
| P | DJ Arnson (Sr.) | NAU |
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
OT
/ Football
WR
/ Football
S
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballDefensive Coordinator Eric Sanders introductory press conference
Thursday, March 05
Griz Football Spring Preview Press Conference
Wednesday, February 25
Griz Spring Football Preview
Wednesday, February 25
Griz Football Coach Bobby Kennedy Introductory Press Conference
Thursday, February 05
