Five Griz named All-Americans while 15 earn All-Big Sky honors from Phil Steele Magazine
1/11/2022 11:48:00 AM | Football
Five Montana Grizzlies were named FCS All-Americans, and 15 earned All-Big Sky honors from Phil Steel Magazine and draftscout.com, the publications announced in a joint release Monday.
Linebacker Patrick O'Connell and cornerback Justin Ford, both juniors who finished third and fourth in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, respectively, were named defensive first-team All-Americans.
Senior long snapper Matthew O'Donoghue was also named first-team All-American for special teams, and junior kick returner Malik Flowers earned a place on the second team All-America list for special teams.
Tight end Cole Grossman was also named a freshman All-American following a breakout season.
All five of Montana's All-America selections earned a place on one of four Phil Steele All-Big Sky teams as well, with ten more Grizzlies receiving an all-conference nod.
Safety Robby Hauck earned first-team honors, while tackle Conlan Beaver, defensive lineman Alex Gubner, linebacker Jace Lewis, and kicker Kevin Macias were named to the second team.
Grossman landed on the third-team all-conference list along with junior linebacker Marcus Welnel. Freshman running back Xavier Harris and offensive linemen Hunter Mayginnes and Dylan Cook were each named to the fourth-team list, as was cornerback Omar Hicks Onu.
With the majority of the FCS All-America teams announced, Ford and O'Connell are considered consensus All-Americans, having earned first-team honors on at least half of the available lists.
Ford is a unanimous pick, earning seven first-team selections on the seven published lists to date. O'Connell has earned four first-team and two second-team honors, O'Donoghue has earned two first-team and two second-team picks, and Flowers has earned two second-team and one third-team selection.
Lewis, Hauck, and Macias have each earned a third-team pick, while Gubner has a sophomore All-America selection and Grossman has two freshman All-America selections.
2021 Phil Steele FCS All-America Team
First Team All-America Defense
LB: Patrick O'Connell
DB: Justin Ford
First Team All-America Special Teams
LS: Matthew O'Donoghue
Second Team All-America Special Teams
KR: Malik Flowers
2021 Phil Steele FCS Freshman All-America Team
First Team All-America Freshman
TE: Cole Grossman, Montana
2021 Phil Steele All-Big Sky Team
First Team Defense
LB: Patrick O'Connell
DB: Justin Ford
DB: Robby Hauck
First Team Special Teams
KR: Malik Flowers
LS: Matthew O'Donoghue
Second Team Offense
OL: Conlan Beaver
Second Team Defense
DL: Alex Gubner
LB: Jace Lewis
Second Team Special Teams
K: Kevin Macias
Third Team Offense
TE: Cole Grossman
LB: Marcus Welnel
Fourth Team Offense
RB: Xavier Harris
OL: Hunter Mayginnes
OL: Dylan Cook
Fourth Team Defense
DB: Omar Hicks Onu
Linebacker Patrick O'Connell and cornerback Justin Ford, both juniors who finished third and fourth in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, respectively, were named defensive first-team All-Americans.
Senior long snapper Matthew O'Donoghue was also named first-team All-American for special teams, and junior kick returner Malik Flowers earned a place on the second team All-America list for special teams.
Tight end Cole Grossman was also named a freshman All-American following a breakout season.
All five of Montana's All-America selections earned a place on one of four Phil Steele All-Big Sky teams as well, with ten more Grizzlies receiving an all-conference nod.
Safety Robby Hauck earned first-team honors, while tackle Conlan Beaver, defensive lineman Alex Gubner, linebacker Jace Lewis, and kicker Kevin Macias were named to the second team.
Grossman landed on the third-team all-conference list along with junior linebacker Marcus Welnel. Freshman running back Xavier Harris and offensive linemen Hunter Mayginnes and Dylan Cook were each named to the fourth-team list, as was cornerback Omar Hicks Onu.
With the majority of the FCS All-America teams announced, Ford and O'Connell are considered consensus All-Americans, having earned first-team honors on at least half of the available lists.
Ford is a unanimous pick, earning seven first-team selections on the seven published lists to date. O'Connell has earned four first-team and two second-team honors, O'Donoghue has earned two first-team and two second-team picks, and Flowers has earned two second-team and one third-team selection.
Lewis, Hauck, and Macias have each earned a third-team pick, while Gubner has a sophomore All-America selection and Grossman has two freshman All-America selections.
2021 Phil Steele FCS All-America Team
First Team All-America Defense
LB: Patrick O'Connell
DB: Justin Ford
First Team All-America Special Teams
LS: Matthew O'Donoghue
Second Team All-America Special Teams
KR: Malik Flowers
2021 Phil Steele FCS Freshman All-America Team
First Team All-America Freshman
TE: Cole Grossman, Montana
2021 Phil Steele All-Big Sky Team
First Team Defense
LB: Patrick O'Connell
DB: Justin Ford
DB: Robby Hauck
First Team Special Teams
KR: Malik Flowers
LS: Matthew O'Donoghue
Second Team Offense
OL: Conlan Beaver
Second Team Defense
DL: Alex Gubner
LB: Jace Lewis
Second Team Special Teams
K: Kevin Macias
Third Team Offense
TE: Cole Grossman
LB: Marcus Welnel
Fourth Team Offense
RB: Xavier Harris
OL: Hunter Mayginnes
OL: Dylan Cook
Fourth Team Defense
DB: Omar Hicks Onu
Players Mentioned
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