Eleven Griz earn All-Big Sky Honors

A total of 11 Montana Grizzlies have earned one of 13 spots on the Big Sky's three all-conference teams the league announced Wednesday following the conclusion of the regular season, as voted by the coaches.

Montana had two first-team All-Big Sky picks with right tackle Brandon Casey landing on the offensive first team for a second-straight season.

Junior Bergen also earned a hat-trick of awards, named to the special teams first team as a kick returner, the second team as a punt returner, and earning an honorable mention as a wide receiver. The senior from Billings etched his name in the Big Sky record books this season by setting a new league record for punt return touchdowns with six in his career.

Most of Montana's honorees came on the second team this season. Running back Eli Gillman, last year's FCS Freshman of the Year, was named to the all-conference offensive second team for a second-straight season. Senior receiver Keelan White also earned the first All-Big Sky honor of his career with a place on the second team offense.

Four Grizzlies landed on the defensive second team. Hayden Harris earns his first all-conference selection after finishing the regular season third in the league in sacks and TFLs. Riley Wilson earned second-team all-conference honors for the second-straight season. Ryan Tirrell earned his first all-conference honors with a place on the second team, while Trevin Gradney earned the third all-conference honor of his career.

In addition to Bergen landing on the second team as a punt returner, safety TJ Rausch of Missoula also earned second-team honors for his work on special teams.

Rounding out Montana's all-conference accolades were guard Journey Grimsrud and Bergen who each received an honorable mention on offense. Jaxon Lee also earned an honorable mention for defense.

Casey is now a two-time all-conference first-team selection at tackle after making the team as a junior and is a three-time Academic All-Big Sky pick as well. He's one of the top-rated tackles in the conference in this year's NFL Draft class with an "A" grade from Pro Football Focus, and was graded out by his coaches with a 91 percent assignment grade this season. He's been a constant on UM's O-line, getting set to start his 43^rd consecutive game for the Griz against Tennessee State. As a senior, he's helped Montana produce one of the league's top four rushing attacks that is averaging over 200 yards on the ground per game and is second in the league in rushing touchdowns with 33.

Bergen holds the Big Sky record for punt returns with six and is etching his name all over Montana's record books. He is now among Montana's all-time leaders in total touchdowns with 25 and is ranked sixth in program history with 4,220 career all-purpose yards. He's also on pace to finish his career as Montana's all-time leader in average punt return yards, now at 15.6 per attempt, and is one of UM's top 30 leaders in career receiving yards too. He was a third-team all-conference all-purpose player in 2022 and a second-team receiver and punt returner in 2023, giving him a total of six career all-conference honors.

Gillman is also working his way into Montana's record books. He needs just 11 more rushing yards to cross the 2,000-yard mark for his career and 44 more to hit the 1,000-yard mark this season. He's currently fourth in the Big Sky in total rush yards this season and has the second-most total TDs in the league with 15. A sophomore, he's already top 10 in Montana history in career rushing yards and total TDs. This is his second-consecutive season as a second-team all-conference running back.

White has emerged as Montana's top route-runner and most reliable pass catchers in his senior season. As Montana's team offensive MVP last season, he's once again the team leader in receiving yards in 2024 with 548 on 50 catches and is currently No. 25 all-time on Montana's career receiving yards list. He was noted preseason as one of the top Canadian Football League draft prospects in US college football and is currently one of the top 10 receivers in the Big Sky. He's been a fixture in the UM lineup throughout his career, getting set to make his 40^th career start against Tennessee State.

Harris has been one of the Big Sky's most disruptive defenders all season, and currently leads the team in both sacks and tackles for loss. Despite only playing in his second year at Montana, he has already entered Montana's top 30 list of all-time leaders in TFLs. He enters the week ranked third in the Big Sky and top 15 nationally with 15 TFLs this season, and with 19.5 on his career ranks No. 30 all time at UM. He's also totaled 7.5 sacks this season, enough to rank him third in the league and top 25 in the FCS.

Wilson has been the straw that stirs the defensive drink this season. The linebacker leads the team in QB hurries and is currently third on the team in total tackles, second in tackles for loss with eight, and second in sacks with three. The junior earns second-team all-conference honors for a second-consecutive season.

Tirrell is Montana's top tackler this season with 99, placing him third in the Big Sky in total stops. He's primed to enter the UM record books as one of just 35 players to total over 100 tackles in a season and could become one of UM's top 40 tacklers of all-time with 178 career stops. Second-team honors are the first of his career, on top of being a three-time Academic All-Big Sky pick as well.

Gradney leads the Grizzlies and is tied for fourth in the Big Sky in total passes defended this season with nine, racking up eight breakups and one interception. The second-team pick is the third all-conference honor of his career on top of being a three-time Academic All-Big Sky pick and a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy. He's also fifth on the team in solo tackles and No. 7 in total tackles while playing cornerback.

Rausch earns his first all-conference honors of his career after a standout season on special teams. The junior safety from Missoula graded out the best on kick coverage by Montana's coaches and totaled 29 tackles this season while posting 1.5 TFLs and one forced fumble.

Grimsrud earns and All-Big Sky honorable mention for the second-straight season after starting every game of the season at right guard and getting set to make his 33^rd career start. An anchor in the O-line, he's helped Montana produce one of the league's top four rushing attacks that is averaging over 200 yards on the ground per game and is second in the league in rushing touchdowns with 33.

Lee earns an all-conference honorable mention in his senior season after racking up 76 total tackles – the second most on the team. He earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors following Montana's shut-out win over Northern Colorado with an interception and seven tackles – the first weekly honor of his career. The Missoula Sentinel grad has also logged 2 TFLs, 4 QB hurries, a pair of fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

2024 Big Sky Football Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Tommy Mellott, Montana State
Defensive Player of the Year: Brody Grebe, Montana State
Newcomer of the Year: Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona
Freshman of the Year: Adam Jones, Montana State
Coach of the Year: Brent Vigen, Montana State

First Team All-Big Sky Offense
QB: Tommy Mellott, Montana State
RB: Lan Larison, UC Davis*
RB: Scottre Humphrey, Montana State
FB: Rohan Jones, Montana State
WR: Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington
WR: Jeff Weimer, Idaho State
WR: Christian Fredericksen, Idaho State
TE: Bryzai White, Northern Arizona*
TE: Winston Williams, UC Davis
OL: Marcus Wehr, Montana State*
OL: Jackson Slater, Sacramento State*
OL: Conner Moore, Montana State
OL: Brandon Casey, Montana
OL: Wyatt Hansen, Eastern Washington
OL: Ayden Knapik, Idaho
AP: Michael Wortham, Eastern Washington

First Team All-Big Sky Defense
DL: Brody Grebe, Montana State*
DL: Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho
DL: Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly
DL: Dallas Afalava, Idaho
DL: Zach Kennedy, UC Davis
LB: McCade O'Reilly, Montana State
LB: David Meyer, UC Davis
LB: Jaxton Eck, Idaho
LB: Tommy Ellis, Northern Arizona
LB: Will Leota, Sacramento State
DB: Rex Connors, UC Davis*
DB: Alex McLaughlin, Northern Arizona*
DB: Tommy McCormick, Idaho
DB: Andrew Marshall, Idaho
DB: Kavir Bains, UC Davis
DB: Rylan Ortt, Montana State

First Team All-Big Sky Specialists
KR: Junior Bergen, Montana
PR: Taco Dowler, Montana State
K: Gabe Panikowski, Idaho State
P: Hunter Green, Northern Colorado
ST: Dwayne McDougle, Idaho

Second Team All-Big Sky Offense
QB: Miles Hastings, UC Davis
RB: Damon Bankston, Weber State
RB: Eli Gillman, Montana
FB: Austin York, Eastern Washington
WR: Jacob Sharp, Weber State
WR: Jared Gipson, Sacramento State
WR: Keelan White, Montana
WR: Jordan Dwyer, Idaho
TE: Mike Martinez, Idaho
TE: Tanner Beaman, Portland State
OL: Jonny Bottorff, Northern Arizona
OL: Titan Fleischmann, Montana State
OL: Stryker Rashid, Idaho State
OL: Eli Simonson, UC Davis
OL: Gavin Ortega, Weber State
OL: Cole Sain, Montana State
AP: Dante Chachere, Portland State

Second Team All-Big Sky Defense
DL: Kemari Munier-Bailey, Weber State
DL: Hayden Harris, Montana
DL: Matt Brown, Eastern Washington
DL: Paul Brott, Montana State
DL: Evan Bearden, UC Davis
LB: Riley Wilson, Montana
LB: Peyton Wing, Portland State
LB: Porter Connors, UC Davis
LB: Ryan Tirrell, Montana
LB: Danny Uluilakepa, Montana State
DB: Andrew Powdrell, Montana State
DB: DJ VanHook, Northern Arizona
DB: Zach Lewis, Northern Arizona
DB: Trevin Gradney, Montana
DB: Mason Rivera, Cal Poly
DB: Derek Ganter Jr., Eastern Washington

Second Team All-Big Sky Specialists
KR: Michael Wortham, Eastern Washington
PR: Junior Bergen, Montana
K: Hunter Ridley, UC Davis
P: Brendan Hall, Montana State
ST: TJ Rausch, Montana

Honorable Mention Offense (at least 3 votes)
QB: Dante Chachere, Portland State
RB: Adam Jones, Montana State
RB: Elijah Tau-Tolliver, Sacramento State
WR: Giancarlo Woods, Cal Poly
WR: Mark Hamper, Idaho
WR: Junior Bergen, Montana
TE: Jett Carpenter, Eastern Washington
OL: Nate Azzopardi, Idaho
OL: Jack Seelye, Eastern Washington
OL: Billy Lutui, Portland State
OL: Ernesto Nava, UC Davis
OL: Luke Dahlgren, Eastern Washington
OL: Journey Grimsrud, Montana
OL: Richard Estrella, Portland State

Honorable Mention Defense (at least 3 votes)
DL: Micah Carreon, Northern Arizona
DL: Princeton Toki, UC Davis
DL: Ethan Rodriguez, Cal Poly
DL: Malakai Williams, Idaho
DL: Kenneth Eiden IV, Montana State
DL: Brayden Wilson, Weber State
LB: Garrett Beck, Weber State
LB: Isiah King, Idaho
LB: Ammon Allen, Northern Arizona
LB: Zach Johnson, Idaho
LB: Brandon Wong, Northern Arizona
DB: Jaxon Lee, Montana
DB: Tyreese Shakir, Portland State
DB: DaJean Wells, Eastern Washington
DB: Cam Chapa, Northern Colorado

Honorable Mention Specialists (at least 3 votes)
KR: Andrew Marshall, Idaho
PR: Isaiah Eastman, Northern Arizona
K: Zach Schreiner, Sacramento State
K: Mathias Uribe, Portland State
P: Ben D'Aquila, Northern Arizona
ST: Jeremy Justice, Cal Poly
ST: Sean Farfan, Northern Arizona

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Junior Bergen

Brandon Casey

Eli Gillman

Trevin Gradney

Journey Grimsrud

Hayden Harris

Jaxon Lee

TJ Rausch

Ryan Tirrell

Keelan White

Riley Wilson

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