This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Posted below is BYU's news release on the Mountain West Conference's season-ending awards, which were announced today. Quick recap: Andrew Rich, Vic So'oto and Matt Reynolds made the first team. Running back J.J. Di Luigi made the second team. Luke Ashworth, Mitch Payne, Shane Hunter, Brian Logan, Jason Speredon, Terence Brown and Braden Hansen earned honorable mention recognition.it all looks about right to me. Only Rich and Reynolds were preseason all-conference picks, so So'oto making first team as well is a mild surprise. I'm a little surprised that DB Brandon Bradley and LB Brandon Ogletree were shut out. It could be argued that the Cougars had the second-best defense in the league the second half of the season. Here's BYU's release: Eleven total BYU athletes honored with conference first team, second team and honorable mention recognition COLORADO Springs, Colo. (Nov. 30, 2010) - BYU senior safety Andrew Rich, senior defensive lineman Vic So'oto and junior offensive lineman Matt Reynolds were named All-Mountain West Conference First Team and junior running back JJ Di Luigi was named All-MWC Second Team as announced by the conference on Tuesday. In addition, seven BYU players received All-MWC honorable mention. Senior wide receiver Luke Ashworth, senior kicker Mitch Payne, senior linebacker Shane Hunter and senior defensive back Brian Logan joined offensive linemen Jason Speredon, Terence Brown and Braden Hansen in receiving recognition. "Our players honored are all very deserving," said BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. "This recognition highlights their strong contributions to our football team." The first-team recognition is the second straight for Reynolds, an anchor at left tackle who started every game of his career for the Cougars, and has received top grades every game while giving up just one sack this season. Among offensive first-teamers, Reynolds is one of four repeat selections and the only junior on the squad. Joining Reynolds as a two-year honoree is fellow team captain Rich, a second-team All-MWC selection last season. The senior safety leads BYU in tackles, solo tackles, assisted tackles, interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries and pass breakups. Also on the defensive first team, So'oto earned his first all-conference award of his career. So'oto is first on the team and third in the conference in solo tackles-for-loss while also leading BYU in sacks and quarterback hurries. Di Luigi, the Cougars' lone second-team selection and a first-year conference honoree, is second among all MWC players in receiving and rushing yards combined and was third in the conference in rushing yards per game and all-purpose yards per game. BYU led all teams with seven honorable mentions, all of whom earned their first conference honors. TCU quarterback Andy Dalton was chosen as the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and TCU kick returner Jeremy Kerley earned the MWC Special Teams Player of the Year award, each for the second-straight season. The Horned Frogs swept the top three awards, with TCU's Tank Carder named MWC Defensive Player of the Year San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman was named MWC Freshman of the Year while his coach, Brady Hoke, earned the MWC Coach of the Year award. The All-MWC teams and individual award winners were selected by a vote of the league's head coaches and a media panel. ###2010 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL FIRST TEAMOffensePos. Player Cl. SchoolQB Andy Dalton*# Sr. TCUWR Vincent Brown Sr. San Diego StateWR DeMarco Sampson Sr. San Diego StateRB Ronnie Hillman Fr. San Diego StateRB Ed Wesley So. TCUTE Lucas Reed So. New MexicoOL Matt Reynolds* Jr. BYUOL Jake Kirkpatrick Sr. TCUOL Marcus Cannon* Sr. TCUOL Caleb Schlauderaff Sr. UtahOL Zane Taylor Sr. UtahPK Joe Phillips Sr. UtahPR/KR Jeremy Kerley** Sr. TCUDefensePos. Player Cl. SchoolDL Vic So'oto Sr. BYUDL Guy Miller Sr. Colorado StateDL Wayne Daniels# Sr. TCUDL Christian Cox Sr. UtahLB Miles Burris Jr. San Diego StateLB Tank Carder Jr. TCULB Tanner Brock So. TCUDB Reggie Rembert* Sr. Air ForceDB Andrew Rich Sr. BYUDB Leon McFadden So. San Diego StateDB Tejay Johnson Sr. TCUP Brian Stahovich Jr. San Diego State*—Two-Time First-Team Selection**—Three-Time First-Team Selection#—Unanimous Selection2010 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL SECOND TEAMOffensePos. Player Cl. SchoolQB Ryan Lindley Jr. San Diego StateWR Jeremy Kerley Sr. TCUWR Jereme Brooks Sr. UtahRB Asher Clark Jr. Air ForceRB JJ Di Luigi Jr. BYUTE Gavin Escobar Fr. San Diego StateOL A.J. Wallerstein Jr. Air ForceOL Chase Darden Sr. Air ForceOL Paul Madsen Jr. Colorado StateOL Trask Iosefa Sr. San Diego StateOL Tony Bergstrom Jr. UtahPK Abel Perez Jr. San Diego StatePR/KR Shaky Smithson Sr. UtahDefensePos. Player Cl. SchoolDL Rick Ricketts Sr. Air ForceDL Cory Grant Sr. TCUDL Stansly Maponga Fr. TCUDL Josh Biezuns Jr. WyomingLB Mychal Sisson Jr. Colorado StateLB Carmen Messina So. New MexicoLB Chaz Walker Jr. UtahDB Colin Jones Sr. TCUDB Jason Teague Sr. TCUDB Brandon Burton Jr. UtahDB Chris Prosinski Sr. WyomingP Pete Kontodiakos So. Colorado State2010 HONORABLE MENTIONAir Force: Jon Davis, Jr., DB; Tim Jefferson, Jr., QB; Jonathan Warzeka, Jr., WR/KR; Anthony Wright, Jr., DB.BYU: Luke Ashworth, Sr., WR; Terence Brown, Jr., OL; Braden Hansen, So., OL; Shane Hunter, Sr., LB; Brian Logan, Sr., DB; Mitch Payne, Sr., K; Jason Speredon, Sr., OL.Colorado State: Ricky Brewer; Sr., LB; Weston Richburg, Fr., OL.New Mexico: James Aho, Jr., K; Byron Bell, Sr., OL; Bubba Forrest, Jr., DB.San Diego State: Ernie Lawson, Sr., DL; Jose Perez, Sr., DB; Andrew Preston, Sr., DB. TCU: Evan Frosch, Sr., TE; D.J. Yendrey, So., DL; Jimmy Young, Sr., WR, TCU. UNLV: Will Chandler, Jr., DB; Matt Murphy, Sr., OL. Utah: Brian Blechen, Fr., DB; Lamar Chapman, Sr., DB; DeVonte Christopher, So., WR; Matt Martinez, Jr., LB; Sealver Siliga, Jr., DL.Wyoming: Alvester Alexander, So., RB; Nick Carlson, So., OL; Tashaun Gipson, Jr., DB; Brian Hendricks, Jr., LB; Gabe Knapton, Jr., DL; Austin McCoy, Jr., P.OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARAndy Dalton, Sr., QB, TCUDEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARTank Carder, Jr., LB, TCUSPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEARJeremy Kerley, Sr., KR/PR, TCUFRESHMAN OF THE YEARRonnie Hillman, RB, San Diego StateCOACH OF THE YEARBrady Hoke, San Diego State