The Mountain West on Tuesday honored the Boise State football team’s dominant defense with four first-team all-conference selections.
The Broncos placed five players on the first team overall and four more on the second team. None of the players had received all-conference honors before.
The first-team defenders were senior defensive tackle Mike Atkinson, sophomore defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, senior linebacker J.C. Percy and senior cornerback Jamar Taylor. Percy, who leads the team with 101 tackles, is the first Boise State inside linebacker to receive a first-team all-conference award since Korey Hall in 2006.
The lone Bronco on the first-team offense was junior center Matt Paradis, a former walk-on defensive lineman from Council who was the anchor of a line that ranks seventh in the nation in sacks allowed (nine). This is the first time since 2005 that Boise State has placed only one player on the first-team offense in its conference.
Sophomore wide receiver Matt Miller, junior offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr., senior offensive tackle Brenel Myers and senior cornerback Jerrell Gavins made the second team.
Boise State’s honorable-mention selections were senior tailback D.J. Harper, sophomore safety Jeremy Ioane, senior linebacker Tommy Smith and junior defensive tackle Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe. Harper, who is the heart of the offense with 1,214 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns, was the most notable snub.
Of the 13 players who were honored, six are scheduled to return next season — Lawrence, Paradis, Miller, Leno, Ioane and Tjong-A-Tjoe.
Boise State was shut out of the five major awards, as expected. Offensive Player of the Year Derek Carr (Fresno State) led the league in pass efficiency, Defensive Player of the Year Phillip Thomas (Fresno State) led the nation in interceptions, Special Teams Player of the Year Mike Edwards (Hawaii) returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, Freshman of the Year Davante Adams (wide receiver, Fresno State) led the league in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and Coach of the Year Rocky Long (San Diego State) led the Aztecs to a share of their first Mountain West title by winning at Nevada and Boise State with a backup quarterback.
Nevada had the most first- and second-teamers with 10. Fresno State and Boise State had nine each. San Diego State had seven.
NOTE: Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Tom Rinaldi will call the MAACO Bowl for ESPN. It’s the third straight year Herbstreit and Rinaldi have called the game. Musburger worked the 2010 game and Chris Fowler worked the 2011 game.
ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Derek Carr#, jr., Fresno State
WR: Davante Adams#, fr., Fresno State
WR: Brandon Wimberly, sr. Nevada
RB: Stefphon Jefferson, jr. Nevada
RB: Robbie Rouse, sr., Fresno State
TE: Gavin Escobar*, jr., San Diego State
OL: Jeff Nady, sr., Nevada
OL: Austin Wentworth, jr., Fresno State
OL: Matt Paradis, jr., Boise State
OL: Nick Carlson, sr., Wyoming
OL: Nik Embernate, sr., San Diego State
K: Nolan Kohorst, jr., UNLV
PR/KR: Mike Edwards, jr., Hawaii
Defense
DL: Mike Atkinson, sr., Boise State
DL: Demarcus Lawrence, so., Boise State
DL: Tyeler Davidson, so., Fresno State
DL: Mike Purcell, sr., Wyoming
LB: J.C. Percy, sr., Boise State
LB: Albert Rosette, sr., Nevada
LB: John Lotulelei, sr., UNLV
DB: Jamar Taylor, sr., Boise State
DB: Phillip Thomas#, sr., Fresno State
DB: Derron Smith, so., Fresno State
DB: Leon McFadden**, sr., San Diego St.
P: Pete Kontodiakos, sr., Colorado State
*--Two-Time First-Team Selection
**--Three-Time First-Team Selection
#--Unanimous Selection
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB: Cody Fajardo, so. Nevada
WR: Matt Miller, so., Boise State
WR: Chris McNeill, sr., Wyoming
RB: Kasey Carrier, jr., New Mexico
RB: Adam Muema, so., San Diego State
TE: Zach Sudfeld, sr., Nevada
OL: Jordan Eason, sr., Air Force
OL: Charles Leno Jr., jr., Boise State
OL: Chris Barker, sr., Nevada
OL: Alex Johnson, sr., San Diego State
OL: Brenel Myers, sr., Boise State
K: Jared Roberts, so., Colorado State
PR/KR: Khalid Wooten, sr., Nevada
Defense
DL: Paipai Falemalu, sr., Hawaii
DL: Brock Hekking, so., Nevada
DL: Andy Jennings, jr., Fresno State
DL: Lanston Tanyi, sr., Colorado State
LB: Travis Brown, sr., Fresno State
LB: Alex Means, sr., Air Force
LB: Jake Fely, so., San Diego State
DB: Mike Edwards, jr., Hawaii
DB: Jerrell Gavins, sr., Boise State
DB: Duke Williams, sr., Nevada
DB: Nat Berhe, jr., San Diego State
P: Alex Dunnachie, sr., Hawaii
Offensive Player of the Year: Derek Carr, jr., QB, Fresno State
Defensive Player of the Year: Phillip Thomas, sr., DB, Fresno State
Special Teams Player of the Year: Mike Edwards, sr., KR, Hawaii
Freshman of the Year: Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State
Coach of the Year: Rocky Long, San Diego State
Honorable mention (Boise State only): D.J. Harper, sr., RB; Jeremy Ioane, so., DB; Tommy Smith, sr., LB; Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe, jr., DL.
