Great West Football Conference Media Announce All-Conference Selections, Annual Awards
12/7/2005 6:00:00 AM | Football
Noble, a 5-foot-6, 180-pound redshirt freshman, earned Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year honors. He has rushed for 1,493 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry and 149.3 yards per game, fourth best in Division I-AA. Noble has cracked the 100-yard mark eight times, including a pair of 200-yard performances. Wide receiver Tony Kays and quarterback Jon Grant of UC Davis both finished in a tie for second place with three votes each.
Gocong, a 6-3, 268-pound senior, has won Defensive Player of the Year honors. He has recorded 22 sacks, best in Division I-AA, and his 28 tackles for lost yardage is No. 2. The 2004 Buck Buchanan Award runner-up has 87 tackles this season, including 44 solo stops, and 14 quarterback hurries, including seven against Idaho State. He recorded two sacks and four tackles for lost yardage among his nine total tackles in Cal Poly's 40-35 win over then No. 11, the Big Sky's automatic bid to the playoffs,
Douglass, a 5-8 170-pound sophomore, won Special Teams Player of the Year honors after he led the conference in scoring with 9.9 points per game, making 42 of 43 extra-point kicks and 19 of 26 field goals. Punter Mike Dragosavich and return specialist Shamen Washington of
North Dakota State had 18 total selections overall, nine of them were first team picks, highlighted by offensive tackle Tim Popowski. He was joined by tight end AJ Cooper, running back Kyle Steffes, fullback Andy DelaBarre, defensive tackle Justin Frick, linebacker Joe Mays, linebacker Kole Zimmerman, Dragosavich, and Washington.
There were six players who earned second team honors last season but picked up first team honors this year. They are offensive guard Taylor Murray, McCall and Douglass of
A total of six players repeated as second-team selections this season. They are offensive guard Shaun Farner of Northern Colorado, offensive guard Justin Buckwalter, defensive end Alvin Robinson, strong safety Craig Dahl of North Dakota State, running back Andre Wilson of Northern Colorado, and defensive back Aaron Williams of Cal Poly.
North Dakota State also placed quarterback Steve Walker and center Hugh Medal on the second-team, while offensive tackle Nate Safe, defensive end Isaac LaVant, nose guard Rodney Thompson and cornerback Bobby Babich earned honorable mention.
GWFC co-champion Cal Poly, who earned an automatic bid to the I-AA playoffs, placed eight on the first team and a total of 18 selections. Cal Poly was highlighted by Gocong, who earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. Gocong was joined by Noble, center Stephen Field, offensive guard Beau Finato, defensive linemen Matt Chachere and Chris White, linebacker Kyle Shotwell, and defensive back Kenny Chicoine.
UC Davis, who shared the title with Cal Poly, finished fourth in selections with three first team picks and 12 total.
Four players are unanimous selections. They are Kays of UC Davis, Gocong and Shotwell of Cal Poly, and Doughty of Northern Colorado.
Six players are repeat first-team selections from a year ago. They are Finato of Cal Poly, Grant of UC Davis, Steffes of
