2006 Mountain West Conference Postseason Football Honors
BYU quarterback John Beck was a unanimous choice for the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, while Utah defensive back Eric Weddle was named MWC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Mountain West Conference announced the 2006 all-conference football teams and individual award winners today as selected by the nine head coaches and media panel. BYU quarterback John Beck was a unanimous choice for the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, while Utah defensive back Eric Weddle was named MWC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. New Mexico place kicker Kenny Byrd and Utah place kick/punter Louie Sakoda share the inaugural MWC Special Teams Player of the Year award. Wide receiver Ryan Wolfe of UNLV was honored as MWC Freshman of the Year, while Bronco Mendenhall of BYU is the MWC Coach of the Year.
Offensive Player of the Year - John Beck, Senior, QB, BYU
Beck is BYU's second MWC Offensive Player of the Year (Luke Staley-2001).
Beck is the sixth quarterback since the inception of the MWC to be named offensive player of the year.
Leads the MWC and ranks second nationally in passing efficiency (173.3) and completion percentage (70.4).
Leads the MWC and ranks fourth nationally, averaging 319.1 yards passing per game.
Leads the MWC and ranks fourth nationally, averaging 316.0 yards of total offense per game.
Leads the MWC and ranks fifth nationally with 30 touchdown completions on the season.
Named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week a league-record seven times during the 2006 season.
Defensive Player of the Year - Eric Weddle, Senior, DB, Utah
Weddle is the second player in league history to win back-to-back MWC Defensive Player of the Year honors (Kirk Morrison, LB, San Diego State - 2003-04).
Ranks first in the MWC and 10th in the nation in interceptions per game (.50-6 INT).
Recorded 58 total tackles on the season.
The third player from Utah to be named MWC Defensive Player of the Year (John Frank-1999/Morgan Scalley -2004-co-player), but the first to win the award in consecutive years.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year - Kenny Byrd, Senior, PK, New Mexico
Byrd is a three-time MWC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2006.
Leads the league and is tied for second on the New Mexico single season list with 18 field goals (18-22) this fall, including a long of 52.
Is one of two players in the MWC to record a perfect PAT percentage of 1.000, making all 30 attempts.
Has six multiple field goal games in 2006, including two game-winners on the road at UNLV and at Colorado State.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year - Louie Sakoda, Sophomore, PK/P, Utah
Sakoda is a three-time MWC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2006.
Averaged 43.9 yards per punt to rank second in the MWC and 13th in the nation.
Has pinned teams inside their 20 on 28 of his 56 total punts (50%).
Recorded 13 punts that went 50 yards or longer.
Is one of two players in the MWC to record a perfect PAT percentage of 1.000, making all 42 attempts. His 42 made PATS leads the Conference.
Has made 12-of-16 field goals 11-of-12 on field goals under 40 yards.
Freshman of the Year - Ryan Wolfe, WR, UNLV
Wolfe is the fourth freshman of the year honoree in UNLV history and second since the inception of the MWC in 1999. Running Back Dominique Dorsey earned the award in 2001.
Leads MWC and ranks 23rd in nation with 75.9 receiving yards per game. Is also the second-leading freshman receiver in nation in both receptions (55) and yards (911).
Top freshman receiver in both MWC and UNLV history.
Tied MWC freshman record for receiving yards in a game with 176 on career-best nine catches vs. New Mexico.
Broke the UNLV freshman records for most receptions in a season, most receptions in a game, most receiving yards in a game, most receptions in a game, receptions per game in a season, receiving yards per game in a season.
Coach of the Year - Bronco Mendenhall, BYU
Selected as conference coach of the year for the first time in his career after leading BYU to a 10-2 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in MWC play.
Second BYU coach to win the MWC Coach of the Year honor. Gary Crowton won the award in 2001.
Named AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year.
Notables
BYU QB John Beck and LB Cameron Jensen, TCU DL Tommy Blake and Utah DB Eric Weddle were all unanimous first-team selections.
BYU QB John Beck was a unanimous selection for MWC Offensive Player of the Year.
Seven student-athletes were repeat first-team all-Conference selections in 2006.
Wide receiver Ryan Wolfe of UNLV was the lone freshman selected to either of the all-conference teams. Wolfe is the fourth freshman, and first wide receiver, in MWC history to earn first-team accolades (DonTrell Moore, TB, New Mexico-2002 (first team)/Lynell Hamilton, RB, San Diego State-2003 (first team), Hoost Marsh, KR, Wyoming-2004 (first team)).
Cameron Jensen (LB-BYU), Jake Kuresa (OL-BYU), Jason Phillips (LB-TCU) and Tavo Tupola (OL-Utah) are all first-team selections in 2006. All four players were second-team honorees in 2005.
Of the 50 first and second-team selections, 24 were seniors, 17 juniors, eight sophomores and one freshman. The first team had 16 seniors, six juniors, two sophomores and one freshman.
TCU placed the most players on the two all-conference teams with 10 selections, followed by league-champion BYU with nine. New Mexico was next with seven, followed by Utah and Wyoming each with six and UNLV with five.
TCU had the most first-team selections with six, followed by BYU and New Mexico with five a piece.
A listing of the 2006 All-Mountain West teams and individual honors are below.
Offensive Player of the Year John Beck, Sr., QB, BYU#
Defensive Players of the Year Eric Weddle, Sr., DB, Utah
Co-Special Teams Players of the Year Kenny Byrd, Sr., PK, New Mexico
Louie Sakoda, So., PK/P, Utah
Freshman of the Year Ryan Wolfe, Fr., WR, UNLV
Coach of the Year Bronco Mendenhall, BYU
All-Mountain West First-Team
Offense
Pos.
Player
Cl.
School
QB
John Beck#*
Sr.
BYU
WR
Travis Brown
Jr.
New Mexico
WR
Ryan Wolfe
Fr.
UNLV
RB
Curtis Brown*
Sr.
BYU
RB
Rodney Ferguson
So.
New Mexico
TE
Jonny Harline*
Sr.
BYU
OL
Jake Kuresa
Sr.
BYU
OL
Robert Turner*
Sr.
New Mexico
OL
Herb Taylor*
Sr.
TCU
OL
Tavo Tupola
Sr.
Utah
OL
Chase Johnson
Sr.
Wyoming
PK
Kenny Byrd
Sr.
New Mexico
PR/KR
Brian Bonner
Jr.
TCU
Defense
Pos.
Player
Cl.
School
DL
Tommy Blake#*
Jr.
TCU
DL
Chase Ortiz*
Jr.
TCU
DL
Kelly Talavou
Sr.
Utah
DL
Antwan Applewhite
Jr.
San Diego State
LB
Drew Fowler
Jr.
Air Force
LB
Cameron Jensen#
Sr.
BYU
LB
Jason Phillips
So.
TCU
DB
Quincy Black
Sr.
New Mexico
DB
Marvin White
Sr.
TCU
DB
Eric Weddle#*
Sr.
Utah
DB
John Wendling
Sr.
Wyoming
P
Kip Facer
Sr.
UNLV
#--Unanimous Selection
*--Two-Time First-Team Selection
All-Mountain West Second-Team
Offense
Pos.
Player
Cl.
School
QB
Jeff Ballard
Sr.
TCU
WR
Casey Flair
So.
UNLV
WR
Brent Casteel
So.
Utah
RB
Chad Hall
Jr.
Air Force
RB
Aaron Brown
So.
TCU
TE
Wade Betschart
Jr.
Wyoming
OL
Robert Kraay
Sr.
Air Force
OL
Sete Aulai
Jr.
BYU
OL
Clint Oldenburg
Sr.
Colorado State
OL
Matty Lindner
Jr.
TCU
OL
Jason Karcher
Sr.
Wyoming
PK
Jared McLaughlinJr.
BYU
PR/KR
Nate Meikle
Sr.
BYU
Defense
Pos.
Player
Cl.
School
DL
Tyler Donaldson
Jr.
New Mexico
DL
Jeremy Geathers
So.
UNLV
DL
Paul Soliai
Sr.
Utah
DL
Corey Mace
Sr.
LB
Joe Martin
Sr.
San Diego State
LB
Joe Jiannoni
Jr.
Utah
LB
Ward Dobbs
So.
Wyoming
DB
Quinn Gooch
Jr.
BYU
DB
DeAndre Wright
So.
New Mexico
DB
Brian Bonner
Jr.
TCU
DB
Eric Wright
Jr.
UNLV
P
Jimmie Kaylor
Jr.
Colorado State
Honorable Mention
Air Force: Shaun Carney, Jr., QB; Bobby Giannini; Jr., DB; Stuart Perlow, Sr., OL; Gilberto Perez, Sr., DL.BYU: Bryan Kehl, Jr., LB.Colorado State: Luke Adkins; Sr., LB; Josh Day, Sr., OL; Jeff Horinek, So., LB; Klint Kubiak, So., DB; Jesse Nading, Jr., DL; Damon Morton, Jr., WR/KR; Mike Pagnotta, So., DB; Blake Smith, Jr., DL; Kory Sperry, Jr., TE; Johnny Walker, Jr., WR.New Mexico: Glover Quin, So., DB; Marcus Smith, Jr., WR.San Diego State: Atiyyah Henderson, Fr., RB; Patrick Justman; Nick Osborn, Jr., DL.TCU: Robert Henson, So., LB; Lonta Hobbs, Sr., RB; Chris Manfredini, Jr., PK; Blake Schlueter, So., OL.UNLV: Howie Fuimaono. Sr., DL; Marco Guerra, Sr., OL; Jay Staggs, Sr., DB.Utah: Jason Boone, Jr., OL; Martail Burnett, Jr., DL; Robert Conley, So., OL; Casey Evans, Sr., DB; Brice McCain, So., KR; Derrek Richards, Jr., WR; Louie Sakoda, So., K/P; Steve Tate, Jr., DB.Wyoming:Michael Ford, Jr., WR; Dorsey Golston, Sr., DB; Aaron Robbins, Sr. DL; Julius Stinson, Jr., DB.
