All-Conference

SKYLINE SPORTS preseason All-Big Sky team – Defense

on

 The opening of fall camp is less than a month away for the 13 teams in the Big Sky Conference. The season officially begins on August 26 when Portland State plays at BYU and August 27 when Cal Poly hosts Colgate.

The league will host the Big Sky Kickoff, its annual football media conference in Park City, Utah, on July 16 through July 18. There, the Big Sky will unveil the league’s preseason all-league team voted on by the league’s media as well as the preseason polls as voted on by both the media and coaches. In anticipation of those lists, Skyline Sports will give a look at how we voted. In the second installment of this series (first installment click here: SKYLINE SPORTS preseason All-Big Sky team – Offense), we look at the top defensive players in the Big Sky entering the 2017 season.

North Dakota safety Cole Reyes/ UND athletics

North Dakota safety Cole Reyes/ UND athletics

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year — Cole Reyes, safety, North Dakota — The hard-hitting, cerebral playmaker is perhaps the most important player in the Big Sky because of the offensive diversity the league’s 13 teams challenges defenses with.

Reyes, the 2016 Big Sky Defensive MVP, is equally good against the run and the pass, making him a key cog in one of the league’s most aggressive units. Outside of individual performance, it’s Reyes’ ability to read offenses on the fly and get the UND defense aligned correctly that makes him so valuable. In the Big Sky, one week you might be preparing to slow down the nation’s most prolific passing offense in Eastern Washington. The next week, you might be preparing for Cal Poly’s triple option and the week after that might mean you’re facing Northern Arizona’s downfield aerial attack. Reyes is equally comfortable providing help over the top in pass coverage as he is going heads up in the hole with a barreling ball carrier.

Last season, UND led the league in scoring defense (22 points per game allowed) and rushing defense (91.3 yards per game) while ranking second in total defense (355 yards per game allowed) thanks in part to a league-best 20 interceptions. Reyes himself notched 70 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had three interceptions, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumbles recoveries. He scored one of UND’s four defensive touchdowns to help the school to its first Big Sky championship thanks to a perfect 8-0 mark against league competition.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG SKY DEFENSE

SUU defensive tackle Robert Torgerson/ by Jason Bacaj

SUU defensive tackle Robert Torgerson/ by Jason Bacaj

Tackle — Robert Torgerson, Southern Utah — Torgerson was a terror his sophomore season for a SUU defense that put up big numbers in terms of sacks and tackles for loss but otherwise struggled. That 2014 season, Torgerson had 11 tackles for loss and six sacks playing alongside James Cowser, the Big Sky’s Defensive MVP the following year and now an outside linebacker for the Oakland Raiders.

Torgerson missed that 2015 season because of academic issues, sitting out during Southern Utah’s first-ever Big Sky championship season. Two off-seasons ago, the Thunderbirds saw Cowser, safety Miles Killebrew and cornerback LeShaun Sims all head to the NFL. Meanwhile Torgerson, a Freshman All-American in 2013, reemerged to his dominant form on the inside of SUU’s defensive line.

The 6-4, 275-pound brute had 12 tackles for loss and five sacks to earn first-team All-Big Sky honors as a junior. He enters his senior season with 28.5 tackles for loss in his career, an exceptional number for a defensive tackle. If SUU wants to return to playoff form — the T-Birds advanced to the postseason in 2013 and 2015 — Southern Utah will need similar production from its senior anchor.

Tackle — Tank Harris, North Dakota — Eastern Washington defensive tackle Jay-Tee Tiuli took full advantage of Matthew Sommer’s injury-filled season last fall, earning first-team All-Big Sky honors as a junior for the co-Big Sky champions. But Harris gets the nod here because of his importance to UND’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

Harris plays true nose tackle for the Fighting Hawks and he did it as well as any player in the league during his All-Big Sky sophomore season. The 6-4, 315-pound Tiuli had five tackles for loss among his 33 tackles, better numbers than Harris’ 28 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. But Harris’ ability to take the attention of multiple offensive linemen helped inside linebacker Dylan Bakker and Connor O’Brien along with Reyes roam free for the league’s top rushing defense. Tiuli and Cal Poly senior Augustino Elisaia (second-team All-Big Sky in 2016) have strong cases for recognition on this list but Harris’ strength in the middle is too important for UND’s defense to overlook.

End — Ben Sorensen, Sacramento State — Defensive end is the position that took the biggest hit in terms of lost star power following last season. First-team all-league defensive ends Siupeli Anua of Northern Arizona and Samson Ebukam of Eastern Washington, second-team All-Big Sky DEs Caleb Kidder of Montana and Mikhail Dubose of Northern Colorado and third-team all-conference ends Noah Johnson of UND and Ryan Johnson of Montana all graduated. Ebukam was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the Rams while Kidder is about to embark on training camp with the Minnesota Vikings.

Honorable mention All-Big Sky ends Sorensen, Southern Utah’s Taylor Pili and North Dakota’s Drew Greeley all return for their senior years. Sorensen is the most proven of the three — Pili had 47 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in 11 starts last year while Greeley had four sacks as a reserve last fall. The 6-3, 240-pound Sorensen had 11 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and forced three fumbles for the Hornets last season. Pili will be put in a play-making position for the Thunderbirds again this year but Sorensen’s 22 career starts makes him the lynchpin of Sac State’s no-name Hornets’ defense.

Montana junior defensive end Tucker Schye smacks former Sacramento State quarterback Nate Ketteringham/ by Jason Bacaj

Montana junior defensive end Tucker Schye smacks former Sacramento State quarterback Nate Ketteringham/ by Jason Bacaj

End — Tucker Schye, Montana — Schye has been productive despite waiting his turn behind a long line of talented Grizzlies. Now the Malta product will have one paramount season in the spotlight wearing UM’s vaunted No. 37.

The prep middle linebacker has been heralded as a talented player with quiet confidence since stepping on campus. The former Montana East-West Shrine Game MVP spent 2014 backing up All-Big Sky middle linebacker Jeremiah Kose. In 2015, the 6-4, 245-pounder transitioned to defensive end, where he spent that season backing up Kidder, Johnson and Derek Crittendon and notching five tackles for loss. Last season, Schye managed seven tackles for loss despite backing up a pair of All-Big Sky talents once again.

With Kidder and Johnson gone to graduation, Schye will shift into a prominent play-making role. Schye will try to follow in the footsteps of other premier defensive ends like Ciche Pitcher, Andy Petek, Ryan Fetherston and Zack Wagenmann as the next great No. 37 coming off the edge for Montana.

Outside linebacker Josh Buss, Montana — The prep All-American lacrosse player made a huge splash in his first season as a starter, earning Sophomore All-American honors after leading the Big Sky Conference in tackles for loss. Buss’s 20 TFLs ranked in the Top 10 nationally and led all sophomores in the FCS. Yet when the all-league honors came down, many felt Buss was snubbed. He was a third-team All-Big Sky selection despite earning Montana’s Steve Carlson Award as the team’s defensive MVP.

When examined more closely, it seems Buss was passed over because he was the least experienced player in perhaps the most talented position group defensively in the league. Southern Utah’s Mike Needham has been the most versatile outside linebacker in the league for two going on three years. Weber State’s Tre’Von Johnson is now an Arizona Cardinal, so it’s acceptable to see how each were first-team All-Big Sky selections last fall. Montana State’s Mac Bignell rolled up 15 tackles for loss and was the best player on one of the best statistical defensive units in the league as a junior. Northern Colorado’s Kyle Newsom was the league’s most productive linebacker, leading the Big Sky with 121 total tackles as a senior. Montana’s season ended with four losses in five games, including losses at Northern Colorado and to MSU at home.

Bignell has moved to inside linebacker for the Bobcats, meaning Buss joins Needham as the top players at the always stacked position entering the 2017 season.

SUU linebacker Mike Needham (34) intercepts a UM quarterback Brady Gustafson throw

SUU linebacker Mike Needham (34) intercepts a UM quarterback Brady Gustafson throw/Brooks Nuanez

Outside linebacker — Mike Needham, Southern Utah — Southern Utah has turned Cedar City into a surprising hotspot for NFL scouts in recent years. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Needham could be the next Thunderbird to garner attention to play on Sundays.

Needham is a fluid athlete with the ability to cover slot receivers one on one as well as the ability to make plays at the point of attack in the run game. Needham played as a true freshman in 2012 before leaving on an LDS mission that kept him away until 2015. Upon his return, he earned his first of two straight first-team All-Big Sky selections by notching 94 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and scoring three total defensive touchdowns.

Last season, Needham was equally productive despite SUU losing Cowser, Killebrew and Sims to the NFL. The St. George, Utah native had 76 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks and a team-high five interceptions for the 6-5 T-Birds. Needham will be a serious candidate for Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year if SUU returns to the upper part of the league standings.

Inside linebacker — Mario Jenkins, Idaho State — Idaho State hasn’t had much to brag about in recent years — the Bengals are 18-50 since the beginning of the 2011 season — and this year in Pocatello looks like an uphill battle once again. ISU fired successful yet controversial head coach Mike Kramer just a week before spring football, handing the reigns over to Rob Phenicie, a first-time head coach.

One bright spot in Holt Arena and around the Big Sky this season is sure to be Jenkins, one of the league’s top NFL prospects. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound middle linebacker was the Big Sky’s Freshman of the Year in 2014 during ISU’s 8-4 campaign. He finished fourth in the Jerry Rice Award voting for the top freshman in the FCS. But he suffered a torn ACL during fall camp leading up to the 2015 season, a key factor in Idaho State’s 2-9 finish.

Jenkins returned to full form last season, piling up 93 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions for an otherwise struggling defense that gave up 41 points and 502 yards per game during another 2-9 campaign. Jenkins was a second-team All-Big Sky selection for the second time in his career.

MSU linebacker Mac Bignell

MSU linebacker Mac Bignell/ by Brooks Nuanez

Inside linebacker — Mac Bignell, Montana State — Bignell has screamed into opponents’ backfields from his Sam linebacker position each of the last two seasons, producing at a high enough level to garner preseason All-Big Sky recognition despite his off-season position switch. Bignell led the league in tackles for loss with 20.5 in his first year as a starter in 2015. Last season playing in a new defensive scheme under head coach Jeff Choate and defensive coordinator Ty Gregorak, Bignell still thrived. The former walk-on from Drummond piled up 97 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, all top numbers on the Bobcats. He earned second-team All-Big Sky recognition.

In the off-season, Choate and Gregorak moved Bignell to Will linebacker — an inside linebacker in Gregorak’s 3-4 scheme — to put him an even more prevalent play-making position. To aid for playing almost exclusively in the box, Bignell added nearly 20 pounds; he weighed 218 at the end of spring football the last week of April. If Bignell can endure the increased physicality and equal his production of his first two seasons as a starter, he will also be in the MVP conversation.

Cornerback Taron Johnson, Weber State — Weber State head coach Jay Hill carved out the foundation of his career by first playing cornerback at Utah and then by mentoring a slew of standout defensive backs for the Utes. While on Kyle Whittingham’s staff at his alma mater, Hill helped safety Eric Weddle and cornerbacks Sean Smith, Brice McCain, R.J. Stanford and Brandon Burton all become NFL Draft picks.

Johnson has been timed as fast as 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash by scouts who have stopped by Weber State. If he can have his third straight All-Big Sky season — he was a second-team pick for Weber’s playoff team last season — and replicate that sort of physical testing, Johnson could be the next cornerback from a Hill-coached team to play on Sundays. Johnson had 48 tackles, five tackles for loss and 12 pass breakups last season. He enters his senior year with three career interceptions despite not notching one last season.

UND cornerback Deion Harris/ by Brooks Nuanez

UND cornerback Deion Harris/ by Brooks Nuanez

Cornerback — Deion Harris, North Dakota — Harris’ improvement has been both steady and rapid; steady as a player who saw action in all 12 games of his true freshman season, taking his lumps as a young player; and rapid in the dramatic jump he made between his sophomore and junior seasons. Now the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder with elite length and professional-level ball skills is entering a final season in which he’ll have to prove he can handle the hype.

Harris led the Big Sky in interceptions last season with five, including two against FBS Bowling Green. He returned one of those picks against the Falcons for a touchdown in UND’s narrow 27-26 loss in Ohio, one of three defensive touchdowns he scored last season. Harris also had a pick-6 to seal North Dakota’s 38-31 win over Northern Arizona, UND’s eighth straight league win to cap an undefeated conference campaign.

After earning second-team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association and first-team All-Big Sky accolades, the Hibbing, Minnesota native is receiving real NFL attention. The Sporting News compiled a list of the top 18 prospects for the 2018 NFL Draft just days after the completion of this year’s version, ranking Harris No. 18.

“Almost every year there is (a Football Championship Subdivision) player or two who sneaks into the first round. Harris could be that player next year. An excellent special teams player, Harris is a 6-3, 180-pounder who had five interceptions last season and could leave North Dakota as the school’s all-time leader in pass breakups,” the Sporting News wrote.

ESPN’s NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Harris as the No. 5 senior cornerback available next spring. All that’s left for Harris is to prove the prognosticators right.

Safety — Cole Reyes, North Dakota — UND surged to a 4-1 start in 2015, the lone loss to five-time reigning national champion North Dakota State. In the fourth win, a 19-17 victory over No. 16 Portland State in Portland, Reyes suffered an ankle injury and either missed or was hampered in the next three games. North Dakota lost all three. When Reyes returned to full health, UND ripped off three straight wins to finish 7-4, just outside the FCS playoff picture.

Last season, Reyes was the catalyst for UND’s nine-game winning streak that culminated in the school’s first football conference title since moving to Division I in 2008 or joining the Big Sky in 2012. Reyes will be equally important if the Fighting Hawks want to repeat.

Montana State senior Bryson McCabe

Montana State senior Bryson McCabe/ by Brooks Nuanez

Safety — Bryson McCabe, Montana State — McCabe’s emergence as an elite safety who could flip between both strong and free spots played huge dividends as Montana State’ made as big of a jump defensively as anyone in the league between 2015 and last season.

Two years ago, the Bobcats led the league in scoring and total offense but finished 5-6 because of a leaky defense that couldn’t find a stop. Last season, with McCabe adjusted to the Division I level — he transferred from Iowa Western before the 2015 season — and healthy for the duration of the season, the Bobcats ranked among the league’s leaders in scoring defense, rush defense and total defense. The hard-hitting 5-foot-10, 205-pounder totaled 76 tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception, nine pass breakups and three forced fumbles to earn second-team All-Big Sky honors. Another big season from the returning captain will be crucial for MSU if the ‘Cats want to improve on last year’s 4-7 mark.

Punter — Jacob DeMaio, Weber State — DeMaio was the Big Sky’s second-team all-conference punter a year ago yet was just the second-best FCS punter in his own state. Southern Utah’s Tate Lewis averaged 45.4 yards per punt to earn first-team all-league honors.

With Lewis gone to graduation, DeMaio is the standing incumbent as the league’s most powerful leg. As a junior, he averaged 43.5 yards per punt with a long of 91 yards.

Special teams player — Hakeem Deggs, Northern Colorado — The explosive return man was a first-team All-Big Sky selection as a special teams performer in 2015 after returning two kicks for touchdowns and averaging 35.4 yards per return. He also earned All-American recognition on special teams as a sophomore.

Last season, the 5-7, 157-pounder was a first-team All-Big Sky pick again as a special teams player after wracking up 563 kick return yards. He will gun for his third straight first-team All-Big Sky honor this fall.

Photos by Brooks Nuanez and attributed. All Rights Reserved

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

Recommended for you