With two weeks left in the regular season, several teams entered last weekend’s Big Sky football action with their backs was against the wall.
In the wake of that pressure, four players rose to the occasion, lifting their teams to victory and earning weekly honors as the Big Sky Football Players of the Week.
Northern Arizona quarterback Case Cookus is the Offensive Player of the Week, Montana defensive end Tyrone Holmes and Portland State cornerback Xavier Coleman are the Co-Defensive Players of the Week, and Montana State kicker Luke Daly is the Special Teams Player of the Week.
Northern Arizona quarterback Case Cookus/by Brooks Nuanez
Cookus continued his stellar freshman season in a 49-35 NAU win over Sacramento State, and set a national record in the process. Cookus completed 25-of-33 passes (75.7 percent), threw for six touchdowns (16-20-22-16-11-34) and ran for a four-yarder to be a part of all seven of NAU’s touchdowns. He brought his season touchdown passes total to 33, breaking the FCS freshman record for most touchdown passes in a season (previously 31, set back in 2004).
The Northern Arizona freshman threw for a career-high 407 yards- his first 400-yard game- and ran for another 41 yards.
Portland State earned a tight 24-23 home win over Southern Utah — a win that gives the Thunderbirds a chance at earning the Big Sky’s automatic bid to the playoffs next weekend — and Coleman played a large role in the win. He snared two interceptions, both near the Viking goal line as Southern Utah was threatening to score. Coleman also had three pass breakups and three tackles. Coleman has five interceptions and 13 pass breakups on the season. He leads the Big Sky in pass breakups and passes defended.
UM defensive end Tyrone Holmes/by Brooks Nuanez
Montana also has a chance at winning the Big Sky’s automatic bid into the FCS playoffs, and defensive end Tyrone Holmes played a strong game as the Griz defense controlled Eastern Washington’s passing attack in a 57-16 win over Eastern Washington. Holmes moved into fourth place on Montana’s all time career sack ranking, adding three to his national best 11 for a total of 14 sacks on the year thus far in Montana’s win.
Holmes was a crucial part of holding the potent Eagle offense to its second-lowest points total since the last time the UM beat EWU back in 2011. Holmes had two solo tackles, and three assisted for a total of five on the day, four of which were tackles for loss, putting EWU back 12 yards total. Holmes was a constant menace to the Eagle quarterbacks, tallying two quarterback hurries as well.
Holmes now has 30.5 sacks in his Montana career, fourth all-time behind Zack Wagenmann (37.5), Tim Bush (32.5) and Kroy Biermann (32). Montana’s single-season record is 19 set by Andy Petek in 2000. Holmes notched four tackles for loss, giving him 16.5 for the season to lead the Big Sky. He has 42 TFLs in his career, sixth in UM history behind Wagenmann (53), Bush (48.5), Biermann (45), Mike Murphy (44.5) and Petek (44).
MSU kicker Luke Daly/by Brooks Nuanez
The Montana State Bobcats had not won a road game all season, but they got over the hump this past weekend with a 44-20 win at Idaho State. Montana State kicker Luke Daly drilled a 57-yarder, the second-longest in Montana State history and the longest ever in Holt Arena by a visitor, then connected on a 53-yarder to become the second Bobcat ever to make two 50-yarders in one game. Daly added a 29-yard field goal to raise his season total to 8-for-9, and he is also 50-for-50 on PATs this season.
The point scoring notwithstanding, Daly’s best work of the day may have come on kickoffs. His nine kickoffs produced four that pinned the Idaho State inside the 20-yard line (including one at the ISU five) and five touchbacks. ISU’s starting field position after kickoffs was its own 21-yard line.
Daly’s 57 yarder came 50 years and eight days after Jan Stenerud kicked a 59-yard field goal against Montana, at the time the longest field goal in college football history.
Other players nominated for Offensive Player of the Week honors include: Brady Gustafson, Montana; John Weidenaar, Montana State; Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington; Chris Brown, Cal Poly; C.J. Spencer, UC Davis; Mike Sharp, Southern Utah; Alex Kuresa, Portland State; Xavier Finney, Idaho State; Shane Harrison, Sacramento State; and John Santiago, North Dakota.
Other players nominated for Defensive Player of the Week honors include: Mac Bignell, Montana State; Eddie Horn, Northern Arizona; Alek Kacmarcik, Eastern Washington; Darryl Graham, UC Davis; James Cowser, Southern Utah; Taylor Nelson, Southern Utah; Hayden Stout, Idaho State; Manoah Pearson, Sacramento State; and Brian Labat, North Dakota.
Other players nominated for Special Teams Player of the Week honors include: Dan Sullivan, Montana; Ryan Hawkins, Northern Arizona; Jordan Dascalo, Eastern Washington; and Colby Wadman, UC Davis.
