Big Sky Conference

Griz safety Sandry earns first career Player of the Week honor

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Josh Sandry put together the most complete game of his young college career against North Dakota last week, tallying a stat in nearly every defensive category, highlighted by a 74-yard interception return. For his efforts, the sophomore from Bigfork, has been named the ROOT Sports Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week and was given an Honorable Mention for the STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week as well.

Not only did Sandry return his third interception of the year 74-yards before finally being tripped up on his way to the end zone. He also totaled seven tackles, a half-sack, half a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.

Northern Arizona’s Case Cookus for the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week and Weber State’s Rashid Shaheed for the Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week.

Cookus led NAU to its fourth straight win with a 42-20 road win at Portland State. The sophomore completed 23-of-39 passes for 347 yards and a long of 51 yards. Cookus tossed four touchdown passes to four different receivers. He surpassed 6,000 career passing yards with a seven-yard toss to Hunter Burton in the second quarter. Cookus helped NAU score 28 unanswered points in the second half to improve to 3-0 in Big Sky play.

Northern Arizona quarterback Case Cookus during the Big Sky Conference Kickoff in 2016/by Brooks Nuanez

Shaheed showed impressive agility as he dodged numerous tackles to register a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Weber State’s game against Southern Utah. Shaheed returned the kickoff 100 yards early in the second quarter for his first career return touchdown. It was the eighth time a Weber State player has returned a kick 100 yards. The freshman finished with three kickoff returns for a total of 131 yards.

For defensive coordinator Jason Semore, the timing of Sandry’s big-time performance couldn’t be better following a pair of quiet games over the last two weeks.

“Josh had a huge game, and he needed one,” said Semore. “It was really good for him to come out with a lot of confidence, be really productive and fly around and make some plays. When he’s playing confident, he’s as good as there is in the Big Sky. He’s a really dynamic athlete, so when he’s comfortable back there, he’s a special stinkin’ player.

Just over halfway through the season, Sandry has already posted more tackles than his entire freshman year with 35 and is tied for the second-most interceptions in the Big Sky Conference this year with three. He is also the only player this year to intercept a pass from Washington Heisman Trophy candidate Jake Browning and return it for a touchdown. Semore says that even though Sandry had a quiet stretch during the Grizzlies’ two-game road swing, Griz fans can expect big things out of the sophomore in games and seasons to come.

“With Josh’s work ethic, I have no doubt he will continue to get better every single week,” Semore added. “We’ve got some of the better teams left on the schedule, so we’re going to need productive days from Josh. I know he’ll keep working every week to get better.”

Montana senior safety Justin Strong

This is the second ROOT Sports Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week award for Montana this season, and both awards have gone to safeties.

Free safety Justin Strong earned a hat-trick of national and conference weekly awards after the game at Portland State, where the senior caught three interceptions, running one back for a touchdown, all while wearing a cast on his left hand.

Previous to Strong, Josh Buss was the last player to be named Big Sky ROOT Sports Defensive Player of the Week, getting the honor following the Sac. State game in 2016.

Also picking up a STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week Honorable Mention was QB Gresch Jensen, the fourth time in five games he’s been given the nod as one of the top freshmen in the nation. Jensen had the best performance by a freshman quarterback in the history of Montana football against UND and set a new career-high as well with 423 yards on 22 completions and three touchdowns.

Despite throwing two interceptions and giving up a fumble in the first quarter, Jensen rebounded to compile 459 yards of total offense, leading the Griz to a 41-17 win. If it weren’t for the three early turnovers and being relieved by Caleb Hill early in the fourth quarter, Jensen would have likely surpassed the 500-yards of total offense mark, something no Grizzly has managed since Brian Ah Yat in 1996.

Jensen’s 423 yards passing were the second-most of any player in all of FCS football last week. Jeremiah Briscoe of Sam Houston State threw for the most yards with 509.

Other Nominees for ROOT SPORTS Offensive Player of the Week: Antoine Custer Jr., Eastern Washington; Michael Dean, Idaho State; Keenan Curran, Montana; Kevin Thomson, Sacramento State; Logan Parker, Southern Utah

Other Nominees for ROOT SPORTS Defensive Player of the Week: Keenan Williams, Eastern Washington; Josh Hill, Montana State; Maurice Davison, Northern Arizona; Dariyn Choates, Sacramento State; Chinedu Ahanonu, Southern Utah; Landon Stice, Weber State.

Other Nominees for ROOT SPORTS Special Teams Player of the Week: Roldan Alcobendas, Eastern Washington; Brandon Purdy, Montana; Graycen Kennedy, Portland State; Rashaan Miller, Southern Utah

 

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