Dakota Prukop earned a national accolade during his final week as a Montana State Bobcat.
The MSU junior quarterback was named first-team All-America by the Associated Press on Monday, one of 14 Big Sky Conference players selected to the team, including seven who earned first-team accolades.
Prukop, who announced on Tuesday that he will transfer to Oregon for his final season, leaves the Bobcat program as one of its most productive quarterbacks ever. As a two-year starter, he finished 10th in MSU history in rushing yards (1,763), fifth in passing yards (5,584) and fourth in total yards (7,347) in his career. He finished with four of the top seven total offense games and two of the top three total offense seasons in Bobcat history.
Prukop is MSU’s second straight starting quarterback to earn All-America honors. DeNarius McGhee, Prukop’s immediate predecessor, was a first teamer in 2012 – and the third in the last dozen years, joining Travis Lulay.
Eastern Washington senior left tackle Clay DeBord, EWU junior wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Montana senior defensive end Tyrone Holmes, Southern Utah senior defensive end James Cowser, Portland State senior safety Patrick Onwuasor and Northern Arizona senior punter Ryan Hawkins joined Prukop on the first team.
Holmes, the nation’s leader in sacks with 18, Cowser, the Big Sky’s Defensive MVP in 2015 and Onwuasor, the FCS leader with nine interceptions, are the three finalists for the FCS Defensive Player of the Year (formerly Buck Buchanan) award. DeBord started 51 games in his EWU career. Hawkins is an NFL hopeful who averaged almost 47 yards per punt during his final season in Flagstaff. Kupp is the Big Sky’s all-time leader in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He will begin his senior season with a shot at breaking all three marks on a national level.
EWU senior guard Aaron Neary, Montana State senior tight end Beau Sandland, North Dakota freshman running back John Santiago and Sacramento State senior linebacker Darnell Sankey earned second-team honors.
The All-America nod is Neary’s second straight. Sandland, a transfer from Miami, caught nine touchdowns in his only season as a Bobcat. Santiago led the Big Sky in rushing his rookie season. For a second straight season, Sankey led the league in tackles with 153.
NAU freshman quarterback Case Cookus, NAU sophomore wide receiver Emmanuel Butler and Montana State senior left tackle John Weidenaar were third-team selections.
Cookus led the FCS with 37 touchdown passes in his first year at the helm. Butler hauled in 15 of the scoring strikes.
Weidenaar is the 10th offensive line All-America produced by the Cats in the last 15 seasons, while Sandland is the first MSU tight end so honored since Blake Wolf in 2004. Weidenaar anchored Montana State’s offensive line from his home at left tackle for the last four years. He started all 49 games of his Bobcat varsity career, setting a school record for most starts and consecutive starts.
Associated Press FCS All-America team
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Quarterback — Dakota Prukop, junior, Montana State.
Running backs — Marshaun Coprich, senior, Illinois State; Kade Harrington, junior, Lamar.
Linemen — Joe Haeg, senior, North Dakota State; Donald Jackson III, senior, Sam Houston State; Clay DeBord, senior, Eastern Washington; Nick Ritcher, senior, Richmond; Cole Toner, senior, Harvard.
Receivers — Cooper Kupp, junior, Eastern Washington; Jake Wieneke, sophomore, South Dakota State.
Tight end — Ben Braunecker, senior, Harvard.
All-purpose — Johnta’ Hebert, senior, Prairie View A&M.
Kicker — Anthony Pistelli, senior, Samford.
Defense
Linemen — Tyrone Holmes, senior, Montana; Noah Spence, junior, Eastern Kentucky; Javon Hargrave, senior, South Carolina State; James Cowser, senior, Southern Utah.
Linebackers — Deon King, senior, Norfolk State; Stephen Hodge, senior, Fordham; Don Cherry, senior, Villanova.
Backs — Patrick Onwuasor, senior, Portland State; Deiondre’ Hall, senior, Northern Iowa; DeAndre Houston-Carson, senior, William & Mary; Jermaine Hough, senior, Jacksonville State.
Punter — Ryan Hawkins, senior, Northern Arizona.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Quarterback — Eli Jenkins, junior, Jacksonville State.
Running backs — Chase Edmonds, sophomore, Fordham; Jacobi Green, senior, Richmond.
Linemen — Corey Levin, junior, Chattanooga; Jonathan Burgess, senior, Liberty; Ben Curtis, senior, Delaware; Aaron Neary, senior, Eastern Washington; Bruce Johnson, senior, Maine.
Receivers — Brian Brown, junior, Richmond; Jamaal Jones, senior, Montana.
Tight end — Beau Sandland, senior, Montana State.
All-purpose player — John Santiago, freshman, North Dakota.
Kicker — Nick Dorka, sophomore, William & Mary.
Defense
Linemen — Victor Ochi, senior, Stony Brook; Chima Uzowihe, senior, Liberty; Keionta Davis, junior, Chattanooga; Mitchell Jeter, senior, The Citadel.
Linebackers — Christian Kuntz, senior, Duquesne; Darnell Sankey, senior, Sacramento State; Myke Tavarres, senior, Incarnate Word.
Backs — Dee Delaney, sophomore, The Citadel; Donald Payne, junior, Stetson; Harlan Miller, senior, Southeastern Louisiana; Wallace Scott, senior, McNeese State.
Punter — Ben LeCompte, senior, North Dakota State.
THIRD TEAM
Offense
Quarterback — Case Cookus, freshman, Northern Arizona.
Running backs —Troymaine Pope, senior, Jacksonville State; De’Angelo Henderson, junior, Coastal Carolina.
Linemen — Garrick Mayweather, senior, Fordham; Erik Austell, junior, Charleston Southern; Zack Johnson, junior, North Dakota State; John Weidenaar, senior, Montana State; Mitch Kirsch, junior, James Madison.
Receivers — Emmanuel Butler, sophomore, Northern Arizona; Anthony Warrum, junior, Illinois State.
Tight end — Eric Saubert, senior, Drake.
All-purpose player — Willie Quinn, senior, Southern University.
Kicker — Chris Moore, senior, Northwestern State.
Defense
Linemen — O.J. Mau, senior, Gardner-Webb; Derek Rivers, junior, Youngstown State; Dino Fanti, senior, Eastern Illinois; P.J. Hall, sophomore, Sam Houston State.
Linebackers — Kourtney Berry, junior, Alabama State; Tyler Drake, senior, Penn; John Hugunin, senior, Drake.
Backs — Justin Grier, senior, Morehead State; David Jones, junior, Richmond; Casey DeAndrade, junior, New Hampshire; Clayton Ewell, senior, Bucknell.
Punter — Cory Carter, senior, Texas Southern.
