By DAVE GUFFEY; Photo Gallery by MARK MESENKO
The Big Sky Conference has announced the ROOT SPORTS football Players of the Week for games played on Saturday, Oct. 19, and the University of Montana’s Brock Coyle was selected as the league’s “POW” on defense, the league announced today (Monday, Oct. 21).
Joining Coyle are Northern Arizona running back Zach Bauman who was tabbed the Big Sky’s Offensive Player of the Week, while Montana State punter Rory Perez is the Special Teams Player of the Week.
Coyle, a 6-2, 245-pound senior from Bozeman, Mont., tallied 15 tackles and the game-clinching interception in Montana’s 21-14 overtime win over Cal Poly. Coyle had two tackles for loss and helped the Grizzly defense keep the Mustangs off the board in the second half and overtime. In overtime, he intercepted Cal Poly quarterback Dano Graves’ third-down pass at the 2-yard line to secure the victory. This is Coyle’s second career Player of the Week honor.
Brock Coyle. Photo courtesy of GoGriz.com
Montana’s nominee on offense was quarterback Jordan Johnson. The 6-1, 195-pound junior from Eugene, Ore., was 22-of-39-1 for 242 yards and two touchdowns in the Cal Poly win. On Montana’s game-tying TD, Johnson went 9-of-14-0 for 81 yards, and had one rush for 7 yards. His game-winner was a 23-yard scoring pass to sophomore wide receiver Ellis Henderson.
The Grizzlies special teams nomination was linebacker Jordan Tripp, a senior from Missoula. Tripp blocked what would have been a game-clinching 26-yard field goal try by Cal Poly with 2:17 left. Tripp’s block gave Montana the ball on its own 12-yard line, and set up the game-tying drive and a touchdown pass from Johnson to senior tight end Clay Pierson on a 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line.
Bauman, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior from Chandler, Ariz., rushed for a career-high 266 yards and scored three touchdowns in Northern Arizona’s 39-30 win over Idaho State. Bauman carried the ball 28 times and averaged 9.5 yards per carry. This is the Walter Payton Award candidate’s third career Player of the Week honor.
Perez, a 6-2 199-pound senior from Moreno Valley, Calif., averaged 52 yards per punt in Montana State’s 34-16 win over Weber State. This is Perez’s second career Player of the Week honor.
NOTE: The Grizzlies were ranked 10th in both the Sports Network and FCS coaches polls today.
(PHOTO GALLERY BY MARK MESENKO. CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE)
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