The University of Montana’s Zack Wagenmann has been named the ROOT SPORTS Big Sky Conference Football Player of the Week on defense for his play in the Grizzlies’ 28-20 win over South Dakota this past Saturday.
Also honored were Montana State quarterback Dakota Prukop, who was the Offensive Player of the Week, while Sacramento State kicker Brad Cornish was tabbed the Special Teams Player of the Week.
Wagenmann, a 6-3 ½, 255-pound senior defensive end from Missoula, Mont., tallied three sacks and six total tackles in Montana’s home victory over USD. The Buck Buchanan Award candidate led a defense that forced three turnovers, tallied four sacks, and held the Coyotes to three first-half points.
Zack Wagenmann. Photo by ©Mark Mesenko for MakeItMissoula.com
Two of Wagenmann’s sacks came on third down and ended potential scoring drives. He has six sacks and 22 tackles through three games. His 2.0 sacks a game tie him for first in the nation with three other players. This is Wagenmann’s second career Player of the Week honor.
Wagenmann is ranked fifth in school history in career sacks with 26 and sixth in career tackles for loss with 36. He is starting for the third season in a row in 2014, and has now played in 41 games in a row.
Prukop, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound sophomore from Austin, Texas, had 379 yards of total offense and accounted for three touchdowns in MSU’s 44-33 home win over Central Arkansas. Prukop completed 19-of-27 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown and rushed 18 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
Cornish, a 6-3, 210-pound junior from Santee, Calif., set a school single-game record with five field goals in the Hornets’ 42-31 win over Weber State. Cornish opened with a career-long 48-yarder in the first quarter, and then hit on attempts of 43, 45, 32 and 40 yards.
ROOT SPORTS begins its coverage of Big Sky football this Saturday when Eastern Washington takes on Montana State. ROOT SPORTS will televise 11 games this season featuring Big Sky Conference teams.
