By ERIC TABER
Despite missing two games to injury, Montana senior quarterback Dalton Sneed has posted some of the best overall numbers in FCS football this season, averaging nearly 320 yards of total offense per game.
On Tuesday, the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) recognized him with a place on its midseason FCS National Performer of the Year watchlist, a 34-man whos-who list of the best players in the subdivision.
Sneed, from Scottsdale, Ariz., has thrown for 2,019 yards in 2019, already one of the top 30 seasons by any QB in Montana history in just seven games. He’s currently ranked No. 12 on UM’s all-time passing yards list as well with 4,742 yards to date. His career total of 37 passing TDs is also the twelfth-best in UM history.
But Sneed has really made his mark in overall QB play, currently ranked third in UM history in total offense per game with an average of 313 YPG, close behind Dave Dickenson’s career average of 329.2 YPG and Drew Miller’s 327.8 YPG. Sneed is also currently third all-time at Montana in passing yards per game with 263.4 YPG, trailing Miller’s Big Sky record 327.8 YPG and Dickenson’s 316.6 YPG.
The 2019 CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy is a 22-inch K-9 optic crystal tower with eight-inch crystal football on top. All FCS players are eligible for the award. The award winner will be announced on January 15, 2020.
Sneed has missed Montana’s last two games against Eastern Washington and Portland State but is expected to practice this week in hopes of returning to action on Saturday when the Griz host Idaho.
Sneed is one of five players and four quarterbacks from the Big Sky Conference to earn a place on the list. Also included on the list is Monmouth QB Kenji Bahar, who Montana defeated 47-27 on week three.
2019 CFPA Midseason FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy Watch List:
Jeff Undercuffler (QB), Albany
Felix Harper (QB), Alcorn State
JaVaughn Craig (QB), Austin Peay
Breylin Smith (QB), Central Arkansas
Aaron Winchester (QB), Central Connecticut State
Brandon Rainey (QB), The Citadel
Jared Gerbino (QB), Dartmouth
Jack Cook (QB), Dayton
Eric Barriere (QB), Eastern Washington
Davis Cheek (QB), Elon
Ryan Stanley (QB), Florida A&M
Devin Wynn (RB), Furman
James Robinson (RB), Illinois State
Ben DiNucci (QB), JMU
Kenji Bahar (QB), Monmouth
Dalton Sneed (QB), Montana
Case Cookus (QB), NAU
Jah-Maine Martin (RB), North Carolina A&T
Trey Lance (QB), North Dakota State
Will McElvain (QB), Northern Iowa
Kevin Davidson (QB), Princeton
Joe Mancuso (QB), Richmond
Kevin Thomson (QB), Sacramento State
Reid Sinnett (QB), San Diego
Pierre Strong, Jr. (RB), South Dakota State
Chason Virgil (QB), Southeastern Louisiana
Tyquell Fields (QB), Stony Brook
Tom Flacco (QB), Towson
Daniel Smith (QB), Villanova
Alex Ramsey (RB), VMI
Reece Udinski (QB), VMI
Josh Davis (RB), Weber State
Joe Newman (QB), Wofford
Kurt Rawlings (QB), Yale