5 Bears Named to Big Sky All-Conference Team

FARMINGTON, Utah – Tizell Lewis, Austin Lawrence, Jacob Stanton, Marcus Howard, and Hunter Green were named to the 2023 Big Sky All-Conference team, the conference office revealed Tuesday morning.

Lewis earned second-team honors at defensive back.

Lawrence (offensive line), Howard (defensive line), Stanton (linebacker), and Green (punter) each earned honorable mention.

Lewis is one of the best defensive backs in the conference. Lewis is tied for third in the conference in interceptions with three. Lewis' eight pass breakups rank fifth in the conference. One of the top tacklers on the team, Lewis totaled 54 stops, 32 solo, and 22 assisted. He also added 1.5 tackles for loss.

A standout offensive lineman, Lawrence helped pave the way for an offense that rushed for 1224 yards and 113.3 yards per game and seven touchdowns. Behind Lawrence, the Bears had two running backs who rushed for more than 100 yards in a game, with each running back earning a career-high rushing yards per game.

Stanton is a standout linebacker for the Bears. Stanton totaled 70 tackles, which ranks in the top 15 in the conference, and averaged 7 tackles per game, which ranked in the top 10. He added a pair of interceptions, which is tied for fourth in the conference.

Howard was a true sack master and finished the season with 6 sacks, which ranked sixth in the conference. Howard also ranked in the top 10 in the conference in tackles for loss with 8. Howard has a nose for football and finished with 38 total tackles, 4 quarterback hurries, and a pair of pass breakups.

Green was a dynamic punter for the Bears. He led the conference with 2968 total punting yards and with 21 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. He had a punt of 70 yards, which tied for the longest punt in the conference. He averaged 43.6 yards per punt, which ranked fifth in the conference, and did not have one punt blocked this season.

2023 Big Sky All-Conference Team

First Team All-Conference Offense
QB: Gevani McCoy, Idaho
RB: Lan Larison, UC Davis
RB: Anthony Woods, Idaho
FB: Derryk Snell, Montana State
WR: Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington*
WR: Hayden Hatten, Idaho*
WR: Chedon James, Idaho State
WR: Junior Bergen, Montana
TE: Marshel Martin, Sacramento State
TE: Treyton Pickering, Montana State
OL: Noah Atagi, Weber State*
OL: Marcus Wehr, Montana State
OL: Rush Reimer, Montana State
OL: Brandon Casey, Montana
OL: Jordan Ford, UC Davis
OL: Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
AP: Sean Chambers, Montana State

* - Unanimous Selection

First Team All-Conference Defense
DL: Alex Gubner, Montana*
DL: Brody Grebe, Montana State
DL: Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly
DL: Zach Kennedy, UC Davis
DL: Eloi Kwete, Northern Arizona
LB: Braxton Hill, Montana
LB: Winston Reid, Weber State
LB: Armon Bailey, Sacramento State
LB: Nolan Askelson, Montana State
LB: Jack Kelly, Weber State
DB: Marcus Harris, Idaho
DB: Maxwell Anderson, Weber State
DB: Cameron Broussard, Sacramento State
DB: Marlon Jones Jr., Eastern Washington
DB: Corbin Walker, Montana
DB: Trevin Gradney, Montana

* - Unanimous Selection

First Team All-Conference Special Teams
K: Ricardo Chavez, Idaho
P: Brendan Hall, Montana State
KR: Abraham Williams, Weber State
PR: Junior Bergen, Montana
ST: Garrett Graves, Montana

Second Team All-Conference Offense
QB: Tommy Mellott, Montana State
RB: Eli Gillman, Montana
RB: Julius Davis, Montana State
FB: Andrew VanBuren, Portland State
WR: Jermaine Jackson, Idaho
WR: Coleman Owen, Northern Arizona
WR: Jared Gipson, Sacramento State
TE: Hayden Meacham, Weber State
TE: Blake Gobel, Eastern Washington
OL: Jonny Bottorff, Northern Arizona
OL: Shiloh Ta'ase, Portland State
OL: Garrett Weichman, Cal Poly
OL: Jordan Lutui, Weber State
OL: Omar Aigbedlion, Montana State
OL: AJ Forbes, Montana
AP: Trent Tompkins, UC Davis

Second Team All-Conference Defense
DL: Jett Stanley, Sacramento State
DL: Sebastian Valdez, Montana State
DL: Brayden Wilson, Weber State
DL: Dino Kahaulelio, Portland State
DL: Chubba Maae, UC Davis
LB: Evan Tattersall, UC Davis
LB: Teddye Buchanan, UC Davis
LB: Levi Janacaro, Montana
LB: Riley Wilson, Montana
LB: Nick Eaton, UC Davis
DB: Rex Connors, UC Davis
DB: Alex McLaughlin, Northern Arizona
DB: Donovan Saunders, Cal Poly
DB: Calvin Pitcher, Idaho State
DB: George Steele, Northern Arizona
DB: Tizell Lewis, Northern Colorado

Second Team All-Conference Special Teams
K: Gianni Smith, Portland State
P: Ricardo Chavez, Idaho
KR: Michael Wortham, Eastern Washington
PR: Jermaine Jackson, Idaho
ST: Sean McCormick, Idaho

Honorable Mention (at least 3 votes)
QB: Kekoa Visperas, Eastern Washington
RB: Marcus Fulcher, Sacramento State
RB: Devon Starling, Northern Arizona
WR: Jermaine Braddock, Portland State
WR: Hendrix Johnson, Northern Arizona
OL: Chris Walker, Montana
OL: Ivan Garza, Sacramento State
OL: Journey Grimsrud, Montana
OL: Nathan Mejia, Sacramento State
OL: Ayden Knapik, Idaho
OL: Austin Lawrence, Northern Colorado
OL: Justus, Perkins, Montana State
OL: Jake Parks, UC Davis
AP: Quincy Craig, Portland State
DL: Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho
DL: David Rowe, Idaho State
DL: Marcus Howard, Northern Colorado
DL: Mark Ho Ching, Northern Arizona
DL: Dallas Afalava, Idaho
LB: Tre Thomas, Idaho
LB: Parker McKenna, Portland State
LB: Xe'ree Alexander, Idaho
LB: Jacob Stanton, Northern Colorado
DB: Tommy McCormick, Idaho
DB: Jehiel Budgett, UC Davis
DB: Rylan Ortt, Montana State
DB: Naseme Colvin, Weber State
DB: Dillon Juniel, Sacramento State
K: Hunter Ridley, UC Davis
P: Cal McGough, Sacramento State
P: Hunter Green, Northern Colorado
P: Jack Burgess, Weber State
KR: Jermaine Jackson, Idaho
PR: Haze Hadley, Weber State
ST: Hendrix Johnson, Northern Arizona

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