Weber State University Athletics
Ten Weber State Players Earn Honors On The Sports Network NCAA Division I FCS All-America Teams
1/7/2009 7:00:00 AM | Football
OGDEN, UTAH - One of the most, if not the most, successful football team(s) in Weber State history made school history as 10 PLAYERS earned all-America honors on the 2008 Sports Network NCAA Division I FCS All-American teams. Players were voted upon by media members who cover FCS teams and by Sports Information Director's from the 122 teams which make up NCAA Division I FCS.
The Wildcats had two players: Trevyn Smith (5-9, 210 Jr. Running Back) and Tim Toone (5-10, 165 Jr. Wide Receiver) named to the Second Team.
Five Players: Paul Carpenter (6-6, 310 Sr. Offensive Tackle), Beau Hadley (6-0, 185 Jr. Safety), Cameron Higgins (6-2, 195 Soph. Quarterback), Cody Nakamura (6-1, 220 Jr. Tight End) and Bryce Scanlon (6-3, 295 Sr. Defensive Tackle) were selected on the Third Team.
Three others: Kevin Linehan (6-3, 255 Jr. Defensive End), Marcus Mailei (6-1, 245 Sr. Fullback) and Josh Morris (6-0, 190 Jr. Cornerback) earned Honorable Mention all-America honors.
"This is a great honor, not only for these players, but for our team as well," said WSU head coach Ron McBride. "What's really exciting is seven of those ten will be back with us next season. All ten of these players worked extremely hard, in season and off season, to prepare themselves to succeed. We now understand, as a team, what kind of effort it takes to be a champion."
The Big Sky Conference placed 17 players on the first three teams. That was the most by any conference, and had 11 more named Honorable Mention. Montana had two first team members in offensive guard Collin Dow and safety Colt Anderson. Greg Peach (DE), the 2008 Division I FCS Defensive Player of the Year (Buck Buchanan Trophy) from Eastern Washington was also named First Team as was K.J. Gerard (Cornerback, Northern Arizona).
TREVYN SMITH was also named Second Team on the 2008 Associated Press NCAA Division I FCS all-America team. Smith was arguably the most versatile running back in Division I FCS in 2008. In 14 games he carried 295 times for 1,585 yards, scoring 21 touchdowns, and had 62 receptions for 778 yards and seven more touchdowns giving him 28 for the season. He led NCAA DIVISION I FCS in SCORING with 168 points (12.00 per game). He was the ONLY RUNNING BACK in Division I FCS to have 1,500 yards RUSHING and 500 RECEIVING. ... He became just the 2nd player in Big Sky Conference history to lead the league in Average Rushing Yards Per Game for three straight seasons. ... The other was Idaho running back Sherriden May in 1992, 1993 and 1994. He also became Weber State's CAREER RUSHING leader with 4,028 yards in 36 career games. He will enter the 2009 season ranked 6th on the Big Sky Conference career rushing chart and needs just 457 to move up to third. ... Smith's 2,363 All-Purpose Yards was a Weber State single season best and the third best single season mark in Big Sky Conference history and will need 1,986 in 2009 to surpass Sacramento State's Charles Roberts (7,112) as the league's all-time leader. Smith has earned First Team All-Big Sky Conference honors in each of his first three seasons.
TIM TOONE exploded on to the scene as one of the top receivers in Division I FCS this past season. In his first two season, Toone had 39 receptions for 973 yards and 12 touchdowns, but in 2008 he grabbed 84 passes for 1,525 yards and seven touchdowns. ... His 1,525 receiving yards set a new Big Sky Conference and Weber State single season record. His 19 career touchdown catches is a Weber State career record. Toone led the Big Sky in Receiving Yards Per Game at 108.9 yards per game and ranked 5th in Division I FCS. He needs 84 catches and 424 yards to become Weber State's career leader in Total Receptions and Receiving Yards.
PAUL CARPENTER was a fixture at left offensive tackle for the past two seasons and was a big reason for the running success of Trevyn Smith and the passing success of Cameron Higgins. He played in 39 career games and was a starter 29 times. In 2008, Weber State led the Big Sky Conference in Scoring Offense (35.2 ppg) and in Total Offense (455.3). ... The Wildcats were the most efficient passing team in the league with a rating of 165.5. Carpenter had a highlight game on Nov. 22 at home vs. Eastern Washington. He had the task of taking of EWU defensive end Greg Peach the entire afternoon. Peach came into the game with 20 Quarterback Sacks in 2008 and 35 for his career. Carpenter did not allow him access to WSU QB Cameron Higgins the entire afternoon. Peach went on to be named the 2008 Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS Defensive Player of the Year (Buck Buchanan Trophy).
BEAU HADLEY was a key component in WSU's defensive success in 2008. Hadley replaced Ty Sparrow at one safety position. Sparrow earned First Team All-Big Sky honors in 2007. Hadley moved in and established himself as one of the top defensive backs in the Big Sky and Division I FCS. He played and started in all 14 games and led the Wildcats in Total Tackles with 121 and ranked fourth in the Big Sky. He had four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and led the Big Sky (along with teammate Kevin Linehan and Northern Colorado's Cristian Sarmento) in Forced Fumbles with five.
The story line of the 2008 season for the Wildcats would probably be the emergence of CAMERON HIGGINS as one of the top five quarterbacks in NCAA Division I FCS this season. ... The sophomore from Honolulu, Hawai'i completed 305-465 passes for 4,477 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2008. The yards and touchdowns were both WSU single season records which were held by current NFL quarterback and 1991 Walter Payton Award winner Jamie Martin. ... Higgins set a new school record for Passing Efficiency with a rating of 166.4. That led the Big Sky Conference, and was third best nationally in Division I FCS. ... With two seasons still ahead of him, Higgins is now 2nd on the Weber State career charts in Total Offense Yards (6,531), Passing Yards (6,436) and Touchdown Passes (53), and Total Touchdowns (59). Jamie Martin holds all four marks (12,287 - 12,207 - 87 - 93). Higgins was voted the 2008 Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He also was named Third Team all-America in 2008 by the Associated Press.
Injuries to tight ends during 2008 Spring practice forced the Wildcat coaching staff to move wide receiver CODY NAKAMURA over to tight end. It was a good move for both parties. ... As a receiver his freshman and sophomore seasons, Nakamura appeared in just 12 games and had 10 receptions for 74 yards and no touchdowns. Playing and starting in all 14 games in 2008, he grabbed 48 receptions for 729 yards and led the team in touchdown catches with 10 including three vs. Dixie State. He is the only Wildcats earning all-America honor in 2008 that wasn't voted First Team All-Big Sky in 2008. Nakamura was voted Second Team All-Big Sky behind Northern Colorado's Ryan Chelsea.
BRYCE SCANLON earned First Team All-Big Sky Conference honors in both 2007 and 2008. This past season he recorded 67 total tackles, 25 unassisted. He had 7.5 tackles for loss, one quarterback sack and one forced fumble, one fumble recovery along with one blocked kick. He leaves WSU with 136 career total stops, 17.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks.
KEVIN LINEHAN earned First Team All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2008. He played and started in all 14 games and was third on the team in Total Tackles with 78 (36 unassisted). He was WSU's leader in Tackles For Loss (14.5) and Quarterback Sacks (10.5) and was tied with teammate Beau Hadley and Northern Colorado's Cristian Sarmento for the most Forced Fumbles in the Big Sky with five. ... Linehan was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 4 with seven tackles (six unassisted) three tackles for loss, including two quarterback sacks, in WSU's 45-28 home field win over number two ranked Montana.
Though he didn't have the great statistical numbers, fullback MARCUS MAILEI will go down as one of the best players at his position in Weber State and Big Sky Conference history. He was named First Team All-Big Sky in both 2007 and 2008. Mailei specialized in making plays in short yardage situations, in making a big catch coming out of the backfield, and as a punishing blocker, mostly for Trevyn Smith as well as a protector, mostly for Cameron Higgins. ... Mailei played in 41 career games and had 47 carries for 157 yards and three touchdowns. He caught 60 career passes for 580 yards and five touchdowns.
JOSH MORRIS had a breakout season after spending his sophomore year in a reserve role. He and teammate Scotty Goodloe led the Wildcats in Interceptions for the 2008 season with five a piece. Three of Morris' interceptions came in WSU's 59-27 win at Idaho State. He led the Wildcats in pass break ups with nine and had a forced fumble and fumble recovery as well. Morris earned First Team All-Big Sky honors for his 2008 performance.
