The Mountain West Conference named its all-conference selections Monday, and 12 Utes made the list, including six named to the all-conference first team.
Seniors Zane Beadles, David Reed, Koa Misi, Stevenson Sylvester and Robert Johnson all made the first team, along with a lone junior, running back Eddie Wide.
“We were pleased and thought all of them were very deserving,” said head coach Kyle Whittingham. “Three on offense and three on defense. For Eddie to work himself into a first-team selection after not starting the first three or four games is just a credit to him, his work ethic and what kind of player he is.”
Beadles is the only first-team repeat from the Utes from last season. Misi and Sylvester were both named to the second team last year.
“It’s definitely an honor,” Beadles said. “It’s something I expected out of myself coming into the season. It was a personal goal of mine.”
Although for Beadles this was the second time around, this is Reed and Wide’s first time being named to the first team, something that Beadles8212;a team captain8212;saw as very deserving.
“For Eddie Wide to make it is awesome,” Beadles said. “He basically got 1,000 yards in nine games. You can’t say enough about that guy. David Reed went over the 1,000-yard mark and may be one of the best receivers to ever play here at the University of Utah. It’s a real big honor for both those guys, as well as the program.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Misi led all down linemen in the conference in tackles, and Johnson led the league in interceptions. Johnson recorded five interceptions in the regular season and said he had his sights set on a different honor.
“I was trying my hardest this year to get Defensive Player of the Year,” Johnson said. “But I was happy I even got announced in the first team, so it’s an honor. It means a lot, but the All-American team is the one you want to be on.”
Other Utes receiving honors were offensive linemen Zane Taylor and Caleb Schlauderaff, who were named to the second team. Kicker Joe Phillips, punter Sean Sellwood, defensive tackle Sealver Siliga and linebacker Mike Wright were given honorable mentions.
TCU completed almost a clean sweep of all the major conference awards this season, with Andy Dalton receiving Offensive Player of the Year, defensive end Jerry Hughes winning Defensive Player of the Year, Jeremy Kerley winning Special Teams Player of the Year and Gary Patterson winning Coach of the Year. The only non-TCU player to win a major award was freshman Wyoming quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, who won MWC Freshman of the Year.
Tyler CobbSenior All-Mountain West Conference players Robert Johnson and Mike Wright celebrate the victory against Colorado State. In all, 12 Utes made the all-conference team.