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The University of Utah Athletics
Johnson and Sakoda lead All-MWC Honorees
12/3/2008 12:00 AM | Football
Dec. 3, 2008
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah senior quarterback Brian Johnson and senior punter/kicker Louie Sakoda were selected as the Mountain West Conference Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year, respectively, and Kyle Whittingham was voted the MWC Coach of the Year, the league office announced today.
The undefeated Utes claimed over a third of the 22 first-team positions with a league-high eight selections, including Sakoda as both the punter and the kicker. Johnson was the league's top quarterback and was joined on the first team by two of his offensive linemen: junior Zane Beadles and senior Robert Conley. Johnson was a second-team selection in 2005, while Beadles and Conley both earned second-team nods a year ago. On defense, lineman Paul Kruger was one of only two sophomores selected to the all-MWC first team. He was joined by defensive backs Brice McCain and Sean Smith. McCain, a senior, was a second-team honoree in 2007. Kruger was honorable mention a year ago, while this marks the first league award for the junior Smith.
Utah also placed three players on the second team: senior wide receiver Freddie Brown, junior defensive lineman Koa Misi and junior linebacker Stevenson Sylvester. Winning honorable mention recognition were sophomore offensive lineman Zane Taylor, junior kick returner David Reed, senior defensive lineman Greg Newman and junior linebacker Mike Wright.
Sakoda earns his third-consecutive MWC Special Teams Player of the Year award and is the first-team punter for back-to-back years. He is the first player in league history to earn player-of-the-year honors three straight years. Sakoda is one of three finalists for both the Lou Groza and Ray Guy awards, which go to the nation's top place kicker and punter, respectively. He is a 2008 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete and a finalist for the Draddy Trophy, Wuerffel Trophy and Lowe's Senior Class Award. Sakoda is also an ESPN The Magazine first-team Academic All-American.
Johnson, Utah's all-time winningest quarterback with a 25-7 career record, leads an offense that is ranked 17th in the nation in scoring offense. He was the MWC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season and won ESPN Helmet Stickers on Aug 30 and Nov. 22 for wins over Michigan and Brigham Young. Johnson is one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and one of 10 finalists for the Manning Award.
Whittingham has led Utah to a school record-tying 12-0 overall record, an 8-0 league record and the outright MWC Championship. Utah's No. 6 BCS ranking is tied for its best ever (along with the 2004 team) and ties its own record for the highest ranking ever for a school from a non-automatic qualifying conference. Whittingham is the second Utah coach to win the MWC Coach of the Year award. Urban Meyer won in 2003 and 2004.
The all-conference teams were selected by a vote of the league's nine head coaches and a media panel.
Players Mentioned
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