Photo by: John Kelly
Rypien Named Offensive Player Of The Year, Highlights 11 Bronco All-MW Selections
11/28/2018 10:05:00 AM | Football
BOISE, Idaho – Eleven Broncos were recognized with All-Mountain West honors Wednesday, highlighted by senior quarterback Brett Rypien being named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year.
Rypien was joined on the All-Mountain West First Team by running back Alexander Mattison, offensive linemen Ezra Cleveland and John Molchon, STUDs Jabril Frazier and Curtis Weaver, and cornerback Tyler Horton.
Wide receiver Sean Modster was voted to the All-Mountain West Second Team, while defensive lineman Durrant Miles, safety Kekoa Nawahine, and cornerback/return specialist Avery Williams each were named All-Mountain West Honorable Mention.
Rypien becomes the second Bronco to be named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, joining quarterback Kellen Moore (2011). Overall, Rypien is the eighth Bronco to be voted a conference offensive player of the year, and this season's honor is the 10th time it has gone to a Boise State player (Moore also was named 2010 WAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year, and quarterback Bart Hendricks was the Big West's top offensive player in 1999 and 2000).
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Rypien is also the third player in Mountain West history to have been named both the conference freshman of the year (Rypien earned the honor in 2015) and a conference player of the year (offensive or defensive) in his career, joining BYU running back Luke Staley (freshman of the year in 1999, offensive player of the year in 2001) and New Mexico running back DonTrell Moore (freshman of the year in 2002, offensive player of the year in 2005).
The Spokane, Wash., native earned this accolade, along with his third first-team all-conference selection and fourth overall, with what will surely end as a career year in which he currently ranks in the national Top 11 in six major categories: touchdown passes (eighth, 29), completions per game (eighth, 23.8), passing yards (ninth, 3,580), passing yards per game (10th, 298.3), completion percentage (10th, 68.8), and passing efficiency (11t, 160.7). Over leading the Broncos to a 10-2 record and spot in the Mountain West Championship Game, Rypien has posted career highs in completions (286), attempts (416), completion percentage (68.8), touchdown passes (29), and is just 67 passing yards away from topping his previous best of 3,646 yards in 2016.
He also etched his name into the Mountain West history books in 2018, becoming the conference's all-time leader in passing yards (13,456), completions (1,021), and 300-yard games (21). He eclipsed San Diego State's Ryan Lindley's (2008-11) yardage and completion marks of 12,690 and 961, respectively, on Nov. 9 against Fresno State, and passed BYU's Max Hall for most 300-yard performances Nov. 24 against Utah State.
Mattison, the junior running back from San Bernardino, Calif., earned his second all-conference nod and first selection to the first team by powering his way to 1,215 rushing yards and a Mountain West-best 16 rushing touchdowns. His 1,215 rushing yards also gave him a second-straight 1,000-yard campaign, extending Boise State's streak of seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher to 10.
Mattison, named honorable mention last season, came on strong in the regular season's final five games, rushing for 714 yards and nine touchdowns on 134 carries as the Broncos finished a 7-1 conference campaign to reach the Mountain West Championship Game for a third time. The Bronco workhorse posted four of his five 100-yard games this season over that final five-game stretch, topping it with a 200-yard, three-touchdown effort on a career-high 37 carries in Nov. 24's Mountain Division-clinching 33-24 win over Utah State.
Paving the way for Mattison's career season, and helping provide the protection for Rypien's own career year, were the left-side combo of guard John Molchon and tackle Ezra Cleveland. While the pair, each named All-Mountain West Honorable Mention last season, were once again part of a line that produced a 10th-straight 1,000-yard rusher, that line was also the only one in the Mountain West to produce a 1,000-yard rusher and a 3,000-yard passer.
Cleveland, starting all 12 games at left tackle, graded out as the highest-rated offensive lineman in the Mountain West, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), and was a seven-time selection to the PFF Mountain West Team of the Week.
Molchon, who also started all 12 games, was graded by PFF as Boise State's second-highest offensive lineman, behind Cleveland. A three-time selection to the PFF Mountain West Team of the Week, Molchon helped provide the protection and run-blocking for a Bronco offense that ranks in the national top 20 in both scoring offense (19th, 37.0 ppg) and total offense (18th, 468.7 ypg).
On defense, the STUD combo of Frazier and Weaver once again found Mountain West glory, as Weaver earned his second-straight first-team selection, and Frazier was tabbed for the first team after being honored on the second team in 2017.
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Frazier ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 44 (27 solo), leading all Bronco defensive linemen, while his 5.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles-for-loss each rank second on the team, behind Weaver. The Los Angeles native had two sacks at Oklahoma State (Sept. 15), while recording at least two TFL in a pair of Mountain West wins over Wyoming and Air Force.
Weaver followed up his breakout redshirt freshman season of 2017 with another big year in 2018, leading the Mountain West and ranking 13th in the FBS in sacks (9.5) and ranking tied for third in conference with 14.5 tackles-for-loss. The Long Beach, Calif., native posted five multi-TFL games in 2018, along with two multi-sack games, highlighted by a career-high 2.5 against Colorado State on Oct. 19.
Horton earned his second-straight first-team honor Wednesday for a season in which he burnished his ball-hawking credentials. The Fresno, Calif., native recovered four fumbles on the year, second-best in the country, along with scooping up a blocked field goal, and picked off a pass.
But just making takeaways wasn't all Horton did, as he went on to return three of those five turnovers for scores, beginning with fumble returns of 55 and 11 yards in the season-opening win at Troy, then taking a pick 99 yards to the house at Nevada on Oct. 13.
Horton was also his usual strong self in the secondary, breaking up five passes and making 40 tackles this season.
Earning his first All-Mountain West nod with selection to the second team, Modster, a redshirt freshman from Mission Viejo, Calif., has turned in what is so far a career year with team-best totals of 64 catches and 933 yards, along with seven touchdowns.
Modster opened his season with a bang, hauling in seven catches for 167 yards and two scores in the victory at Troy on Sept. 1, and went on to record two more 100-yard games, including a nine-catch, 129-yard, three-touchdown night at New Mexico on Nov. 16.
Miles, Nawahine, and Williams each earned their second-straight All-Mountain West honor Wednesday by being named honorable mention.
Miles, who was also named honorable mention in 2017, has been part of a Bronco defensive line that ranks 23rd in the country in rush defense, allowing just 123.3 yards per game. He's also done his part on the pass rush, making 4.5 sacks (third on the team) along with 6.5 tackles-for-loss.
Nawahine, a second-team selection a year ago, leads the Broncos with 67 tackles (37 solo) to go with a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries over 11 games.
Williams, also named to the second team in 2017, was honored this season for both his defensive and special-teams performances. On defense, he leads the Bronco secondary in both pass breakups (eight) and tackles (44), while ranking second with a pair of interceptions.
On special teams, he has continued to be a dangerous return man, ranking third in the Mountain West in punt-return average (8.4 ypr), and, against Colorado State on Oct. 19, returned an onside kick attempt 44 yards for a touchdown.
No. 19/20 Boise State (10-2, 7-1 MW) hosts No. 25/23 Fresno State (10-2, 7-1 MW) in the Mountain West Championship Game Saturday at 5:45 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Rypien was joined on the All-Mountain West First Team by running back Alexander Mattison, offensive linemen Ezra Cleveland and John Molchon, STUDs Jabril Frazier and Curtis Weaver, and cornerback Tyler Horton.
Wide receiver Sean Modster was voted to the All-Mountain West Second Team, while defensive lineman Durrant Miles, safety Kekoa Nawahine, and cornerback/return specialist Avery Williams each were named All-Mountain West Honorable Mention.
Rypien becomes the second Bronco to be named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, joining quarterback Kellen Moore (2011). Overall, Rypien is the eighth Bronco to be voted a conference offensive player of the year, and this season's honor is the 10th time it has gone to a Boise State player (Moore also was named 2010 WAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year, and quarterback Bart Hendricks was the Big West's top offensive player in 1999 and 2000).
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The 2018 @MountainWest honors and teams are out! We'll be unrolling the Bronco honorees right here...and first...
— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) November 28, 2018
Congratulations to QB Brett Rypien on being named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year!#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/maHwbcmGk0
Rypien is also the third player in Mountain West history to have been named both the conference freshman of the year (Rypien earned the honor in 2015) and a conference player of the year (offensive or defensive) in his career, joining BYU running back Luke Staley (freshman of the year in 1999, offensive player of the year in 2001) and New Mexico running back DonTrell Moore (freshman of the year in 2002, offensive player of the year in 2005).
The Spokane, Wash., native earned this accolade, along with his third first-team all-conference selection and fourth overall, with what will surely end as a career year in which he currently ranks in the national Top 11 in six major categories: touchdown passes (eighth, 29), completions per game (eighth, 23.8), passing yards (ninth, 3,580), passing yards per game (10th, 298.3), completion percentage (10th, 68.8), and passing efficiency (11t, 160.7). Over leading the Broncos to a 10-2 record and spot in the Mountain West Championship Game, Rypien has posted career highs in completions (286), attempts (416), completion percentage (68.8), touchdown passes (29), and is just 67 passing yards away from topping his previous best of 3,646 yards in 2016.
He also etched his name into the Mountain West history books in 2018, becoming the conference's all-time leader in passing yards (13,456), completions (1,021), and 300-yard games (21). He eclipsed San Diego State's Ryan Lindley's (2008-11) yardage and completion marks of 12,690 and 961, respectively, on Nov. 9 against Fresno State, and passed BYU's Max Hall for most 300-yard performances Nov. 24 against Utah State.
Mattison, the junior running back from San Bernardino, Calif., earned his second all-conference nod and first selection to the first team by powering his way to 1,215 rushing yards and a Mountain West-best 16 rushing touchdowns. His 1,215 rushing yards also gave him a second-straight 1,000-yard campaign, extending Boise State's streak of seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher to 10.
Mattison, named honorable mention last season, came on strong in the regular season's final five games, rushing for 714 yards and nine touchdowns on 134 carries as the Broncos finished a 7-1 conference campaign to reach the Mountain West Championship Game for a third time. The Bronco workhorse posted four of his five 100-yard games this season over that final five-game stretch, topping it with a 200-yard, three-touchdown effort on a career-high 37 carries in Nov. 24's Mountain Division-clinching 33-24 win over Utah State.
Paving the way for Mattison's career season, and helping provide the protection for Rypien's own career year, were the left-side combo of guard John Molchon and tackle Ezra Cleveland. While the pair, each named All-Mountain West Honorable Mention last season, were once again part of a line that produced a 10th-straight 1,000-yard rusher, that line was also the only one in the Mountain West to produce a 1,000-yard rusher and a 3,000-yard passer.
Cleveland, starting all 12 games at left tackle, graded out as the highest-rated offensive lineman in the Mountain West, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), and was a seven-time selection to the PFF Mountain West Team of the Week.
Molchon, who also started all 12 games, was graded by PFF as Boise State's second-highest offensive lineman, behind Cleveland. A three-time selection to the PFF Mountain West Team of the Week, Molchon helped provide the protection and run-blocking for a Bronco offense that ranks in the national top 20 in both scoring offense (19th, 37.0 ppg) and total offense (18th, 468.7 ypg).
On defense, the STUD combo of Frazier and Weaver once again found Mountain West glory, as Weaver earned his second-straight first-team selection, and Frazier was tabbed for the first team after being honored on the second team in 2017.
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And now the defense! Making his second-straight All-Mountain West First Team, the conference's sack leader...
— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) November 28, 2018
STUD Curtis Weaver!#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/jQ64cX4lP2
Frazier ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 44 (27 solo), leading all Bronco defensive linemen, while his 5.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles-for-loss each rank second on the team, behind Weaver. The Los Angeles native had two sacks at Oklahoma State (Sept. 15), while recording at least two TFL in a pair of Mountain West wins over Wyoming and Air Force.
Weaver followed up his breakout redshirt freshman season of 2017 with another big year in 2018, leading the Mountain West and ranking 13th in the FBS in sacks (9.5) and ranking tied for third in conference with 14.5 tackles-for-loss. The Long Beach, Calif., native posted five multi-TFL games in 2018, along with two multi-sack games, highlighted by a career-high 2.5 against Colorado State on Oct. 19.
Horton earned his second-straight first-team honor Wednesday for a season in which he burnished his ball-hawking credentials. The Fresno, Calif., native recovered four fumbles on the year, second-best in the country, along with scooping up a blocked field goal, and picked off a pass.
But just making takeaways wasn't all Horton did, as he went on to return three of those five turnovers for scores, beginning with fumble returns of 55 and 11 yards in the season-opening win at Troy, then taking a pick 99 yards to the house at Nevada on Oct. 13.
Horton was also his usual strong self in the secondary, breaking up five passes and making 40 tackles this season.
Earning his first All-Mountain West nod with selection to the second team, Modster, a redshirt freshman from Mission Viejo, Calif., has turned in what is so far a career year with team-best totals of 64 catches and 933 yards, along with seven touchdowns.
Modster opened his season with a bang, hauling in seven catches for 167 yards and two scores in the victory at Troy on Sept. 1, and went on to record two more 100-yard games, including a nine-catch, 129-yard, three-touchdown night at New Mexico on Nov. 16.
Miles, Nawahine, and Williams each earned their second-straight All-Mountain West honor Wednesday by being named honorable mention.
Miles, who was also named honorable mention in 2017, has been part of a Bronco defensive line that ranks 23rd in the country in rush defense, allowing just 123.3 yards per game. He's also done his part on the pass rush, making 4.5 sacks (third on the team) along with 6.5 tackles-for-loss.
Nawahine, a second-team selection a year ago, leads the Broncos with 67 tackles (37 solo) to go with a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries over 11 games.
Williams, also named to the second team in 2017, was honored this season for both his defensive and special-teams performances. On defense, he leads the Bronco secondary in both pass breakups (eight) and tackles (44), while ranking second with a pair of interceptions.
On special teams, he has continued to be a dangerous return man, ranking third in the Mountain West in punt-return average (8.4 ypr), and, against Colorado State on Oct. 19, returned an onside kick attempt 44 yards for a touchdown.
No. 19/20 Boise State (10-2, 7-1 MW) hosts No. 25/23 Fresno State (10-2, 7-1 MW) in the Mountain West Championship Game Saturday at 5:45 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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