Dec. 3, 2003
LAS VEGAS - A school-record six UNLV players were voted 2003 All-Mountain West Conference, including two on the first team, the league announced Wednesday.
The previous high for the Rebels in voting involving head coaches was five in both 2002 and 2001.
UNLV junior strong safety and Las Vegas native Jamaal Brimmer led the way as one of only two unanimous selections to the first team (along with New Mexico running back DonTrell Moore). However, the Mountain West's only defensive All-America candidate was shunned when it came to player of the year awards as the graduate of Durango High School was passed over in favor of San Diego State linebacker Kirk Morrison.
Brimmer, who won the award in 2002, only improved on his numbers this fall. He led the league with six interceptions (second most in league history), tied for first with four fumbles forced, tied for third with four fumbles recovered, scored two defensive touchdowns and ranks 16th with 77 total tackles to go along with three sacks and 10 tackles for loss. One of only 12 finalists for the coveted Jim Thorpe Award and a member of the Nagurski Watch List, the All-America candidate won national defensive player of the week honors after leading his team to a stunning victory at then-No. 14 Wisconsin. He was named a midseason All-America by The Sporting News and College Football News.
Brimmer will still get another chance at league MVP honors when the media team is announced Sunday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Joining Brimmer on the All-MWC First Team was another local product, junior linebacker Adam Seward. The Bonanza High School graduate was the first UNLV linebacker to be named first team all-conference on the coaches' list since Mark Byers as part of the Big West Conference in 1994. Seward, the 2002 MWC tackle champion, currently ranks second in the league with 119. A member of the Butkus Award Watch List, he became his school's career tackle leader (312) after hitting double figures in takedowns in seven of 12 games, including a season-high 15 at Air Force. Seward also turned in two interceptions and ranked ninth in the league in pass breakups with six to go along with one fumble forced and one recovery. The Rebels boasted four members of the All-MWC Second Team.
Senior center Dominic Furio was honored for the first time after playing every single offensive down for UNLV and allowing only a single quarterback sack. Wide receiver Earvin Johnson made the second team for the second straight year. The junior ranked second in the MWC and 45th in the nation with 75.8 yards per game and fourth in the league and 47th nationally with 5.45 catches per game. He also has caught at least one pass in 30 consecutive games.
Senior place-kicker Dillon Pieffer became the first Rebel booter to make an all-conference team since Nick Garritano in 1994. The third-leading scorer in school history led the league with 20 field goals, which were the second most in school history, and ranks 51st in the nation in scoring with 7.2 points per game. Junior punter Gary Cook also was a second team selection after his school-record 83 attempts yielded an average of 43.4, which currently ranks 21st in the nation. He kicked a stunning 31 percent of his punts 50 yards or longer, including a career-long 66-yarder.
Earning honorable mention from UNLV were junior linebacker John Andrews, junior linebacker Ryan Claridge, senior running back Larry Croom, freshman kick returner Tremayne Kirkland (who led the MWC in punt-return average) and sophomore safety Joe Miklos. CSU quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt won MWC Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year while San Diego State running back Lynell Hamilton was tabbed freshman of the year. Urban Meyer of the Liberty Bowl-bound Utah Utes earned coach of the year honors.
2003 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARKirk Morrison, LB, SDSUOFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARBradlee Van Pelt, QB, CSUFRESHMAN OF THE YEARLynell Hamilton, RB, SDSUCOACH OF THE YEARUrban Meyer, Utah
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSEPos Player Year SchoolQB Bradlee Van Pelt# SR Colorado StateWR David Anderson SO Colorado StateWR Paris Warren JR UtahRB Lynell Hamilton FR San Diego StateRB DonTrell Moore*# SO New MexicoTE Ben Moa SR UtahOL Jason Lenzmeier SR New MexicoOL Claude Terrell JR New MexicoOL Erik Pears JR Colorado StateOL Ryan Cook SO New MexicoOL Brendan Darby SR San Diego StatePK Wes Zunker JR New MexicoPR/KR Dexter Wynn# SR Colorado State
DEFENSEDL D.J. Renteria SR New MexicoDL Josh Savage SR UtahDL Brady Poppinga# JR BYUDL Brian Save SR Colorado StateLB Kirk Morrison# JR San Diego StateLB Adam Seward JR UNLVLB Marcello Graddy SR Air ForceDB Jamaal Brimmer*# JR UNLVDB Aaron Francisco JR BYUDB Brandon Ratcliff# SR New MexicoDB Dexter Wynn SR Colorado StateP Matt Payne# JR BYU
*Unanimous Selection#Two Time First Team Selection
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSEQB Alex Smith SO UtahWR Dwight Counter SR New MexicoWR Earvin Johnson JR UNLVRB Brandon Warfield SR UtahRB Reynaldo Brathwaite JR BYUTE Joel Dreesen JR Colorado StateOL Dominic Furio SR UNLVOL Brett Huyser SR Air ForceOL Mike Kracalik JR San Diego StateOL Brett Waller SR Air ForceOL Mark Dreyer SR Colorado StatePK Dillon Pieffer SR UNLVPR/KR Bo Nagahi JR Utah
DEFENSEDL Zach Rupp SR New MexicoDL Daniel Kegler SR New MexicoDL Brandon Casavan SR WyomingDL Brandon Rager SR San Diego StateLB Matt McCoy SO San Diego StateLB Daniel Gawronski SR New MexicoLB Billy Strother SR New MexicoDB Dave Revill SR UtahDB Gabriel Fulbright SO New MexicoDB Morgan Scalley JR UtahDB Jeff Shoate SR San Diego StateP Gary Cook JR UNLV
UNLV HONORABLE MENTIONJohn Andrews, LB; Ryan Claridge, LB; Larry Croom, RB; Tremayne Kirkland, KR; Joe Miklos, DB
