The Montana Grizzlies' 238-pound senior defensive end from Hardin learned of the award Monday upon the release of the 2007 Big Sky All-Conference team selected by league coaches.
Biermann, a leading candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, earned league player of the year honors with Big Sky bests of 16 sacks and five forced fumbles. He ranks second in the Football Championship Subdivision in sacks, and has 61 tackles, including 18 for losses, and two blocked field goals this season.
“I set a lot of goals when I came in here as a freshman and worked hard,” Biermann said Monday. “It's a nice honor to have that, but it is definitely something that my teammates and coaches and everybody in the program helped me achieve. It's nice as a senior to get that on the way out. But it's definitely not just me getting the award.”
Biermann was credited with just one tackle in the Grizzlies' 41-20 win over Montana State on Saturday, but it was spectacular. He chased down and bulldogged receiver Derek Green at the end of a 46-yard gain.
“I got a little pressure on the quarterback and kind of went under a little too far, which was a mistake,” Biermann said. “Then I got off my block and I just took the pursuit angle that we practice every day.”
He added that defensive coordinator Kraig Paulson found a couple other tackles on tape. Not that it mattered.
“But I was really happy,” Biermann said. “You've got to be happy when you beat the Cats. It was all-in-all a good day.”
Biermann was one of just three unanimous selections, along with Weber State return specialist Bryant Eteuati and Portland State center Brennan Carvalho.
Among the Griz, senior outside linebacker Loren Utterback, junior safety Colt Anderson, junior guard J.D. Quinn, junior tackle Brent Russum, punter Tyson Johnson and kicker Dan Carpenter also made the first team.
Carpenter, a senior from Helena who broke the FCS scoring record against the Cats, has hit 16 of 19 field goals for a league-high 91 points this season. Johnson, a senior from Stevensville, led the Big Sky in punting with a 44.8-yard average.
Utterback, a senior from Fort Benton, has 84 tackles, second on the team to Tyler Joyce, including 8.5 tackles for loss. Utterback has two sacks, two interceptions and three passes broken up.
Anderson, a junior from Butte, has 69 tackles, three interceptions and seven passes broken up.
Montana had two other offensive linemen make first team in 2006. Senior tackle Cody Balogh was honorable mention this year, while junior center Colin Dow was second team after making first team at guard a year ago.
Quinn, a transfer from Oklahoma, was surprised to hear he was first-team.
“I didn't have any idea,” said the 310-pounder from Garland, Texas. “Feels good. I appreciate it. It feels good to be honored, to be part of the Griz. I obviously wouldn't be doing any good at all without the good players around me.”
Biermann and Anderson were first team for the second straight season. Senior safety Torrey Thomas, a first-team selection in 2006, is second-team this year. Also making second team on defense from UM were Joyce at linebacker, cornerback Chris Clark and defensive tackle Craig Mettler.
Senior running back Lex Hilliard, who had 181 yards and three touchdowns in Montana's win over MSU, was one of four Grizzlies to make second-team on offense. Junior quarterback Cole Bergquist, Dow and senior receiver Ryan Bagley were the others.
Hilliard was a two-time first-team pick in 2004 and 2005. Hilliard has 1,013 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, but missed the Grizzlies' league game at Idaho State and gained just 33 yards against Sacramento State.
His rushing total in league games was 683. That ranked fifth among Big Sky backs, though his 97-plus yards per game average put him second to only Weber State's Trevyn Smith, who averaged nearly 121 yards in Big Sky games.
Smith, who gained 1,314 yards overall, and Idaho State career rushing leader Josh Barnett, who had 1,022 yards this season, were first-team for the second straight season.
Bagley, who was leading the team in receiving before breaking his arm at Idaho State, finished with 46 catches for 692 yards, and six touchdowns. The senior out of Great Falls ended up 13th in UM history for career receiving yardage, with 1,940.
Bergquist heads into Montana's first-round playoff game with 2,412 yards and 19 touchdowns passing with eight interceptions. That fell short of Eastern Washington sophomore Matt Nichols, who is the conference's offensive player of the year after throwing for 3,125 yards and 30 touchdowns, with just six interceptions.
Nichols leads Eastern up against No. 3-ranked McNeese State in the playoffs this weekend.
Weber State quarterback Cameron Higgins, whose late-season flourish edged him past Bergquist in passing efficiency, was named the Big Sky's newcomer of the year.
Thirteen more Grizzlies made honorable mention: Balogh; cornerback Quinton Jackson; linebackers Muckie Foreman and Kyle Ryan, defensive linemen Kelly Kain and Mike Stadnyk; receivers Eric Allen and Mike Ferriter; guard Dan Carter; fullback Kevin Klaboe; and tight ends Steven Pfahler and Dan Beaudin.
Weber State placed six players on the first team, led by Smith and Eteuati, a two-time pick.
Eastern had just four first-team picks, led by Nichols and receiver Aaron Boyce, who had 75 catches for 1,230 yards and nine touchdowns. Eagles' guard Matt Alfred made first-team for a second time to go with his selection in 2005.
Northern Colorado and MSU each had just one first-team pick. Tight end Ryan Chesla is the first UNC player to earn such an honor in the Big Sky. For the Cats, Buchanan Award candidate Bobby Daly was first-team at linebacker.
Big Sky All-Conference football selections
*-denotes two-time selection; #-denotes unanimous selection.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Wide receivers - Aaron Boyce, so., Eastern Washington; Eddie Thompson, jr., Idaho State; Tremayne Kirkland, sr., Portland State.
Tackles - *David Hale, sr., Weber State; Brent Russum, jr., Montana.
Guards - *Matt Alfred, sr., Eastern Washington; J.D. Quinn, jr., Montana.
Center - *#Brennan Carvalho, sr., Portland State.
Tight end - Ryan Chesla, jr., Northern Colorado.
Quarterback - Matt Nichols, so., Eastern Washington.
Running Backs - *Josh Barnett, sr., Idaho State; *Trevyn Smith, so., Weber State.
Fullback - Marcus Mailei, jr., Weber State.
Place kicker - Dan Carpenter, sr., Montana.
Return specalist - *#Bryant Eteuati, jr., Weber State.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Tackles - Dallas Mauga, sr., Sacramento State; Bryce Scanlon, jr., Weber State.
Ends - *#Kroy Biermann, sr., Montana; Greg Peach, jr., Eastern Washington.
Outside linebackers - Loren Utterback, sr., Montana; Mike Brannon, sr., Sacramento State.
Inside linebackers - Bobby Daly, jr., Montana State; Cyrus Mulitalo, sr., Sacramento State.
Cornerbacks - K.J. Gerard, jr., Northern Arizona; Ricky Wilson, sr., Northern Arizona.
Safeties - *Colt Anderson, jr., Montana; Ty Sparrow, sr., Weber State.
Punter - Tyson Johnson, sr., Montana.
Special teams - Cyrus Igono, jr., Northern Arizona.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receivers - Ryan Bagley, sr., Montana; Alex Watson, sr., Northern Arizona; Bryant Eteuati, jr., Weber State.
Tackles - Zach Wasielewski, sr., Eastern Washington; Daren Heerspink, sr., Portland State.
Guards - Jeff Hansen, so., Montana State; Dimitri Tsoumpas, sr., Weber State.
Center - Colin Dow, jr., Montana.
Tight end - Shaun Fitzpatrick, jr., Northern Arizona.
Quarterback - Cole Bergquist, jr., Montana.
Running backs - Lex Hilliard, sr., Montana; Demetrius Crawford, jr., Montana State.
Fullback - Olaniyi Sobomehin, sr., Portland State.
Place kicker - Robbie Dehaze, jr., Northern Arizona.
Return specialist - JD Ponciano, so., Idaho State.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Tackles - Lance Witherspoon, jr., Eastern Washington; Craig Mettler, jr., Montana; Aaron Papich, sr., Montana State.
Ends - Cole Smith, sr., Portland State; Dane Fletcher, so., Montana State.
Outside linebackers - Epikopo King, sr., Montana State; J.D. Folsom, jr.., Weber State.
Inside linebackers - Tyler Joyce, sr., Montana; Cristian Sarmento, jr.., Northern Colorado.
Cornerbacks - Chris Clark, sr., Montana; Michael Beach, sr., Montana State.
Safeties - Torrey Thomas, sr., Montana; Brian Jarrett, sr., Eastern Washington.
Punter - Dan Zeidman, sr., Idaho State.
Special teams - Bryant Eteuati, jr.., Weber State.
HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
Wide Receivers - Brynsen Brown, Eastern Washington; Jaron Taylor, Idaho State; Clyde Logan, Idaho State; Eric Allen, Montana; Mike Ferriter, Montana; Kenneth Mackins, Portland State; Ryan Coogler, Sacramento State; Tony Washington, Sacramento State; Tim Toone, Weber State.
Tackles - Rocky Hanni, sr., Eastern Washington; Evan Dietrich-Smith, Idaho State; Cody Balogh, Montana; Peder Jensen, Montana State; Nick Posey, Northern Arizona; Ryne Holstrom, Northern Arizona; Ray Navar, Sacramento State.
Guards - Chris Carlsen, Eastern Washington; Bryce Metcalf, Idaho State; Dan Carter, Montana; Tim Reader, Northern Arizona; Matt Lemley, Sacramento State.
Center - George Yarno, Idaho State; Jon Toailoa, Northern Arizona; Jake Gable, Northern Colorado; Kyle Leitzke, Sacramento State; Kyle Mutcher, Weber State.
Tight end - Tom McAndrews, Eastern Washington; Trevor Messersmith, Idaho State; Dan Beaudin, Montana; Steven Pfahler, Montana; Elliott Barhart, Montana State, Brandon Bostick, Montana State; Clint Wright, Northern Colorado.
Quarterback - Lance Kriesien, Northern Arizona; Cameron Higgins, Weber State.
Running Back - Dale Morris, Eastern Washington; Lionel Scott, Northern Arizona; Alex Henderson, Northern Arizona; Bryan Hilliard, Sacramento State.
Fullback - Kevin Klaboe, Montana.
Place-kicker - Juan Gamboa, Sacramento State.
Return Specalist - Jody Johnson, Sacramento State; Marc Mariani, Montana.
HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
Tackles - Shawn Powell, Eastern Washington; Villiami Akoteau, Idaho State; Kelly Kain, Montana; Philip Humphrey, Portland State; Derek Johnson, Weber State.
Ends - Jason Belford, Eastern Washington; Geo Simmons, Idaho State; Mike Stadnyk, Montana; Blair Boynton, Northern Arizona; Drew Hoffman, Northern Arizona; John Eddy, Northern Colorado; Casey Tyler, Portland State; Blaine Jackson, Sacramento State; Kevin Linehan, Weber State.
Outside Linebackers - Anthony Dotson, Eastern Washington; Sterling Mennear, Idaho State; Brad Rife, Idaho State; Muckie Foreman, Montana; Joe Kenney, Northern Colorado; K.J. McCrae, Portland State; Ryan Pederson, Portland State; Mike Hickman, Sacramento State; Brad Stewart, Weber State.
Inside Linebackers - Makai Borden, Eastern Washington; Jared Kuhl, Eastern Washington; Ryan Phipps, Idaho State; Kyle Ryan, Montana; Cody Dowd, Northern Arizona; Jordan Senn, Portland State; Andy Schantz, Portland State.
Cornerbacks - Ira Jarmon, Eastern Washington; D.J. Clark, Idaho State; Quinton Jackson, Montana; Kory Austin, Montana State; Brandin Williams, Weber State.
Safeties - Terrance Calloway, Idaho State; Kevin Retoriano, Montana State; Cyrus Igono, Northern Arizona; Josh Luck, Northern Arizona; D.J. Craft, Northern Colorado; Micheal Dorsey, Portland State; Brett Shelton, Sacramento State; Brent Webber, Sacramento State.
Punter - Robbie Dehaze, Northern Arizona; Mike Snoy, Weber State.
Special Teams - Adam Macomber, Eastern Washington; Clint Knickrehm, Idaho State; Brandon Dwyer, Montana; Ryan Lutz,Northern Colorado, Logan Dose, Portland State.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Offensive player of the year - Matt Nichols, QB, Eastern Washington.
Defensive player of the year - Kroy Biermann, DE, Montana.
Newcomer of the Year - Cameron Higgins, QB, Weber State.
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