UM's Eli Gillman, MSU's Caden Dowler are Big Sky MVPs

FARMINGTON, Utah — He’s not a Walter Payton Award finalist, but he is a Big Sky Conference MVP. 

Montana junior running back Eli Gillman was named the Offensive Player of the Year for the Big Sky Conference, which released its football honors teams Wednesday. 

Montana State junior safety Caden Dowler was the Defensive Player of the Year; the Bobcats’ Brent Vigen was named Coach of the Year and quarterback Justin Lamson was named Newcomer of the Year as well. 

UC Davis quarterback Caden Pinnick was a unanimous pick for Freshman of the Year. 

Vigen was honored for the third time and is the first back-to-back outright winner since Montana's Bobby Hauck in 2006-07. Vigen led his Bobcats to a No. 2 overall seed in the upcoming FCS Playoffs, after winning his final 10 games of the season, including most recently a win in Missoula.  

The Bobcats, who have won their last 16 conference games, became the first Big Sky team to win outright titles in back-to-back seasons since 2013-14.  
Lamson and Dowler, two of the heroes from MSU's 31-28 victory over Montana in last weekend's Brawl of the Wild, won individual honors partly for their outstanding play down the stretch. 

Lamson totaled 26 touchdowns (17 passing, nine rushing) in conference play while Dowler had four interceptions — taking two back for touchdowns — in his last three games. 

Dowler gives the Bobcats back-to-back defensive honors and three of the last five; Brody Grebe got it last season and Troy Andersen in 2021.  

The Newcomer of the Year recognition is the first for MSU since Sean Chambers won the same honor in 2022.  

Gillman, who is not one of 30 finalists for this year’s Payton Award — Lamson and Montana’s Michael Wortham and Keali’i Ah Yat are — led the league in rushing yards per game (105.1) and rushing touchdowns (17). 

He is the first Griz to win the offensive POY since John Edwards in 2002. He also joins Eastern Washington’s Cooper Kupp and MSU’s Andersen as the only Big Sky players to win both Freshman of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors. 

Pinnick played like a veteran for the Aggies, racking up 294.6 passing yards per game in league games. His 18 touchdown passes in that span led the Big Sky. He’s the first Aggie offensive player to win Freshman of the Year. 

Montana led the way in all-conference honors, picking up 18 selections, while Montana State was a close second with 16.  

There were only two unanimous first-team selections, with UC Davis' Jacob Psyk and Cal Poly's Mikey D'Amato garnering every available first-team vote.  

The 11-1 Griz had eight first-team all-Big Sky selections.  The list starts with Gillman, who is the seventh Grizzly to win offensive MVP honors and the first non-QB. Just 13 running backs have won the award since its inception in 1974.  

The junior from Dassel, Minn., has 1,261 rushing yards, with six 100-yard games. He ranks eighth in the FCS for yards. 

Also first-team are Ah Yat, tight end Evan Shafer, tackle Cannon Panfiloff and Wortham (as all-purpose player) on the offense. Defensively, end Hunter Peck and linebacker Peyton Wing both earned first-team honors, while Butte native Tanner Huff was a first team pick on special teams. 

Ah Yat is fourth in the FCS with 3,154 passing yards and 34 TDs. The sophomore leads the Big Sky in total offense and is No. 3 on completion percentage (.687).  

Shafer has been a force in Montana’s ground game and productive in the passing game as well with 10 catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns. 

Wortham and MSU’s Taco Dowler (punt returner) are the lone repeat first-team selections. 

The Eastern Washington transfer led the Big Sky and ranks third in the FCS in all-purpose yards with 156.6 a game. His season includes 238 all-purpose yards with a touchdown rushing, passing and receiving in a 49-35 win at Sacramento State. He is also second-team all-Big Sky at receiver. 

Peck leads UM in sacks with 4.5 and TFLs with 6.5 and has four hurries, one forced fumble and 33 tackles in his first season after transferring from Carroll College. 

Wing, a junior transfer from Portland State, has a team-high three interceptions and is third in tackles with 59. He had three sacks in that Sac State win. He was second-team all-Big Sky in 2024 with PSU. 

Huff, a senior, is a major part of UM’s Big Sky-best kickoff coverage unit. He’s posted 21 tackles (15 solo) and a fumble recovery. 

Second Team selections for Montana included Liam Brown at offensive line, Glacier product Drew Deck on punt return, long snapper Grayson Pibal, linebacker Solomon Tuiliaupupu and safety TJ Rausch. Rausch was second-team on special teams a year ago. 

Deck racked up a Big Sky-best 240 punt return yards; Pibal has delivered 415 consecutive sound snaps for punts, PATs and field goals.  

Earning honorable mention from UM were freshman Brooks Davis at receiver, sophomore defensive end Jake Mason, linebacker Caleb Otlewski and kicker/punter Ty Morrison. 

Five Bobcats were first-team all-Big Sky, including the defensive POY Dowler at defensive back. Along with his picks, he leads MSU in tackles with 78 and has forced two fumbles. 

Dowler’s twin brother Taco was first-team at punt returner thanks to a 13.1-yard average, including a 90-yarder for a touchdown. His team-high 59 catches and five TDs landed him second-team honors at receiver as well. 

Offensive lineman Titan Fleischmann is first-team for the first time; he was second-team all-Big Sky a year ago.  

Defensive linemen Paul Brott and Kenneth Eiden IV were first team for the first time; Brott, who forced a fumble and has 15 tackles while manning the tackle spot, was a second-team pick last season. Eiden leads the Bobcats in tackles for loss (10) and sacks (5.5). 

Montana State’s second-team picks also included Lamson, running back Julius Davis, linebacker Cole Taylor and cornerback Tayden Gray.  

Lamson has thrown for 2,345 yards and 20 touchdowns, against just two interceptions; he completed 18 of 20 passes in MSU’s Brawl win. 

Taylor is second on the Bobcats with 66 tackles, including seven for losses; Gray had 39 tackles to go with an interception, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. 

Davis leads MSU in rushing with 892 yards on 122 carries (7.3 average). The Wisconsin transfer was second-team all-Big Sky in 2023 as well. 

Running back Adam Jones; offensive linemen JT Reed, Cedric Jefferson and Burke Mastel; and defensive linemen Alec Eckert and Hunter Parsons were all honorable mention for the Cats. 

The Big Sky all-conference teams were selected by the league’s coaches, who could not vote for their own players. A player needed to receive at least three votes to earn an honorable mention.  

The Bobcats and Grizzlies both have home playoff games on Saturday, Dec. 6 after receiving first-round byes in the FCS Playoffs. Montana State, the No. 2 seed, will host either Harvard or Youngstown State; third-seeded Montana will bring in either New Hampshire or South Dakota State.  

Both games kick off at noon. 

2025 All-Big Sky 

First Team Offense 

QB: Keali’i Ah Yat, Montana 

RB: Rodney Hammond, Sac State 

RB: Eli Gillman, Montana 

WR: Carver Cheeks, No. Colorado 

WR: Samuel Gbatu, UC Davis 

WR: Kolbe Katsis, Northern Arizona 

TE: Ian Simpson, UC Davis 

TE: Evan Shafer, Montana 

OL: Stryker Rashid, Idaho State 

OL: Titan Fleischmann, Montana State 

OL: Cannon Panfiloff, Montana 

OL: Eli Simonson, UC Davis 

OL: Gavin Ortega, Weber State 

OL: Nate Azzopardi, Idaho 

AP: Michael Wortham, Montana 

First Team Defense 

DL: Jacob Psyk, UC Davis* 

DL: Paul Brott, Montana State 

DL: Kenneth Eiden IV, Montana State 

DL: Hunter Peck, Montana 

DL: DeSean Watts, Sac State 

LB: Mikey D'Amato, Cal Poly* 

LB: Peyton Wing, Montana 

LB: Isiah King, Idaho 

LB: Travis Arena, Northern Arizona 

LB: Kenny Olson, Cal Poly 

DB: Caden Dowler, Montana State 

DB: Quentin Moten, Northern Arizona 

DB: Cam Chapa, Northern Colorado 

DB: Koa Akui, Sac State 

DB: Jaylon Jenkins, E. Washington 

DB: Khalani Riddick, UC Davis 

DB: Montae Pate, Weber State 

First Team Specialists 

KR: Kolbe Katsis, Northern Arizona 

PR: Taco Dowler, Montana State 

K: Trajan Sinatra, Idaho State 

P: Ben D'Aquila, Northern Arizona 

ST: Tanner Huff, Montana 

LS: Spencer Moore, Cal Poly 

Offensive Player of the Year: Eli Gillman, RB, Montana 

Defensive Player of the Year: Caden Dowler, DB, Montana State 

Newcomer of the Year: Justin Lamson, QB, Montana State 

Freshman of the Year: Caden Pinnick, QB, UC Davis* 

Coach of the Year: Brent Vigen, Montana State 

*  - Unanimous selection 

Second Team Offense 

QB: Justin Lamson, Montana State. 

RB: Julius Davis, Montana State; Dason Brooks, Idaho State. 

WR: Taco Dowler, Montana State; Michael Wortham, Montana; Tsion Nunnally, Idaho State. 

TE: Landon Cooper, Eastern Washington; Noah Bennee, Weber State. 

OL: Aidan Meek, Sac State; Liam Brown, Montana; Dean Abdullah, Sac State; Zaire Collier, UC Davis; Racin Delgatty, Cal Poly; Jeremiah Katt, Northern Arizona; Ethan Kramer, Northern Arizona. 

AP: Rodney Hammond, Sac State 

Second Team Defense  

DL: Matt Herron, Weber State; Dylan Hampsten, Sac State; Jayland McGlothen, Sac State; Victory Johnson, Cal Poly; Cam’ron Willis, Idaho State. 

LB: Solomon Tuliaupupu, Montana; Nate Rutchena, UC Davis; Brandon Wong, Northern Arizona; Cole Taylor, Montana State; Read Sunn, Eastern Washington . 

DB: Drew Cofield, UC Davis; Rylan Leathers, Idaho State; TJ Rausch, Montana; Jeremiah Bernard, Cal Poly; Carsten Mamaril, Portland State; Tayden Gray, Montana State. 

Second Team Specialists 

KR: Rodney Hammond, Sac State. 

PR: Drew Deck, Montana. 

K: Sloan Calder, Weber State. 

P: Gabe Russo, Idaho State. 

ST: Brayden Rice, Idaho. 

LS: Grayson Pibal, Montana. 

Honorable Mention Offense 

QB: Caden Pinnick, UC Davis;  Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona; Jordan Cooke, Idaho State 

RB: Adam Jones, Montana State; Jordan Fisher, UC Davis. 

WR: Michael Shulikov, Idaho State; Michael Briscoe, Cal Poly; Damien Morgan, Idaho State; Brooks Davis, Montana. 

TE: Kristian Ingman, Portland State. 

OL: JT Reed, Montana State; Dylan Conner, Eastern Washington; Cedric Jefferson, Montana State; Jack Ziebell, Northern Colorado; Burke Mastel, Montana State. 

AP: Nate Bell, Eastern Washington. 

Honorable Mention Defense 

DL: Alec Eckert, Montana State; Matyus McLain, Idaho; Spencer Elliott, Portland State; Isaiah Perez, Eastern Washington; Hunter Parsons, Montana State; Jake Mason, Montana. 

LB: Mayson Hitchens, Weber State; Dylan Lane, Idaho; Nathan Reynolds, Idaho State; Caleb Otlewski, Montana; Hudson Voggesser, Northern Colorado. 

DB: Isaiah Green, Portland State; Jason Oliver, Sac State; Angel King, Weber State;  Drew Carter, Eastern Washington.

Honorable Mention Specialists 

KR: Cru Newman, Portland State. 

PR: Isaiah Eastman, Northern Arizona. 

K: Ty Morrison, Montana. 

P: Landon Ogles, Eastern Washington. 

LS: Maddox Broughton, Northern Colorado; Adam Johnston, Sac State.