Fall camps are nearing for Montana and Montana State, and on Monday morning more accolades began to roll in for both football programs.
Four Grizzlies and two Bobcats were named preseason Stats Perform All-Americans heading into the season. UM saw linebacker Patrick O'Connell, cornerback Justin Ford and kick returner Malik Flowers all earn first-team honors while MSU running back Isaiah Ifanse was also named to the first-team list.
Griz safety Robby Hauck was named a second-team All-American and MSU quarterback Tommy Mellott earned third-team honors.
All six players were named preseason All-Big Sky Conference selections at this year's Big Sky Kickoff. O'Connell was selected as the preseason Defensive Player of the Year. In total, 15 players in the Big Sky Conference were selected to the All-America teams with UM's four picks the most of any team in the league.
Stats Perform will release it's preseason Top 25 list later this week. The Grizzlies were picked to win the Big Sky Conference for the first time since 2009 in the media and coaches poll while MSU was picked second in the media poll and third by the coaches.
In the HERO Sports Top 25, MSU was picked at No. 3 while UM was picked at No. 4. In the Athlon preseason Top 25 poll, the schools are revered with UM at No. 3 and MSU at No. 4.
