Robinson shares conference coach of the year honors

Don Mitchell

Thursday, Nov. 30, 2000 | 3:01 a.m.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Here is the 2000 Mountain West all-conference football team along with individual awards as selected by the league's eight coaches:

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

WR -- Ryan Fleming, Jr., Air Force

WR -- Pete Rebstock, Jr., Colorado St.

OL -- John Greer, Sr., UNLV

OL -- Tim Stuber, Sr., Colorado St.

OL -- Doug Kaufusi, Jr., Utah

OL -- David Heldebrand, Sr., Air Force

OL -- Justin Borvansky, Sr., Colorado St.

TE -- Jose Ochoa, Jr., Colorado St.

QB -- Matt Newton, Sr., Colorado St.

QB -- Mike Thiessen, Sr., Air Force

RB -- Jeremi Rudolph, Sr., UNLV

RB -- Cecil Sapp, So., Colorado St.

PK -- Owen Pochman, Sr., BYU

PR/KR -- Pete Rebstock, Jr., Colorado St.

DEFENSE

DL -- Patrick Chukwurah, Sr., Wyoming

DL -- Setema Gali, Sr., BYU

DL -- Brian Johnson, Jr., New Mexico

DL -- Anton Palepoi, Jr., UNLV

LB -- Rick Crowell, Sr., Colorado St.

LB -- Kautai Olevao, Sr., Utah

LB -- Justin Ena, Jr., BYU

DB -- Andre Dyson, Sr., Utah

DB -- Kevin Thomas, Jr., UNLV

DB -- John Howell, Sr., Colorado St.

DB -- Will Demps, Jr., San Diego St.

P -- Aaron Edmonds, Jr., BYU

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

WR -- Steve Smith, Sr., Utah

WR -- J.R. Tolver, So., San Diego St.

OL -- Jon Samuelson, Sr., New Mexico

OL -- Adam Goldberg, So., Wyoming

OL -- David Moreno, Jr., San Diego St.

OL -- Jason Scukanec, Jr., BYU

OL -- Matt Dayoc, Sr., Air Force

TE -- Tevita Ofahengaue, Sr., BYU

RB -- Adam Tate, Jr., Utah

RB -- Luke Staley, So., BYU

PK -- Dave Adams, Sr., Air Force

PR/KR -- Steve Smith, Sr., Utah

DEFENSE

DL -- Chris Hoke, Sr., BYU

DL -- Hans Olsen, Sr., BYU

DL -- Jerome Haywood, Jr., San Diego St.

DL -- Pete Hogan, So., Colorado St.

LB -- Mike Barnett, Sr., New Mexico

LB -- Jomar Butler, Jr., San Diego St.

LB -- C.J. Zanotti, Sr., Air Force

DB -- Jared Lee, Sr., BYU

DB -- Ricky Sharpe, So., San Diego St.

DB -- Justin Gallimore, Jr., Colorado St.

DB -- Stephen Persley, Jr., New Mexico

P -- Brian Simnjanovski, So., San Diego St.

There is no second-team quarterback because there was a tie for the first team.

Coach of the Year: Sonny Lubick, Colorado St.; John Robinson, UNLV

Offensive Player of the Year: Matt Newton, Colorado St.; Mike Thiessen, Air Force

Defensive Player of the Year: Rick Crowell, Colorado St.

Freshman of the Year: Jason Kaufusi, DL, Utah; Brandon Ratcliff, DB, New Mexico

UNLV's John Robinson and Colorado State's Sonny Lubick were named coaches of the year Wednesday as the Mountain West announced its 2000 all-conference team.

Hired to revive a program that went 0-11 in 1998, Robinson received his honor while preparing for the Rebels' season finale Saturday at Hawaii. A victory would ensure the Rebels (6-5, 4-3) a bowl invitation.

Even without a postseason appearance, UNLV has improved rapidly under Robinson, going 3-8 last season and snapping a 12-game home losing streak this year. Its six victories in 2000 matches the total from 1995-98.

Other Rebels honored were offensive lineman John Greer, running back Jeremi Rudolph. defensive lineman Anton Palepoi and defensive back Kevin Thomas.

The all-conference team was chosen by the league's eight coaches.

League champion Colorado State boasted eight first-team selections and three individual award winners, led by quarterback Matt Newton. Newton, instrumental in Colorado State's title run and its second straight Liberty Bowl berth, was named co-offensive player of the year with Air Force quarterback Mike Thiessen.

"I will take it any way I can get it," said Newton, a second-team all-conference selection last season. "Thiessen is a great player and Air Force is a good team, but we got the championship and that is what matters."

Despite spending only two years as a starter, Newton has thrown a school-record 41 career touchdown passes, including 20 this season. He completed 198 of 336 passes for a league-leading 2,609 yards.

"Newton is a great quarterback and deserves it just as much as I do," said Thiessen, whose team finished second despite a dramatic 44-40 victory over Colorado State (9-2, 6-1) late in the season. "His team won the championship and that has to be honored."

Thiessen became the latest in a long line of talented Air Force quarterbacks. He ran for 713 yards and his 1,687 yards passing were the most in 30 seasons and third-best in school history. The majority of his passes went to Ryan Fleming, the only Air Force receiver ever named to the first-team all-conference list.

"I don't think people know how good Mike is playing," said Fleming. "He's reading defenses and stepping up in the pocket and making plays. A lot of our success as a team is because of the 'Ice-Man.' "

Air Force (8-3, 5-2 MWC) is guaranteed to play in one of the league's three bowl tie-ins, but is still waiting for its invitation.

Lubick and linebacker Rick Crowell were Colorado State's other individual award recipients. Crowell was named defensive player of the year.

Crowell led the Mountain West with 123 tackles despite missing Colorado State's season-opening victory over Colorado as part of an agreement with the NCAA.

Sitting out one game was a small price to pay for Crowell, who received a medical hardship waiver in February. He applied for the waiver after a separated shoulder forced him to miss most of the 1999 season.

"I was happy he had such a good year after suffering the adversity," Lubick said. "It takes a lot of character to come back and step up and do what he did."

Colorado State's other first-team selections included wide receiver Pete Rebstock, also chosen as a punt- and kick-returner; tight end Jose Ochoa; running back Cecil Sapp; offensive linemen Tim Stuber and Justin Borvansky; and defensive back John Howell.

"I wish all our players could receive some individual recognition," said Lubick. "What I liked most about the ballclub was they played very consistently through most of the year."

In eight seasons at CSU, Lubick has been named coach of the year four times and the Rams have won or shared five league titles.

"What this means is I have a great coaching staff and a lot of good football players," he said.

Utah's Jason Kaufusi and New Mexico's Brandon Ratcliff were selected as freshmen of the year.

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