Tight end Josh Cuevas (left) and linebacker David Meyer (right) were named to the All-Big Sky Conference third team on Wednesday.
Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics
Quartet of Mustangs Earn All-Big Sky Conference Honors
11/23/2022 10:13:00 AM | Football
BIG SKY CONFERENCE RELEASE
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Four members of Cal Poly's 2022 football team were honored by the Big Sky on Wednesday as the conference released its annual postseason list of top players.
Sophomore David Meyer earned third-team honors as an outside linebacker while freshman tight end Josh Cuevas landed on the third team as well. Sophomore defensive end Elijah Ponder received honorable mention praise for the second straight year and graduate student Chris Coleman also made the honorable mention list as a wide receiver.
Meyer (6-1, 210, Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo High School) led the Mustangs with 85 tackles (57 solo), including 7.0 for lost yardage and 4.5 sacks. He recorded double-digit tackles three times, including a season-high 12 at UC Davis, and notched his first career Mustang interception in the final seconds of Cal Poly's season-ending 49-42 win over Portland State.
Meyer also forced two fumbles this season.
Cuevas (6-5, 245, Los Angeles, Calif./Campbell Hall High School) was second on the team with 57 receptions for 662 yards and six touchdowns. He caught seven or more passes in a game four times, including a season-high 10 versus Portland State, and twice scored a pair of touchdowns in a game — against Northern Arizona and Montana State.
Cuevas' longest reception this season was a 42-yarder from Jaden Jones for a touchdown versus San Diego.
Ponder (6-3, 200, Pomona, Calif./Bishop Amat High School) earned 37 tackles (24 solo) with 6.5 for lost yardage and 2.0 sacks. He led the Mustangs with eight quarterback hurries and also broke up a pass. A year ago, Ponder led Cal Poly in sacks with eight and in tackles for lost yardage with 11, finishing with 35 tackles (28 solo), four pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, a pair of forced fumbles and a 75-yard interception return which sealed the season-opening victory at San Diego.
Coleman (5-11, 185, Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial High School/Fresno State) caught 60 passes for 939 yards and five touchdowns in his final college season. He is the first Mustang to catch 60 or more passes in a season since Ramses Barden made 67 receptions in 2008 and Coleman's season high for catches in a game was 10 at UC Davis.
Coleman earned 100 or more yards receiving in a game five times and caught seven or more passes on four occasions. His longest reception this season was 57 yards in the season opener at Fresno State.
Sacramento State running back Cameron Skattebo earned Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year honors while Hornet teammate Marte Mapu, an outside linebacker and defensive back, was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year.
Named Newcomer of the Year was Montana State quarterback Sean Chambers while Idaho quarterback Gevani McCoy was selected as the Freshman of the Year. Named Co-Big Sky Coach of the Year were Sacramento State's Troy Taylor and Montana State's Brent Vigen. The pair led their teams to a share of the conference title with 8-0 marks.
Skattebo was the Big Sky's leading rushing at 113.7 yards per game, racking up 1,251 total yards on the ground for the year. The running back also led the league in yards per carry (7.4). Mapu was an all-around performer on the defensive side of the ball, racking up 64 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and two interceptions on defense.
Chambers, a transfer from Wyoming, split time with Tommy Mellott at quarterback this year for the Bobcats and rushed for 17 touchdowns on the year. McCoy led Idaho to its first FCS Playoff appearance since 1995 and was ranked first in the league for passing efficiency and passing TDs, throwing for 2,378 yards and 25 scores.
All 12 teams in the league had at least one player selected to one of the three teams. Sacramento State's nine all-conference first-team selections and 18 overall led the league. Idaho produced 16 selections across the board.
The Big Sky All-Conference team and individual award winners were selected by all 12 head football coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
For the second straight year, five Big Sky schools were invited to compete in the FCS playoffs.
Big Sky co-champions Sacramento State and Montana State earned first-round byes in the playoffs, which open Saturday. First-round games will be played by co-third-place finishers Weber State (hosting North Dakota) and Idaho (at Southeastern Louisiana) and sixth-place Montana (hosting Southeast Missouri State). On Dec. 3, Sacramento State hosts the Davidson-Richmond winner while Montana State entertains the North Dakota-Weber State winner.
Cal Poly's All-Big Sky First-Team Selections
2012 — Deonte Williams (slotback) and Kennith Jackson (inside linebacker)
2013 — *Sullivan Grosz (defensive tackle), Lefi Letuligasenoa (offensive lineman). Akaninyene Umoh (fullback) and Alex Hubbard (safety)
2014 — Nick Dzubnar (inside linebacker) and Cameron Ontko (outside linebacker)
2015 — Joe Protheroe (fullback)
2016 — Joe Protheroe (fullback), Matt Fisher (offensive lineman), Joey Kuperman (offensive lineman) and Chris Santini (inside linebacker)
2017 — Jared Mohamed (fullback)
2018 — Joe Protheroe (fullback)
2019 — J.J. Koski (wide receiver)
*Big Sky Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Four members of Cal Poly's 2022 football team were honored by the Big Sky on Wednesday as the conference released its annual postseason list of top players.
Sophomore David Meyer earned third-team honors as an outside linebacker while freshman tight end Josh Cuevas landed on the third team as well. Sophomore defensive end Elijah Ponder received honorable mention praise for the second straight year and graduate student Chris Coleman also made the honorable mention list as a wide receiver.
Meyer (6-1, 210, Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo High School) led the Mustangs with 85 tackles (57 solo), including 7.0 for lost yardage and 4.5 sacks. He recorded double-digit tackles three times, including a season-high 12 at UC Davis, and notched his first career Mustang interception in the final seconds of Cal Poly's season-ending 49-42 win over Portland State.
Meyer also forced two fumbles this season.
Cuevas (6-5, 245, Los Angeles, Calif./Campbell Hall High School) was second on the team with 57 receptions for 662 yards and six touchdowns. He caught seven or more passes in a game four times, including a season-high 10 versus Portland State, and twice scored a pair of touchdowns in a game — against Northern Arizona and Montana State.
Cuevas' longest reception this season was a 42-yarder from Jaden Jones for a touchdown versus San Diego.
Ponder (6-3, 200, Pomona, Calif./Bishop Amat High School) earned 37 tackles (24 solo) with 6.5 for lost yardage and 2.0 sacks. He led the Mustangs with eight quarterback hurries and also broke up a pass. A year ago, Ponder led Cal Poly in sacks with eight and in tackles for lost yardage with 11, finishing with 35 tackles (28 solo), four pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, a pair of forced fumbles and a 75-yard interception return which sealed the season-opening victory at San Diego.
Coleman (5-11, 185, Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial High School/Fresno State) caught 60 passes for 939 yards and five touchdowns in his final college season. He is the first Mustang to catch 60 or more passes in a season since Ramses Barden made 67 receptions in 2008 and Coleman's season high for catches in a game was 10 at UC Davis.
Coleman earned 100 or more yards receiving in a game five times and caught seven or more passes on four occasions. His longest reception this season was 57 yards in the season opener at Fresno State.
Sacramento State running back Cameron Skattebo earned Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year honors while Hornet teammate Marte Mapu, an outside linebacker and defensive back, was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year.
Named Newcomer of the Year was Montana State quarterback Sean Chambers while Idaho quarterback Gevani McCoy was selected as the Freshman of the Year. Named Co-Big Sky Coach of the Year were Sacramento State's Troy Taylor and Montana State's Brent Vigen. The pair led their teams to a share of the conference title with 8-0 marks.
Skattebo was the Big Sky's leading rushing at 113.7 yards per game, racking up 1,251 total yards on the ground for the year. The running back also led the league in yards per carry (7.4). Mapu was an all-around performer on the defensive side of the ball, racking up 64 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and two interceptions on defense.
Chambers, a transfer from Wyoming, split time with Tommy Mellott at quarterback this year for the Bobcats and rushed for 17 touchdowns on the year. McCoy led Idaho to its first FCS Playoff appearance since 1995 and was ranked first in the league for passing efficiency and passing TDs, throwing for 2,378 yards and 25 scores.
All 12 teams in the league had at least one player selected to one of the three teams. Sacramento State's nine all-conference first-team selections and 18 overall led the league. Idaho produced 16 selections across the board.
The Big Sky All-Conference team and individual award winners were selected by all 12 head football coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
For the second straight year, five Big Sky schools were invited to compete in the FCS playoffs.
Big Sky co-champions Sacramento State and Montana State earned first-round byes in the playoffs, which open Saturday. First-round games will be played by co-third-place finishers Weber State (hosting North Dakota) and Idaho (at Southeastern Louisiana) and sixth-place Montana (hosting Southeast Missouri State). On Dec. 3, Sacramento State hosts the Davidson-Richmond winner while Montana State entertains the North Dakota-Weber State winner.
Cal Poly's All-Big Sky First-Team Selections
2012 — Deonte Williams (slotback) and Kennith Jackson (inside linebacker)
2013 — *Sullivan Grosz (defensive tackle), Lefi Letuligasenoa (offensive lineman). Akaninyene Umoh (fullback) and Alex Hubbard (safety)
2014 — Nick Dzubnar (inside linebacker) and Cameron Ontko (outside linebacker)
2015 — Joe Protheroe (fullback)
2016 — Joe Protheroe (fullback), Matt Fisher (offensive lineman), Joey Kuperman (offensive lineman) and Chris Santini (inside linebacker)
2017 — Jared Mohamed (fullback)
2018 — Joe Protheroe (fullback)
2019 — J.J. Koski (wide receiver)
*Big Sky Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year
Players Mentioned
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