Griz Tyrone Holmes Earns Another Huge Honor

In terms of post season honors, this guy is going to go down as one of the most decorated Griz of all time! This time around, it comes from people who should know their stuff!

University of Montana Grizzly defensive team MVP Tyrone Holmes has picked up his fourth major All-American award, this time coming from the “men who know the players the best – the coaches themselves,” according to the team announcement from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Holmes was one of only 26 FCS players named to the prestigious award, and one of five from the Big Sky Conference, the best represented conference on the team.

Holmes is the 14th Grizzly since 2000 to be named an AFCA All-American. Montana has received the second most selections to the team of any current FCS school, with 28 selections going to 27 players. Trumaine Johnson was the Montana’s only two-time selection in 2010 and 2011.

The senior from Eagle Point, Oregon, who graduated after taking his final exam last week, has been named to the Walter Camp Foundation All-America team, the Associated Press All-America first team and the STATS FCS All-America first team so far this year, bringing his award total to four. He was also named to the sports blog CollegeSportsMadness.com’s All-America team.

Holmes, one of the top-three vote getters for the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year award (formerly the Buck Buchanan Award), led the nation in sacks this season with 18, and finished his career at UM with 34.5, second on the Grizzlies’ all-time career sack list. He also sits second on UM’s all-time career tackle for loss list with 49.5 TFLs during his career.

Holmes will represent the Griz at the prestigious East-West Shrine Game in Tampa, Florida, on January 23. The East-West Shrine Game is college football's oldest all-star event, celebrating its 91st anniversary this year.

This year’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-America Team is made up of 16 seniors (including Holmes), seven juniors, and two sophomores.

2015 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team. Our thanks to UM Sports Information Director Eric Taber for sharing the big news!  DB