Grizzly Football Stars Lead League in Preseason All-America Picks

You win the conference title. You're picked to repeat. You make it to the national championship game.

The 2023 accomplishments for the University of Montana Grizzly football team are bound to have some carry-over into the upcoming season. And while it's just the usual adoring chatter to hype what's ahead, this bunch appears to be ready to back it up with their play on the field.

Beyond that, it's just kind of fun to talk about when the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) community pays so much attention.

UM Football Sports Information Director Eric Taber tells us that Monday (7/29), the  Grizzlies had a Big Sky Conference-best six players named to one of three Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Teams on Monday. All but one of Montana’s six honorees also earned a place on the preseason All-Big Sky team.

Record-setting punt and kickoff return man Junior Bergen was UM’s lone first team selection, earning a spot on the list as a punt returner. Three Griz were named to the second team, with offensive tackle Brandon Casey, linebacker Riley Wilson, and tight end Cole Grossman earning a place on the squad. Casey and Wilson were both All-Big Sky preseason honorees. And not too bad for a guy who hasn't played since 2022: Cole Grossman earns his first preseason honor, as he readies to return following a year off due to injury.

All-American defensive back and the latest to wear Montana’s #37 legacy jersey Trevin Gradney earned a place on the third team, where he is joined by the 2023 winner of the Jerry Rice Award for the nation’s top freshman in running back Eli Gillman.

The Griz tied South Dakota State with a half-dozen honorees, second only to North Dakota State with eight. Montana State had the third-most selections with five picks.

That is a pretty Sweet Six! Congrats to those guys for the much-deserved preseason honors.