Sixteen Cougars receive preseason All-Independent honors

CLEVELAND – Nine Cougars were named to Phil Steele’s All-Independent First Team with seven more being named to the second team as announced Tuesday.

Junior quarterback Taysom Hill and junior running back Jamaal Williams were joined by incoming junior wide receiver Devon Blackmon on the first-team offense.

Hill led BYU last year with 2,938 passing yards, 1,344 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. Only Heisman Trophy quarterback Ty Detmer has ever produced more total offense for the Cougars as a sophomore.

Williams rushed for 1,260 yards and seven touchdowns to mark the first time BYU has ever produced two 1,000-yard rushers in the same backfield.

Safety Craig Bills, defensive back Robertson Daniel, linebackers Alani Fua and Bronson Kaufusi and defensive end Remington Peck were named to the first-team defensive unit.

Seniors Bills and Daniel both finished tied for the team lead in interceptions (2) last season. Kaufusi, a junior, tied for a team-high four sacks in 2013, while Fua, a senior, and Peck, a junior, each finished tied for third on the team with three sacks.

Junior running back Adam Hine was named as the first-team kick returner after finishing 2013 ranked No. 12 with 27.2 average yards per kick return.

Linebacker Manoa Pikula, nose tackle Marques Johnson and punter Scott Arellano were named to the second team entering their senior seasons. Seniors Michael Yeck and Solomone Kafu join freshman Tuni Kanuch on the second-team offensive line, while senior Devin Mahina was named as the second-team tight end.

Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is one of the nation’s most informative preseason football magazine and has always provided a preseason All-American team as well as preseason All-Conference teams. For more information or to obtain a copy of each of the All-Conference teams, please visit PhilSteele.com.