FARMINGTON, Utah — Montana and Montana State dominated the 2025 Big Sky postseason awards and all-conference teams, which were announced by the league on Wednesday.
The offensive player of the year award went to Grizzlies running back Eli Gillman while the defensive MVP nod was given to safety Caden Dowler of conference champion Montana State.
MSU quarterback Justin Lamson was tabbed newcomer of the year while the Bobcats' Brent Vigen was honored as coach of the year.
Gillman led the conference in rushing with 1,261 yards and had a league-best 17 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 6.6 yards on 192 carries and 105.1 yards per game, also tops in the conference.
Gillman had six 100-yard rushing games in the regular season and scored at least one rushing touchdown in all but two games. He also caught 26 passes out of the backfield for two other scores as the Grizzlies went 11-1 overall, 7-1 in the Big Sky clinched the No. 3 seed for the FCS playoffs.
Dowler made a late-season push for the defensive player of the year award by intercepting four passes in the final three games of the regular season, returning two four touchdowns. His interception return for a TD in the second half against Montana last week was one of the crucial plays that helped produce a 31-28 Bobcats victory and the outright Big Sky championship.
Dowler finished the regular season with 78 total tackles (50 solo) with 5.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback sack. Dowler's efforts helped the Bobcats to a 10-2 regular season, an 8-0 mark in the league and the No. 2 seed for the playoffs.
Lamson, who transferred to Montana State after spending the previous two seasons at Stanford, established himself as one of top quarterbacks in the FCS this year. Lamson threw for 2,345 yards with 20 touchdowns and just two interceptions while completing a league-best 72.4% of his throws.
Lamson also rushed for 589 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Meanwhile, Vigen was named coach of the year after leading Montana State to a 10-2 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in the Big Sky. Vigen, whose name this week has been linked by various reports to the vacant head coaching position at FBS Oregon State, has forged a 57-12 overall record and a 37-3 mark in the Big Sky with three league titles in his five years in Bozeman.
The Big Sky freshman of the year award went to UC Davis quarterback Caden Pinnick. A redshirt freshman, Pinnick threw for 2,527 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions in the regular season while completing 70.6% of his throws. He also rushed for 312 yards and three TDs, helping the Aggies to an 8-3 overall record, a 6-2 Big Sky mark and a berth in the postseason.
Pinnick was the unanimous selection for freshman of the year.
Montana led the way in all-conference honors, picking up 18 selections. Montana State was a close second behind the Griz with 16 honorees.
There were only two unanimous first-team selections: UC Davis defensive lineman Jacob Psyk and Cal Poly linebacker Mikey D'Amato.
Below are the full awards list and all-conference teams as announced by the league on Tuesday.
2025 Big Sky Football Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Eli Gillman, RB, Montana
Defensive Player of the Year: Caden Dowler, DB, Montana State
Newcomer of the Year: Justin Lamson, QB, Montana State
Freshman of the Year: Caden Pinnick, QB, UC Davis*
Coach of the Year: Brent Vigen, Montana State
* - Unanimous selection
First Team All-Big Sky Offense
QB: Keali’i Ah Yat, Montana
RB: Rodney Hammond, Sacramento State
RB: Eli Gillman, Montana
WR: Carver Cheeks, Northern Colorado
WR: Samuel Gbatu, UC Davis
WR: Kolbe Katsis, Northern Arizona
TE: Ian Simpson, UC Davis TE: Evan Shafer, Montana
OL: Stryker Rashid, Idaho State
OL: Titan Fleischmann, Montana State
OL: Cannon Panfiloff, Montana
OL: Eli Simonson, UC Davis
OL: Gavin Ortega, Weber State
OL: Nate Azzopardi, Idaho
AP: Michael Wortham, Montana
First Team All-Big Sky Defense
DL: Jacob Psyk, UC Davis*
DL: Paul Brott, Montana State
DL: Kenneth Eiden IV, Montana State
DL: Hunter Peck, Montana
DL: DeSean Watts, Sacramento State
LB: Mikey D'Amato, Cal Poly*
LB: Peyton Wing, Montana
LB: Isiah King, Idaho
LB: Travis Arena, Northern Arizona
LB: Kenny Olson, Cal Poly
DB: Caden Dowler, Montana State
DB: Quentin Moten, Northern Arizona
DB: Cam Chapa, Northern Colorado
DB: Koa Akui, Sacramento State
DB: Jaylon Jenkins, Eastern Washington
DB: Khalani Riddick, UC Davis
DB: Montae Pate, Weber State
* - Unanimous selection
First Team All-Big Sky Specialists
KR: Kolbe Katsis, Northern Arizona
PR: Taco Dowler, Montana State
K: Trajan Sinatra, Idaho State
P: Ben D'Aquila, Northern Arizona
ST: Tanner Huff, Montana
LS: Spencer Moore, Cal Poly
Second Team All-Big Sky Offense
QB: Justin Lamson, Montana State
RB: Julius Davis, Montana State
RB: Dason Brooks, Idaho State
WR: Taco Dowler, Montana State
WR: Michael Wortham, Montana
WR: Tsion Nunnally, Idaho State
TE: Landon Cooper, Eastern Washington
TE: Noah Bennee, Weber State
OL: Aidan Meek, Sacramento State
OL: Liam Brown, Montana
OL: Dean Abdullah, Sacramento State
OL: Zaire Collier, UC Davis
OL: Racin Delgatty, Cal Poly
OL: Jeremiah Katt, Northern Arizona
OL: Ethan Kramer, Northern Arizona
AP: Rodney Hammond, Sacramento State
Second Team All-Big Sky Defense
DL: Matt Herron, Weber State
DL: Dylan Hampsten, Sacramento State
DL: Jayland McGlothen, Sacramento State
DL: Victory Johnson, Cal Poly
DL: Cam’ron Willis, Idaho State
LB: Solomon Tuliaupupu, Montana
LB: Nate Rutchena, UC Davis
LB: Brandon Wong, Northern Arizona
LB: Cole Taylor, Montana State
LB: Read Sunn, Eastern Washington
DB: Drew Cofield, UC Davis
DB: Rylan Leathers, Idaho State
DB: TJ Rausch, Montana
DB: Jeremiah Bernard, Cal Poly
DB: Carsten Mamaril, Portland State
DB: Tayden Gray, Montana State
Second Team All-Big Sky Specialists
KR: Rodney Hammond, Sacramento State
PR: Drew Deck, Montana
K: Sloan Calder, Weber State
P: Gabe Russo, Idaho State
ST: Brayden Rice, Idaho
LS: Grayson Pibal, Montana
Honorable Mention Offense (at least 3 votes)
QB: Caden Pinnick, UC Davis
QB: Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona
QB: Jordan Cooke, Idaho State
RB: Adam Jones, Montana State
RB: Jordan Fisher, UC Davis
WR: Michael Shulikov, Idaho State
WR: Michael Briscoe, Cal Poly
WR: Damien Morgan, Idaho State
WR: Brooks Davis, Montana
TE: Kristian Ingman, Portland State
OL: JT Reed, Montana State
OL: Dylan Conner, Eastern Washington
OL: Cedric Jefferson, Montana State
OL: Jack Ziebell, Northern Colorado
OL: Burke Mastel, Montana State
AP: Nate Bell, Eastern Washington
Honorable Mention Defense (at least 3 votes)
DL: Alec Eckert, Montana State
DL: Matyus McLain, Idaho
DL: Spencer Elliott, Portland State
DL: Isaiah Perez, Eastern Washington
DL: Hunter Parsons, Montana State
DL: Jake Mason, Montana
LB: Mayson Hitchens, Weber State
LB: Dylan Lane, Idaho
LB: Nathan Reynolds, Idaho State
LB: Caleb Otlewski, Montana
LB: Hudson Voggesser, Northern Colorado
DB: Isaiah Green, Portland State
DB: Jason Oliver, Sacramento State
DB: Angel King, Weber State
DB: Drew Carter, Eastern Washington
Honorable Mention Specialists (at least 3 votes)
KR: Cru Newman, Portland State
PR: Isaiah Eastman, Northern Arizona
K: Ty Morrison, Montana
P: Landon Ogles, Eastern Washington
LS: Maddox Broughton, Northern Colorado
LS: Adam Johnston, Sacramento State
