4 Cougars get 1st-team all-league nods

PROVO — Wide receivers Austin Collie and Todd Watkins joined the BYU football program last winter eager to make an immediate impact on a lifeless Cougar offense.

Turns out, the pair of newcomers became the kind of playmakers BYU desperately needed, combining for 105 catches, 1,813 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2004.

Monday, Collie and Watkins were recognized by the Mountain West Conference for their accomplishments. Collie was named the league's freshman of the year while Watkins was BYU's lone All-MWC first-team selection on offense.

The Cougars boasted three players on the All-MWC first-team defense — linebacker Brady Poppinga, safety Aaron Francisco and punter Matt Payne. It marked the third consecutive year that Poppinga and Payne have garnered first-team All-MWC honors. For Francisco, it was the second straight year he has earned a spot on the first team.

BYU placed four players on the All-MWC second-team offense — quarterback John Beck, running back Curtis Brown, offensive lineman Scott Young and Payne, as a placekicker. Defensive lineman Shaun Nua was the only Cougar on the second-team defense.

A transfer from Grossmont Junior College, Watkins became BYU's first All-MWC offense first-teamer since offensive lineman Dustin Rykert in 2002. Watkins joined Utah's Steve Savoy on the first team, beating out Colorado State's David Anderson and Utah's Paris Warren, who were named to the second-team.

Watkins finished the season with 52 catches for 1,042 yards and six touchdowns, including a 79-yard score against Boise State. He averaged 20 yards per reception and was the Cougars' first 1,000-yard receiver since Reno Mahe in 2001.

A true freshman out of Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills, Calif., Collie was the first Cougar to capture freshman of the year recognition since running back Luke Staley in 1999.

Collie hauled in 53 catches for 771 yards and eight touchdowns, including an 82-yard TD against San Diego State. Collie, who was also an honorable mention selection, is scheduled to leave on an LDS mission this winter.

Six more Cougars were honorable mention All-MWC — defensive lineman Manaia Brown, safety Jon Burbidge, linebacker Cameron Jensen, offensive lineman Jake Kuresa, kick return specialist Bryce Mahuika and offensive lineman Lance Reynolds, Jr.

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