SUU football: 3 T-bird players to All-American team

CEDAR CITY — Three Southern Utah University football players, defensive tackle Austin Curtis, wide receiver Tysson Poots, and punter Trevor Ward, have earned Honorable Mention All-America recognition with a spot on the Division I Football Championship Subdivision squad.

"It's great to have our players get this kind of recognition," SUU Coach Ed Lamb said. "These are three players who were important parts of our team this year and, with a junior and sophomore on the list, it bodes well for the future as well."

Curtis, a senior from Layton High, was among the nation's leaders in tackles-for-loss with a team- and Great West Conference-high of 13.5 this past season.

Poots, a sophomore from Henderson, Nev., ranked third in the nation in receptions per game (7.5) and in receiving yards per game (112.4).

Ward, a junior from Bonneville High led the GWC in punting with an average of 42.8 yards per punt, the eighth-best average in the country, while his net average of 35.9 yards was sixth-best in the nation.

All three players were first-team all-Great West Conference selections as well as All-Americans. Selection to the team was determined by balloting among the nation's FCS sports information directors.