Coaches select EWU’s Mitchell, Edwards as All-Americans

Senior quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and junior wide receiver Nicholas Edwards continued their postseason awards haul Wednesday, when the American Football Coaches Association named the two record-setting Eastern Washington University standouts to its 25-player FCS All-America team.

Mitchell, the 2011 Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year and one of three finalists for this year’s Walter Payton Award that is given annually to the nation’s top FCS player, completed 63.2 percent (318 of 503) of his passes and threw for a school-record 4,009 yards and 33 touchdowns on an injury-plagued Eastern team that finished 6-5 this fall.

During his two-year stay in Cheney, he led the Eagles to 19 wins and the 2010 NCAA Division I championship. He finished his abbreviated career with ranked third on Eastern’s all-time list for passing yards (7,505), touchdown passes (70), completions (618) and passing efficiency (141.2 percent).

Edwards, from Tacoma, caught a single-season school-record 95 passes for 1,250 yards and 19 touchdowns, tying the single-season school record for touchdown receptions set by Eric Kimble in 2004.

“It means a lot when it comes from the coaches – some of which they’ve competed against,” Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin said of the latest honor bestowed on Mitchell and Edwards. “Those coaches have seen Bo and Nick on video and have seen what they can do.

“It certainly means a lot to us to have these two players honored as All-Americans by the coaches, and it means a lot for Bo and Nick as well.

“They are extremely deserving and had amazing, amazing seasons.”