Three Eagles Named To All-Big Sky First Team

Three Eastern Washington players linebacker Derek Strey, offensive guard Jim Buzzard and free safety Maurice Perigo - were named Tuesday to the first team of the coaches’ 1996 All-Big Sky Conference football team.

In addition, the Eagles placed offensive tackle Aaron Barfield, defensive end Steve Mattson and running back Joe Sewell on the second team; and wide receivers Steve Correa and Antwan Miller, cornerback Ryan Moore, running back Rex Prescott and defensive tackle Chris Scott on the honorable mention list.

All three of Eastern’s first-teamers are juniors and will be among 15 starters returning next fall when the Eagles try to improve on this year’s 6-5 record.

Strey finished the year with 126 tackles, the third-highest single-season total in EWU history, and was third behind Montana’s Jason Crebo and Montana State’s Devlan Geddes in voting for the league’s defensive player of the year. Northern Arizona running back Archie Amerson and Montana quarterback Brian Ah Yat were named co-offensive players of the year.

Buzzard played a key role in opening holes for Sewell and Prescott, who combined for 1,863 rushing yards in EWU’s one-back offense.

Perigo picked off six passes and returned them for a school-record 171 yards and two touchdowns.

Idaho State cornerback Marcus Jackson, who was paralyzed from the neck down while making a tackle early in the season, was a unanimous first-team defensive selection.

Bruce Snyder, whose Arizona State team improved from 6-5 to 11-0 and went from the Pac-10’s worst defense to its best in the span of a year, was named conference football coach of the year.

Indiana turned to a familiar name, former Hoosier reserve quarterback Cam Cameron, to replace fired football coach Bill Mallory.

Cameron, currently the Washington Redskins quarterbacks coach, signed a seven-year contract. He said he would remain with the Redskins through the end of the season.

For the second consecutive time, Western Washington’s Rob Smith has been named the coach of the year for the American Football Coaches Association College Division Region V. Under Smith’s direction, the Vikings went 9-1 this season and reached the quarterfinal round of the NAIA Division II playoffs for the second time in school history.