Hilliard tabbed preseason All-American running back

Former Flathead athlete closing in on Griz records

MISSOULA (AP) - Chalk up another NCAA All-American football award for Kalispell's Lex Hilliard.

University of Montana seniors Mike Murphy and Hilliard were honored by The Sports Network in its 2006 Division I-AA preseason football All-America selections.

Hilliard was a first-team pick at running back each of the last two seasons. The 225-pound running back was given an honorable mention this season.

As a sophomore, Hilliard rushed for 972 yards and tied the UM single-season touchdown mark with 17. As a junior last season, he rushed for 1,322 yards at 5.3 yards per carry and 12 touchdowns.

The candidate for the Walter Payton Award, given to I-AA's top offensive player, has 2,884 career yards and ranks second on UM's career rushing list. He needs 1,182 rushing yards to become Montana's all-time leading rusher and 182 carries to become the career leader in attempts.

Hilliard's 35 total touchdowns is 13 behind Humphery, who helped lead the Griz to the 2001 national championship, for the top running back mark. Quarterback Dave Dickenson, who led he Griz to the school's first national championship in 1995 and is a two-time Canadian Football League Most Oustanding Player, compiled a Big Sky Conference record 116 touchdowns.

Hilliard netted UM's second-best single-game rushing mark on Oct. 22 with 237 yards against Cal Poly in Missoula in a 36-27 victory. That same Cal Poly team came back into Missoula a month later during the playoffs and handed the Griz a 35-21 loss.

Murphy, a 240-pound defensive end, was named to the second team on defense.

Just two players from the Big Sky Conference were named first team: offensive guards Matt Alfred of Eastern Washington and Brennan Carvalho of Portland State. Both are juniors.

Another Eastern offensive lineman, junior tackle Rocky Hanni, was honorable mention.

On defense, Portland State senior Dominic Dixon was named second team at cornerback. Idaho State senior linebacker Pago Togafau was honorable mention.

Murphy was a first-team all-Big Sky selection as a sophomore and a second-team pick last season. He's among Montana's career leaders in sacks with 20.5 and tackles for losses with 31.5. He is a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, for the top defensive player in Division I-AA.

Six players from defending champion Appalachian State were honored by The Sports Network, including three on the first team: defensive end Marques Morrell, safety Corey Lynch and tight end Daniel Bettis.

The Big Sky will release its preseason all-conference team and preseason polls in mid-July.