Football: Rembert, 10 other Falcons named to all-conference team

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Air Force junior defensive back Reggie Rembert was named first-team all-Mountain West Conference in football, as announced Tuesday by the conference. Rembert was the lone Falcon to earn first-team honors.

Senior offensive linemen Nick Charles and Peter Lusk, junior fullback Jared Tew, sophomore kicker Erik Soderberg, senior nose guard Ben Garland and sophomore defensive back Anthony Wright were all named to the second team. Seniors John Falgout (LB), Brandon Geyer (P), Ryan Gonzales (OL) and Chris Thomas (DB) all received honorable mentions.

Air Force's seven selections to the first and second teams is the most ever in the MWC and most since 1998, when the Falcons had eight players named to the first two teams in the Western Athletic Conference.

Rembert was fifth in the conference in interceptions with three. He also ranked among the league's top six in fumble recoveries with two and forced fumbles with two, including the first touchdown of his career on a 47-yard fumble return versus San Diego State. Rembert was named the conference's defensive player of the week vs. the Aztecs with a team-best seven tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.

Charles and Lusk helped key an experienced offense line that led the conference and ranked fourth nationally in rushing with a 273.6 per-game average. The Falcons out-rushed 11 of 12 opponents this season and Charles and Lusk ranked first and second, respectively, on the team in knockdown blocks with over 100 each.

Tew was the fourth-leading rushing in the conference with 797 yards and topped the 100-yard mark twice this season with 102 vs. Army and a season-best 105 yards vs. Wyoming. Soderberg led the conference and ranked fifth in the nation in field goals with 1.67 per game. He was also second in the conference in scoring with a 7.8 average.

Garland was one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the conference all season. He led the team and ranked eighth in the conference in tackles for loss with 10.5 and led the Falcons in sacks with 4.5. Wright tied for second in the conference in interceptions with four and was eighth in pass breakups with eight. He also scored three touchdowns this season, two on interceptions and one on a punt return.

Conference champion TCU nearly swept all the top individual awards in the conference. Quarterback Andy Dalton was named offensive player of the year, while defensive end Jerry Hughes was named defensive player of the year. Return specialist Jeremy Kerley took home special team player of the year while Gary Patterson was the coach of the year. Wyoming quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels was the freshman of the year.