(Editor's note: University of Montana athletics release)
MISSOULA -- Montana senior kicker/punter Adam Wilson has been named the STATS FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week after an outstanding performance at UC Davis, the news organization announced Monday.
Wilson was instrumental in helping Montana hold the potent Davis offense to just seven first-half points and 20 points overall, pinning the Aggies inside their own 10-yard line on each of his three punts in the 45-20 win. On the day, he totaled 126 yards punting with a long punt of 51-yards that rolled out of bounds at the 5.
In the kicking game, Wilson also helped keep the Aggies from gaining field position, booming seven kickoffs for 431 yards and one touchback, averaging 61.6 yards per kick. Other than one that started with a fumble recovery, only one of UC Davis' drives started with better field position than on their own 26 -yard line.
Led by Wilson, a former rugby player at the University of Arizona, the Grizzly punting unit as a whole has developed into one of the nation's best. Montana has allowed just one return so far this season on 19 punts. The return was for all of eight yards against the Pac-12's Oregon Ducks and was taken by Jevon Holland, the FBS leader in punt returns.
Montana currently leads the Big Sky and is fourth in the FCS in net punting, averaging 42.26 yards per attempt.
This is the first player of the week award for Wilson, who also earned Montana's weekly nomination following his performance at Oregon. It's the first STATS FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week for the Griz since Jerry Louie-McGee's breakout game at Northern Iowa. The last Grizzly to earn a weekly national honor from STATS was Dante Olson after his breakout game against Drake in 2018.
Grizzly quarterback Dalton Sneed, who earlier Monday was named the ROOT Sports Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week, also earned an Honorable Mention for the STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week following an impressive performance against the Aggies.
Montana was also the first Big Sky team this season to be named the STATS FCS National Team of the Week on Sunday.
Fans have the chance to see Wilson and the Grizzlies in action on Homecoming this week as Montana hosts Idaho State on Saturday, Oct. 5.
