6 From Stanford Earn First Team Pac-12 All-Conference Honors

Nov 30, 2013; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal linebacker Trent Murphy (93) tips the pass by Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Tommy Rees (11) during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. The Stanford Cardinal defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Six members of the Pac-12 North champion Stanford Cardinal were named to the Pac-12’s All-Conference First Team, including four defensive starters.

The team was announced Monday via the conference’s official website.

The lone offensive player from the Cardinal to be named to the first team was guard David Yankey, who was named for the second consecutive year. Ty Montgomery was named as the first-team return specialist.

Honored from the defense were defensive end Ben Gardner, linebackers Shayne Skov and Trent Murphy and safety Ed Reynolds.

Yankey, a 6-foot-5, 313-pound senior from Roswell, Ga., was a semifinalist for both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award. This was his second all-conference honor.

Montgomery, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound junior from Dallas, returned 30 kickoffs for 938 yards, a 31.3-yard average, and two touchdowns. He was also the Cardinal’s top receiver, grabbing 53 receptions for 868 yards and nine touchdowns.

Gardner, a 6-foot-4, 277-pound senior from Mequon, Wis., was limited to eight games because of injury and had 19 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.

Skov, a 6-foor-3, 245-pound senior from Guadalajara, Mexico, who played his high school football at Trinity-Pawling High School in New York, had a team-high 91 tackles, 10 for loss, 4.5 sacks, broke up four passes, defended four others, had 10 quarterback hits, recovered two fumbles and forced two more.

Murphy, a 6-foot-6, 261-pound senior from Mesa, Ariz., made was an all-conference pick for the second time. He had 51 tackles, 19.5 for loss, 13 sacks, one interception, broke up six passes, defended seven, had seven quarterback hits, forced a fumble and blocked a kick.

Reynolds, a 6-foot-2, 206-pound senior from Stoneville, N.C., is also a two-time all-conference selection, He had 73 tackles, one for loss, a interception, broke up three passes, defended four and had one quarterback hit.

The Cardinal are 10-2, 6-2 in conference play, and visit Arizona State on Saturday for the Pac-12 conference championship game.

Second-team selections from the Cardinal included running back Tyler Gaffney, Montgomery at receiver, tackles Cameron Fleming and Andrus Peat, center Khalil Wilkes and special teamer Joe Hemschoot.

Cal kicker Vincenzo D’Amato was also named to the second team and the Golden Bears also had defensive lineman Deandre Coleman, quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Bryce Treggs named honorable mention.

From Stanford, defensive linemen Henry Anderson and Josh Mauro, defensive backs Alex Carter and Jordan Richards, offensive lineman Kevin Danser, punter Ben Rhyne and linebacker A.J. Tarpley were honorable mention selections.

Arizona running back Ka’Deem Carey was named Offensive Player of the Year, while defensive end Will Sutton of Arizona State earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. UCLA’s Myles Jack was named both the Freshman Offensive and Defensive player of the year and Todd Graham of the Sun Devils earned Coach of the Year honors.

Stanford coach David Shaw told the San Jose Mercury News he wasn’t thrilled that Murphy was bypassed as the conference’s top defender.

"“[Sutton] is a heck of a player,” Shaw said. “He’s taking a lot of our time. But I don’t know that anybody in our conference caused more problems than Murphy. There’s a little bit of disappointment.”"