Derryk Snell
Most football players can’t sit out half the year and make the all-conference team, but Big Sky coaches didn’t hold a lower-body injury against Montana State’s Derryk Snell.
The senior fullback out of Chugiak High was named first team all-league for the second straight year despite not playing since Oct. 14 for the Bobcats and missing the last five games.
When he did play, the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder was a devastating blocker who peeled away would-be tacklers like a can opener to help fuel the conference’s top rushing attack.
Snell was honored as a fullback but he’s really a hybrid playmaker as an effective blocking back and tight end (he can also run and throw).
In six games this year he has hauled in 12 receptions for 159 yards and three touchdowns; for his career he has nine TD receptions, two rushing TDs and one passing TD.
After a slow start, he was poised for a breakout and posted 8-81-3 totals in the two previous games before he got injured, including a TD catch in his latest appearance against Cal Poly.
.@derryk_snell would not be denied
💪😤💪#BobcatBuilt | #GoCatsGo pic.twitter.com/KKGsfw6gvl— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) October 15, 2023
Snell missed last weekend’s rivalry game against Montana in the regular-season finale but was on the field during pre-game warmups using a knee walker to get around.
He was probably dying to play and might get his chance in next weekend’s FCS playoffs when Montana State (8-3) hosts the North Dakota State/Drake winner on Dec. 2 in Bozeman.
Snell hasn’t been ruled out so there’s a chance the 2017 Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year will be on the field.
For his MSU career, Snell has played in a career 51 games, making him one of just five Alaskans to reach the 50-game plateau at the NCAA Division I level.
His 12 career TDs rank No. 16 on Alaska’s all-time NCAA scoring list.
Moving to the NAIA level, the state of Alaska was well represented on the North Star Athletic Association all-conference teams.
Four players were picked, including three First Team All-NSAA selections in Soldotna’s Galen Brantley III of Dickinson State at tight end, East Anchorage’s Georgie Mageo of Valley City State at defensive lineman and South Anchorage’s Jayden Heartwell of Dickinson State at defensive back.
East Anchorage’s Georgia Mageo of Valley City State was named Second Team All-NSAA at defensive lineman.
The NAIA playoffs continue Saturday when No. 14 seed Dickinson State (10-1) faces No. 2 seed Grand View (10-0).
In the Great Plains Athletic Conference, Anchorage’s Tray Kingsland of Midland was named honorable mention at defensive back.