FOUR FERRIS FOOTBALL PLAYERS EARN FIRST TEAM ALL-GLIAC PLAUDITS

Three Bulldogs Named To Second Team and Six Pick Up Honorable Mention Honors

The Ferris State University football team had a total of 13 football players named to the 2006 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Football teams in an announcement made Wednesday (Nov. 15) afternoon by the conference office.

Ferris State, which turned in its best season since 1996 at 8-3-0 overall this fall, had four individuals earn first-team plaudits. Senior middle linebacker Mike Klobucher (Grand Haven/North Muskegon) and senior cornerback Jim Skodak (Lennon/Corunna) were joined by sophomore defensive tackle Jake Visser (Coopersville) and junior offensive guard Bill Bourdlais (Newberry).

Senior cornerback Jim Skodak, a three-time honorable mention all-conference selection, was one of four Bulldogs to receive All-GLIAC First-Team recognition.

Klobucher, a two-time (2004-05) honorable mention All-GLIAC selection, paced the Bulldogs in tackles for the third consecutive season with 92 total stops (47 solos) in 10 games this fall. He was recently chosen as Ferris State's Most Valuable Player for the second straight year and finished his four-year career ranking seventh among the school's all-time tackles leaders with 389 career stops (206 solos) in 42 contests.

A three-time (2003-05) All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team member, Skodak notched a team-best three pass interceptions for 33 yards as an 11-game starter this season. The 2006 team's Most Valuable Defensive Skill Player Award winner also compiled 41 tackles (30 solos) to finish seventh on the Bulldogs' top tackles leaders list this year. Skodak's 10 career pass thefts for 59 yards in 47 outings tied for the seventh best in FSU history.

Visser turned in another productive season as the 2005 honorable honorable All-GLIAC pick finished second in team tackles with 86 total (52 solos) in 11 contests. The two-time (2005-06) FSU Most Valuable Defensive Lineman racked up a squad-high 16.0 tackles for a loss of 74 yards, which included a conference-leading 10.5 pass sacks for minus 62 yards. His season's sacks output tied for the sixth-highest ever total among the Bulldogs' all-time single-season leaders.

A converted defensive tackle, Bourdlais made his debut on the offensive side of the ball this campaign a memorable one. The 10-game starter at right guard was a major contributor in helping the Ferris State offense average 182.8 yards rushing per game (2,011 yds.) and 343.6 yards in total offense (3,780 yds.) for the 2006 season. The rushing yards total and the rushing yardage average both represented the fifth-best ever on FSU's all-time single-season leaders list.

The four first-team selections were the most for the Bulldogs since 2000 when Ferris had five individuals attain first-team all-conference accolades. FSU had 10 players garner all-league first-team honors in its 1995 Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC) Championship season.

Junior right guard Bill Bourdlais attained first-team All-GLIAC honors in his initial season as a Bulldog offensive team member.

Receiving all-conference second-team laurels were senior H-Back John Vandenberg (Trenton) and junior slot receiver Robert Miller (Carson, Calif./Harbor C.C.) on offense while junior defensive tackle Kurt Hout (Arvada, Colo./West) was the lone Bulldogs' honoree on defense.

Six other Bulldogs garnered honorable mention All-GLIAC recognition, including five seniors -- kicker Josh Eichler (Tomball, Texas), offensive guard Allen Feigel (Livonia/Stevenson), quarterback Ryan Kaul (Clarkston), offensive tackle Chris Putra (Jackson/Lumen Christi).

The GLIAC Player of the Year was senior quarterback Cullen Finnerty of Grand Valley State while his two teammates, junior offensive tackle Brandon Barnes and senior defensive end Michael McFadden were named the Offensive Lineman of the Year and and Defensive Lineman of the Year, respectively. Wayne State's redshirt freshman running back Joique Bell received both Freshman of the Year and Offensive Back of the Year honors. The Defensive Back of the Year went to Northwood's senior linebacker Charleston Hughes and Wayne State head coach Paul Winters was chosen as the Coach of the Year. The balloting was conducted by the league's head coaches.

2006 Ferris State Football All-GLIAC Honorees

First Team Offense --Bill Bourdlais
First Team Defense --Mike Klobucher, Jim Skodak, Jake Visser
Second Team Offense --John Vandenberg, Robert Miller
Second Team Defense --Kurt Hout
Honorable Mention --Josh Eichler, Allen Feigel, Ryan Kaul, Chris Putra, Erik Schumacher, Kevin Teeple