Record Breaker Earns UM Griz Football Star Player of Week Award

The returns have been fewer and further between so far this season.

Part of the reason is that opponents know what a high-risk proposition it is to give the guy any window of opportunity to do what he now does better than anyone in the conference ever has. Saturday's opponent learned that the hard way.

You break a conference record, you finally earn some conference honors. University of Montana Sports Information Director Eric Taber tells us that today (Monday), after etching his name in the history books, Grizzly receiver/kick returner Junior Bergen was named the Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. He was also given an honorable mention for the Stats Perform Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Special Teams Player of the Week.

Surprisingly, it’s the first Big Sky weekly honor of his career.

With just under three minutes left in the third quarter, and Montana nursing a not-so-comfortable 14-0 lead against Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo Saturday afternoon, Bergen ripped off an 84-yard punt return touchdown. Junior was the catalyst that helped blow open a close game, as the Griz put three more touchdowns on the board on their way to a 42-7 trouncing of the Mustangs. 

NEW CONFERENCE RECORD

It was the sixth punt return touchdown of his illustrious career, officially setting a new Big Sky Conference record after passing Corey Smith of Montana State’s career total of five. He now needs two more to tie the FCS record of eight set by LeRoy Vann of Florida A&M.

With Saturday's win, Montana improved to 7-2 on the season, and also moved up a notch to No. 7 in the weekly national rankings, ahead of the monster clash against 4th-ranked UC Davis under the lights this Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.

UP WITH MONTANA! UP WITH JUNIOR BERGEN!