ST. LOUIS — A total of nine Missouri State football standouts were named to the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team for the 2022 season, the league announced Monday (Nov. 28).
Headlining the Bears’ haul of league honorees are first-team selections Montrae Braswell (Jr., Avon Park, Fla.) and punter Grant Burkett (So., Joplin, Mo.). Braswell earned first-team honors as both a defensive back and return specialist.
Three Bears were also on the second team: offensive lineman Landon Bebee (Jr., Webb City, Mo.), defensive lineman Kevin Ellis (Sr., Fort Worth, Texas) and linebacker Ferrin Manuleleua (Sr., Manteca, Calif.), while four MSU standouts earned honorable mention distinction: long snapper Caden Bolz (So., Overland Park, Kan.), defensive back Kyriq McDonald (Sr., Madison, Ala.), kicker Jose Pizano (Jr., Lehi, Utah) and wide receiver Ty Scott (Jr., Estill, S.C.).
Coach Bobby Petrino’s squad had 12 All-MVFC selections a year ago in Missouri State’s MVFC runner-up season of 2021. Seven of last season’s MSU all-league performers repeated conference recognition again in 2022. The Bears received 10 all-conference selections in Petrino’s first season in Springfield, 2020-21.
Braswell is now a three-time All-MVFC first-team selection after he led the Valley in kickoff return average (30.3) and posted his third career kickoff return for a touchdown in the Bears’ season opener at UCA on Sept. 1. He earned MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice this season (Sept. 4 and Nov. 12) and finished the season with 44 total tackles, including 28 solos with a season-high 7 tackles at Arkansas on Sept. 17. Braswell was also a preseason all-conference pick at both return specialist and DB this year after earning All-American honors in 2021 at both positions.
Burkett holds a 43.2 punting average, which ranks 11th nationally and No. 1 in the MVFC for the second year in a row. He ranks No. 2 among all active FCS punters in career average (44.1) and finished the season with 14 punts downed inside 20 as well as 11 punts of 50 yards or more. Like Braswell, Burkett was a 2022 preseason All-Valley first-team pick after earning consensus All-America honors in 2021. He is on the 2022 FCS Punter of the Year Watch List and earns All-MVFC distinction for the third time and second time as a first-time honoree.
Bebee started all 11 games at left tackle and averaged a 98-percent assignment grade and 90-percent effort grade from the coaching staff this season. He also scored an 80-percent technique grade for a Bears offense that averaged 5.2 yards per carry on designed rushing plays in 2022. The MSU co-captain was a Preseason All-MVFC first team selection and also earned All-MVFC second-team honors in 2021 and in the split 2020-21 season.
Ellis is the national leader in fumble recoveries (3) and led Missouri State in tackles for loss (9.0), quarterback hurries (7) and fumble recoveries. He finished the season with 51 total stops, 18 solo tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He ends his MSU career ranked No. 4 all-time in tackles for loss (36.5) and No. 10 in sacks (20.0). The co-captain was on the 2022 Preseason All-MVFC first team in addition to earning 2021 All-MVFC first team and 2020-21 All-MVFC second team laurels.
Manuleleua led Missouri State with 82 total tackles on the season with another team-high 37 solo stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of pass break-ups. Manuleleua ranks 10th in the MVFC in tackles per game (7.5) after starting all 11 games and posting six or more tackles in 9-of-11 contests. He had 10 or more tackles three times, including a career-high 15 tackles in MSU’s home win over Youngstown State on Nov. 12. He also brought down 10 ball carriers vs. Southern Illinois on Oct. 8 and at UNI on Oct. 22.
Bolz earns his first Valley honors after scoring a 100-percent accuracy on 99 long snaps and no blocked kicks for the season. In his third season handling all MSU punt, field goal and PAT long snaps, Bolz has been a huge contributor to Missouri State’s excellence on special teams in that span with All-American punter Grant Burkett and All-American kicker Jose Pizano being dominant on the national stage with MSU also ranking 17th nationally in net punting.
McDonald finished his senior season with 40 tackles, including 20 solos, six passes defended and five pass break-ups. The Bears co-captain had four total tackles and a pair of pass break-ups in MSU’s home win over Youngstown State on Nov. 12 and snagged an interception in the season finale at Indiana State on Nov. 19. He also logged six total tackles and four solos at North Dakota on Oct. 1. The 2022 Preseason All-MVFC first team honoree was also a preseason All-American and earned All-MVFC honorable mention laurels last season after being a second-team All-MVFC candidate in 2020-21.
Pizano scored a team-high 71 points on a perfect 35-of-35 extra points and 12-of-16 field goals for the season. He ended the year by extending his career streak to 69 consecutive PAT’s made and converted eight straight field goals from Oct. 1 to Nov. 19. He ranks second in the MVFC in FG accuracy (.750), fourth in FG per game (1.09) and sixth in scoring (6.5). Pizano was 3-for-3 on field goals and 7-of-7 on extra points vs. Western Illinois on Nov. 5 to break MSU’s single-game kick-scoring record (16 points) and earn MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week. The 2022 Preseason All-MVFC second teamer is a Fred Mitchell Award Finalist, was a 2021 FCS All-American and earned All-MVFC second team honors in 2021 as well as the split 2020-21 campaign.
Scott snagged a team-high 48 pass receptions for 674 yards (14.0 yards per reception) and five touchdowns. He ranks eighth in the MVFC in receiving touchdowns, fifth in receptions per game (4.4), seventh in receiving yards (674) and 7th in receiving yards per game (61.3). He pulled in a season-high eight receptions for 160 yards at Central Arkansas on Sept. 1 and then matched that reception total with eight catches for 96 yards and three touchdowns in the MSU win over UT Martin on Sept. 8. The 2022 Preseason All-MVFC first teamer was also a 2021 All-MVFC first team selection and FCS All-American.
Missouri State wrapped up the 2022 season with back-to-back Valley victories and wins in three of its last four contests. After a 2-0 start, the Bears finished 5-6 overall and 3-5 in the MVFC.
The Valley will announce its All-Newcomer Team on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
