Boomer Grigsby and Jonathan Friend of the Illinois State football team were both named all-Americans by The Sports Network Friday. Grigsby received first team honors while Friend was a second team selection.
It is the second all-American nod for both Grigsby and Friend this year. Grigsby, a Canton, Ill. native, was named to the all-American first team this past week. The Gateway Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year finished third in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top
defensive player in I-AA football.
The nations leading tackler, Grigsby compiled a league-high 179 tackles on the year and finished with 108 solo stops, 16 tackles for loss and four sacks while Friend led the team in tackles for defensive linemen with 88. He also led the squad with 25 tackles for loss (-119), 7.5 sacks and 23 quarterback hurries.
An Orange, Texas native and all-Gateway first team selection, Friend was named a third team
all-American.
