Missouri State football standouts Angelo Garbutt, Marquis Prophete and Darius Joseph were all recognized by the Missouri Valley Football Conference this week with Preseason All-MVFC honors as selected by a panel of league coaches, media and communications personnel.
Garbutt, a junior linebacker from Carrollton, Texas, was a first-team All-MVFC preseason pick, while Prophete (Sr., OL, Florissant, Mo.) and Joseph (Jr., CB, Oklahoma City, Okla.) were second-team selections.
Garbutt, an Iowa transfer who received Honorable Mention All-MVFC recognition at linebacker in his first season at MSU a year ago, ranked sixth overall in the MVFC with a team-leading 85 tackles. He recorded 2.0 sacks, 6.5 TFLs and a club-best five quarterback hurries. He also turned in three consecutive double-digit tackle performances (Oct. 28-Nov. 11), including a Bears season-high 17 stops vs. UNI to earn MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors.
Prophete will take a streak of 27 consecutive starts on the Bears’ offensive line into his senior campaign after helping engineer an offensive turnaround in 2017. He was part of an offensive line unit that paved the way for a 41-yard per game improvement in rushing production from a year ago. He also helped the Bears rank third in in the conference in rushing yards per game (185.1) during MVFC play.
Joseph was a stalwart in the Bears’ secondary, making 10 starts at cornerback and totaling 54 tackles to lead all MSU defensive backs. He totaled 36 solo stops and broke up four passes to go along with an interception and a fumble recovery. The Oklahoma City product registered a career-best 12 tackles in the Bears’ road win over SIU, then made 10 more stops the next week vs. UNI.
Both Joseph, Prophete, and MSU’s returning starting quarterback Peyton Huslig, were honorable mention All-MVFC performers in 2017.
MSU head coach Dave Steckel enters his fourth season at the helm of the Bears with 36 returning lettermen and 15 returning starters in his arsenal.
The Bears, who were picked ninth in Monday’s preseason MVFC poll, officially open the 2018 campaign with a Wednesday afternoon practice at Robert W. Plaster Stadium in preparation for their season opener on Aug. 30 at Oklahoma State.