John Friesz – Idaho, Football, 1986-89
Friesz became the Big Sky’s first Walter Payton Award Winner in 1989. That year he also earned Coaches Choice I-AA Player of the Year, Football Gazette National Offensive Player of the Year and Consensus First-Team All-American. In 1988 he was a Kodak and Sporting News First Team All-American, and a 1987 AP All-America Second Team honoree. Friesz earned the Big Sky Offensive MVP in 1987, 1988 and 1989 – the first three-time MVP in league history. He was a 10-time Big Sky Player of the Week and threw for 10,697 yards in 35 career games. He finished his career first in the Big Sky at the time in passing yards per game and total offense per game. Friesz was picked in the sixth round of the 1990 NFL Draft and had a 10-year career playing for San Diego, Washington, Seattle and New England. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.