Big Sky Announces Spring 2021 All-Conference Football Teams and Individual Award Winners
FARMINGTON, Utah (April 21, 2021) – Following the conclusion of an exciting yet unconventional campaign, the Big Sky Conference office has announced its annual All-Conference football teams and individual award winners for the Spring 2021 season.
Two days removed from being named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, Eastern Washington’s Eric Barriere has been named the Big Sky’s Offensive Player of the Year.
The senior led the Big Sky in the vast majority of passing categories. He completed 166 passes for 2,188 yards and 18 touchdowns. He connected on 62 percent of his passes and averaged 364.7 yards per game through the air. The Eagles scored at an incredibly high clip, averaging 40.67 points per game. EWU finished the season with the sixth-highest scoring offense in the FCS.
Earning the title of Defensive Player of the Year is Weber State’s Conner Mortensen. The top defensive player on the Big Sky Championship team was more than deserving of the award, finishing the season with 44 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, an interception, and a sack. The Wildcats held opposing offenses to 17.6 points per game and only allowed teams to move the ball on an average of 138 yards per game.
After transferring to Idaho State from Wyoming, Bengal quarterback Tyler Vander Waal has been named Newcomer of the Year by the Big Sky Conference. The first year ISU player completed 116 passes for 1,843 yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 307.2 yards per game through the air and completed 54 percent of his passes.
Freshman of the Year honors was split between UC Davis’s Chubba Maae and Weber State’s Dontae McMillan.
While the stats don’t necessarily reflect it, Maae was an absolute force on the defensive line for the Aggies. The Long Beach, California native was a nightmare for opposing offensive lines. He had 12 tackles and a tackle for loss.
McMillan had a big year on the ground in his first regular-season outing with the Wildcats. He had 49 carries for 308 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 61.6 yards per game on the ground. McMillan was a strong complement to first-team honoree Josh Davis, the leading rusher for the Wildcats.
Highlighting the all-conference first-team, Weber State’s Rashid Shaheed earned his third honor of his career on the top team, along with WSU offensive lineman Ty Whitworth and running back Davis.
A number of players were unanimous selections to the all-conference first-team, headlined by Barriere, at the quarterback spot.
The Big Sky All-Conference team and individual award winners were selected by the eight head football coaches that competed in a Big Sky season. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players. The conference’s Coach of the Year award will be announced on Thursday.
While Cal Poly was eligible to nominate players for the all-conference teams, their football program respectfully declined the opportunity after opting out for the remainder of their campaign and playing only three games.
The all-conference teams were cut down from the traditional three teams to two due to only eight teams playing a shortened schedule.
Spring 2021 Big Sky Football All-Conference
Offensive Player of the Year: Eric Barriere, QB, Eastern Washington
Defensive Player of the Year: Conner Mortensen, LB, Weber State
Newcomer of the Year: Tyler Vander Waal, QB, Idaho State
Co-Freshman of the Year: Chubba Maae, DT, UC Davis & Dontae McMillan, RB, Weber State
*-Unanimous All-First Team Selection
$ - Two-Time All-Big Sky First Team Selection
% - Three-Time All-Big Sky First Team Selection
First Team All-Big Sky
| FIRST TEAM OFFENSE |
Player |
Year |
School |
| Quarterback |
Eric Barriere* |
Sr. |
Eastern Washington |
| Wide Receiver |
Talolo Limu-Jones* |
Sr. |
Eastern Washington |
| Wide Receiver |
Tanner Conner |
Sr. |
Idaho State |
| Wide Receiver |
Hayden Hatten |
So. |
Idaho |
| Offensive Line |
Nick Amoah* |
Jr. |
UC Davis |
| Offensive Line |
Ty Whitworth*% |
Sr. |
Weber State |
| Offensive Line |
Noah Atagi |
So. |
Weber State |
| Offensive Line |
Braxton Jones |
Jr. |
Southern Utah |
| Offensive Line |
Connor Pettek |
Jr. |
UC Davis |
| Offensive Line |
Tristen Taylor |
Sr. |
Eastern Washington |
| Running Back |
Josh Davis*% |
Jr. |
Weber State |
| Running Back |
Tamarick Pierce |
Sr. |
Eastern Washington |
| Tight End |
McCallan Castles* |
So. |
UC Davis |
| Fullback |
Logan Kendall* |
Jr. |
Idaho |
| Kicker |
Luis Aguilar*$ |
Sr. |
Northern Arizona |
| Punt Returner |
Rashid Shaheed*% |
Sr. |
Weber State |
| Kick Returner |
Rashid Shaheed*% |
Sr. |
Weber State |
| Special Teams Player |
Colton Belnap* |
Sr. |
Idaho State |
|
|
|
|
| FIRST TEAM DEFENSE |
Player |
Year |
School |
| Defensive Tackle |
Jared Schiess*$ |
Sr. |
Weber State |
| Defensive Tackle |
Bryce Rodgers |
Sr. |
UC Davis |
| Defensive End |
Mitchell Johnson |
Jr. |
Eastern Washington |
| Defensive End |
Francis Bemiy |
Jr. |
Southern Utah |
| Outside Linebacker |
Christian Elliss$ |
Sr. |
Idaho |
| Outside Linebacker |
La’akea K-Davis |
Jr. |
Southern Utah |
| Inside Linebacker |
Conner Mortensen* |
Sr. |
Weber State |
| Inside Linebacker |
Tre Walker* |
Jr. |
Idaho |
| Defensive Back |
Morgan Vest* |
Jr. |
Northern Arizona |
| Defensive Back |
Jayden Dawson |
Jr. |
Idaho State |
| Defensive Back |
Eddie Heckard |
So. |
Weber State |
| Defensive Back |
Jordan Perryman |
Jr. |
UC Davis |
| Defensive Back |
Anthany Smith |
Jr. |
Eastern Washington |
| Defensive Back |
Preston Smith |
Sr. |
Weber State |
| Defensive Back |
Desmond Williams |
Jr. |
Weber State |
| Punter |
Daniel Whelan * |
Sr. |
UC Davis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Second Team All-Big Sky |
|
|
|
| SECOND TEAM OFFENSE |
Player |
Year |
School |
| Quarterback |
Tyler Vander Waal |
Jr. |
Idaho State |
| Wide Receiver |
Freddie Roberson |
So. |
Eastern Washington |
| Wide Receiver |
Landen Measom |
Sr. |
Southern Utah |
| Wide Receiver |
Stacy Chukwumezie |
Sr. |
Northern Arizona |
| Offensive Line |
Luke Rudolph |
Sr. |
Northern Arizona |
| Offensive Line |
Terron Carey |
So. |
Idaho State |
| Offensive Line |
Jonas Leader |
RJr. |
Northern Arizona |
| Offensive Line |
Wyatt Musser |
Jr. |
Eastern Washington |
| Offensive Line |
Jacob Angel |
So. |
Idaho State |
| Offensive Line |
Jordan Ford |
So. |
UC Davis |
| Running Back |
Lan Larison |
Fr. |
UC Davis |
| Running Back |
Dontae McMillan |
Fr. |
Weber State |
| Tight End |
Matthew Kempton |
RJr. |
Northern Arizona |
| Kicker |
Seth Harrison |
So. |
Eastern Washington |
| Punt Returner |
Isaiah Thomas |
Sr. |
UC Davis |
| Kick Returner |
Nick Romano |
So. |
Idaho |
| Special Teams Player |
Treyson Johnson |
Fr. |
Southern Utah |
|
|
|
|
| SECOND TEAM DEFENSE |
Player |
Year |
School |
| Defensive Tackle |
Chubba Maae |
Fr. |
UC Davis |
| Defensive Tackle |
Sione Lapuaho |
Sr. |
Weber State |
| Defensive End |
George Tarlas |
Jr. |
Weber State |
| Defensive End |
Luka Nixon |
Jr. |
UC Davis |
| Outside Linebacker |
Oshea Trujillo |
Sr. |
Idaho State |
| Outside Linebacker |
Connor Airey |
Sr. |
UC Davis |
| Inside Linebacker |
Cole Hansen |
Jr. |
UC Davis |
| Inside Linebacker |
Harrison Beemiller |
Sr. |
Northern Arizona |
| Inside Linebacker |
Sherwin Lavaka |
Sr. |
Weber State |
| Defensive Back |
Anthony Sweeney |
Jr. |
Northern Arizona |
| Defensive Back |
LJ Davis |
Jr. |
Southern Utah |
| Defensive Back |
Tyrese Dedmon |
Sr. |
Idaho |
| Defensive Back |
Jalen Hoover |
Sr. |
Idaho |
| Defensive Back |
Tre Weed |
So. |
Eastern Washington |
| Punter |
Cade Coffey |
Sr. |
Idaho |
Honorable Mention
Quarterback: Justin Miller (SUU) and Keondre Wudtee (NAU)
Offensive Line: Logan Floyd (UI)
Running Back: Malakai Rango (ISU) and Dennis Merritt (EWU)
Kicker: Cade Coffey (UI) and Manny Berz (SUU)
Punt Returner: Judd Cockett (SUU)
Kick Returner: Judd Cockett (SUU)
Defensive Line: Joshua Jerome (EWU), Kainoa Fuiava (ISU), Jonah Kim (UI) and Rashaan Crawford (UI)
Defensive End: Carson Taylor (NAU) and Terrence Jones (ISU)
Outside Linebacker: Fa’ave Fa’ave (UI)
Inside Linebacker: Connor Wills (ISU), Ty Graham (EWU) and Tristen Vance (NAU)
Punter: DJ Arnson (NAU)