Weber State's Scott Shields nearly completed an All-Big Sky postseason award hat trick.
The multi-talented sophomore was named first team All-Big Sky as a kicker and a punter, and just missed making first team in three positions by being named second team as a free safety. He finished third in the vote for defensive player of the year as well.Joining Shields on the first team from Weber State was junior tight end Cam Quayle and senior cornerback Ian Franklin. Senior wide receiver Taurus McGhee, senior tackle Kyle Stephens, senior running back Clemente Sainten, senior defensive lineman Weston Weaver and sophomore linebacker David Stroshine all made the second team All-Big Sky from Weber.
Wildcats on the honorable mention list include: Brandon Smith, OL; Naki Pilivi, LB; Junior Baker, DB; Kris Jackson, OL; Roger Cook, QB.
Northern Arizona running back Archie Amerson and Montana quarterback Brian Ah Yat were voted co-offensive players of the year by the league's nine football coaches.
The conference also announced Tuesday that the coaches unanimously selected cornerback Marcus Jackson of Idaho State to the first team all-league defense. Jackson was paralyzed from the neck down earlier this season after sustaining a severe neck injury while making a tackle.
Jason Crebo of Montana was named defensive player of the year.
The league's top newcomer was Cal State Northridge quarterback Aaron Flowers, a former USU player who beat out Northern Arizona's redshirt freshman quarterback Travis Brown by four points.
Amerson, a 175-pound senior from San Diego, gained 2,079 yards this season, second-best in Division I-AA history and a Big Sky single-season record. He became just the third running back in I-AA, and the 11th ever in all of Division I, to gain over 2,000 yards in a single season. He finished second in the nation in rushing.
Ah Yat, a 185-pound sophomore from Honolulu, threw for 3,615 yards and a Big Sky and Montana record 42 touchdowns this season. Ah Yat will lead the undefeated and defending I-AA champions into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed.
Crebo, a 225-pound junior from Helena, Mont., recorded a team-high 104 tackles, 45 unassisted. The linebacker anchored a defensive unit that ranked first in the Big Sky and 10th in the country in allowing just 104 rushing yards per game.