SPOKANE, Washington – Preseason favorite Weber State placed a league-high seven players on the 2021 Big Sky Conference preseason all-league football team on Monday.
Weber State, who was picked by the coaches and media to win the league once again this season, led the preseason honors with seven total players. Montana was next with five, as a total of 19 players from this year’s team earned the same preseason honor last season.
Preseason MVPs Eric Barriere of Eastern Washington and Tre Walker of Idaho highlighted the teams as Barriere captured the quarterback spot once again and Walker nabbed one of the Big Sky’s highly-contested linebacker spots.
The EWU quarterback led the Big Sky in nearly every passing category, finishing the spring with 2,439 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air thanks to 183 completions. He led the squad in total offense with 2,583 yards on the year as the Eagles earned an FCS Playoff berth.
Walker finished Idaho’s 2021 spring campaign with 54 total tackles, splitting evenly at 27 between solo and assisted. That resulted in him being named to five different All-American teams, along with being named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. He also racked up 4.5 tackles for loss on the season.
Montana’s Jace Lewis joined Walker in the middle linebacker spot, while the trio of La’akea Kaho’ohanohano-Davis (Southern Utah), Troy Andersen (Montana State) and Conner Mortensen (Weber State) rounded out the talented and deep outside linebacker group.
Quarterbacks
Eric Barriere – Eastern Washington*
Running Backs
Elijah Dotson – Sac State*
Josh Davis – Weber State*
Fullbacks
Logan Kendall – Idaho
Wide Receivers
Samuel Akem – Montana*
Talolo Limu-Jones – Eastern Washington
Tanner Conner – Idaho State
Tight Ends
Marshel Martin – Sac State*
Tackles
Tristen Taylor – Eastern Washington*
Conlan Beaver – Montana*
Guards
Ty Whitworth – Weber State*
Taylor Tuiasosopo – Montana State*
Centers
Connor Pettek – UC Davis
Placekicker
Luis Aguilar – Northern Arizona*
Return Specialist
Rashid Shaheed – Weber State*
DEFENSE
Defensive Tackles
Jared Schiess – Weber State*
Bryce Rodgers – UC Davis*
Defensive Ends
Mitchell Johnson – Eastern Washington
George Tarlas – Weber State*
Outside Linebackers
La’akea Kaho’ohanohano-Davis – Southern Utah
Troy Andersen – Montana State/Conner Mortensen – Weber State (tie)
Middle Linebackers
Tre Walker – Idaho*
Jace Lewis – Montana*
Cornerbacks
Anthony Adams – Portland State*
Eddie Heckard – Weber State*
Safeties
Morgan Vest – Northern Arizona
Robby Hauck – Montana*
Punter
Daniel Whelan – UC Davis
Longsnapper
Matthew O’Donoghue – Montana
* – Denotes repeat preseason honoree from 2020
