Football | 11/23/2021 11:09:00 AM
Dixie State redshirt-freshman safety
Tyrell Grayson and freshman linebacker
Will Leota were the lone two Trailblazer representatives on the 2021 Western Athletic Conference postseason awards list, which was announced on Tuesday. The defensive duo were both voted to the all-conference second team by the league head coaches.
Grayson (6-0, 175; Fresno, Calif./Central HS) played in all 11 games with 10 starts and finished the 2021 regular season as the unofficial NCAA Division I leader at both the FBS and FCS levels in solo tackles with 79. He also led the WAC in total tackles with 103, which is good for t-19
th unofficially in the FCS.
However, because Dixie State is currently in the second year of its four-year transition to the Division I FCS level, the program is not eligible to be listed in the national statistical rankings.
Grayson recorded a team-high five double-digit tackle games this season, highlighted by a school record-tying 19 total tackles (15 solo) at UC Davis (9/25). The freshman was also named WAC Defensive Player of the Week back on Oct. 11, when he racked up 14 tackles (8 solo) and forced a fumble at Montana (10/9). Grayson finished his first full season as a Trailblazer with one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss to go with two interceptions, three forced fumbles and five pass break-ups.
Leota (6-2, 190; Salem, Utah/Salem Hills HS) started in seven of the 10 games he played as a true freshman and finished third on the team in tackles with 54 (13
th in the WAC), including 15 solo stops. He also ranked fourth on the Blazer defense with 4.5 TFLs and he registered his first collegiate sack at No. 1 Sam Houston (11/6).
Leota enjoyed a break-out game at Montana (10/9), against which he collected a career-high 11 tackles and recorded his first career interception.
Dixie State finished its first full D-I FCS season with a 1-10 overall record, which included an 0-3 mark in its debut WAC campaign. However the Trailblazers did not shy away from any opponent as DSU played the toughest-rated FCS schedule in the entire country, which featured seven programs that advanced to the 2021 NCAA FCS Playoffs, including current No. 1 and defending national champion Sam Houston.
