Football | 12/21/2023 12:17:00 PM

Utah Tech Football had 13 players earn postseason recognition during the 2023 awards cycle.
 
Three of the 13 Trailblazers collected All-America honors, including junior defensive lineman Syrus Webster, along with freshman receiver Beau Sparks and freshman long snapper Ryan Kean. 
 
Below is the complete list of postseason awards:
Syrus Webster
First Team All-United Athletic Conference (only unanimous selection by UAC coaches)
Phil Steele First Team All-UAC 
Stats Perform FCS Third Team All-American
Phil Steele First Team All-American
Webster, who began the season as the UAC Preseason Player of the Year, was the only defensive player unanimously selected by the conference's head coaches for first team honors. The junior led the UAC and closed the regular season t-third nationally with four forced fumbles, and finished the season ranked second in the conference in sacks (7.0; t-46^th nationally) and third in TFLs (11.0 – t-60^th nationally).
In fact Webster, a 2022 first team all-WAC selection, was the only defensive player in the UAC who was ranked in the top-12 overall in sacks, TFLs and total tackles (14^th – 77; 31 solo). 
Webster, who became Utah Tech's career sacks leader with two sacks at Austin Peay (11/11), registered double digits in tackles three times this past season, highlighted by an 11-tackle night with one sack and a career-high 3.5 TFLs at Colorado State (9/30). He also tallied 10 tackles with 2.0 sacks and 3.0 TFLs at Northern Arizona (9/16), and racked up a career-best 12 tackles vs. Montana (9/9).
 
Beau Sparks
Second Team All-United Athletic Conference (UAC coaches)
UAC Conference Freshman of the Year
Phil Steele Second Team All-UAC
Phil Steele UAC Freshman of the Year 
Stats Perform Freshman All-American
FCS Football Central Freshman All-American
Sparks, who also finished ninth-nationally in the balloting for the 2023 FCS Jerry Rice Freshman of the Year Award, finished his first collegiate season as the UAC leader in receptions (74; 6.73 rpg), and wound up fifth in total receiving yards (723; 65.7 ypg), and t-fourth in TDs (7). 
He caught at least five passes in nine of 11 games this past season, which began with him breaking a Utah Tech freshman receiving record with 144 yards on seven catches in the season opener at then No. 2 Montana State (9/2).
The freshman, who was named UAC Freshman of the Week twice (9/18; 10/23), caught at least one touchdown pass in four-straight games, including a pair of two-TD outings at Colorado State (9/30) and at North Alabama (10/21). 
  
Ryan Kean
First Team All-United Athletic Conference (UAC coaches)
Phil Steele Second Team All-UAC
Stats Perform Freshman All-American
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Kean was near perfect on every special teams snap this season as the Trailblazers' primary long snapper. He also carries a 3.76 GPA as a business major.

Will Leota
Second Team All-United Athletic Conference (UAC coaches)
Phil Steele Second Team All-UAC
Leota, who was a two-time all-WAC selection in each of his first two seasons, finished the 2023 campaign 11th overall in the UAC in total tackles (76; 7.6 tpg), t-18^th in conference games (40; 8.00 tpg). 
He registered double digits in tackles in three games, highlighted by a 12-tackle day at Austin Peay (11/11), and collected 11 tackles with 2.0 TFLs at North Alabama (10/21).
 
Rickie Johnson
Phil Steele First Team All-UAC
Johnson finished the season as the UAC leader in receiving yards (530; 88.3 ypg), receptions (46; 7.7 rpg) and 10^th in TDs (3) in conference games. He also wound up second in the league in overall total receiving yards (810; 73.6 ypg), third in total receptions (71; 6.4 rpg), and t-10^th in TDs (5). 
Johnson posted a team-high three 100-yard games, including a season-high 148 yards on six receptions and a TD vs. SFA (10/7). The senior tied a Utah Tech single-game record with 14 catches for 126 yards at Austin Peay (11/11), and racked up 100 yards on seven catches with a TD at North Alabama (10/21).
He also caught TD passes in consecutive games at nationally-ranked Montana State (9 rec/79 yds; 9/2) and vs. eventual Big Sky champion Montana (4 rec/28 yds; 9/9).
Johnson finished his career as the program's career leader in receptions (158), second all-time in yards (2,057) and seventh in TDs (13).
 
Dondi Fuller
Phil Steele Second Team All-UAC
Fuller finished fourth overall in the UAC in total tackles (91; 8.27 tpg); and was sixth in tackles in conference games (52; 8.67 tpg). 
He named UAC Defensive Player of the Week (10/9) after he racked up a career-high 13 total tackles, including 11 solos stops, along with 1.0 TFL, in Utah Tech's win over SFA (10/7).
 
Brandy Okeke
Phil Steele Fourth Team All-UAC
Okeke tallied 28 total tackles, 4.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks in 11 games in 2023.
Came on the second half of the season and enjoyed his finest game at Austin Peay (11/11), against which he notched career-highs in tackles (9), TFLs (3.5) and sacks (2.0). He also racked up six tackles and 0.5 TFL at ACU (11/4).
 
Jared Fotu
Phil Steele Fourth Team All-UAC
Fotu finished eighth overall in the UAC in total tackles (82; 7.45 tpg); and t-19^th in conference games (40; 8.00 tpg). He registered double digits in tackles in three games, highlighted by a 13-tackle night vs. EKU (10/28). He also collected 11 tackles at Northern Arizona (9/16) and 10 at Colorado State (9/30).
 
Kana'i Eldredge
UAC Academic All-Conference Team
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Eldredge, who carries a 3.74 GPA as a mathematics/secondary education major, also garnered Academic all-WAC selection in each of the previous two seasons The senior played in all 11 games with five starts, including three at center and two at right guard. Helped anchor an offensive line that surrendered a UAC-low six total sacks in conference games, in an offense that finished second in the UAC in pass plays (259 in zero personnel/no TE) in six conference games.
 
Alex Foster
UAC Academic All-Conference Team
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Foster, who has a 3.80 GPA as a business major, was also an Academic all-WAC pick in 2022. The redshirt sophomore played every offensive snap at left tackle, and all but one snap on special teams, in Utah Tech's 11 games this past season.
Foster led an offensive line that surrendered a UAC-low six total sacks in conference games, in an offense that finished second in the UAC in pass plays (259 in zero personnel/no TE) in six conference games.
  
Max Christensen III 
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Christensen III, who owns a 3.87 GPA as a communication/media studies major, tallied 32 total tackles, 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks in 11 games in 2023. Registered season highs with four tackles four times, and racked up one sack and three total tackles vs. EKU (10/28). In addition, Christensen III was a 2022 Academic All-WAC selection.
 
Malakai Fakahua
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Fakahua, who has a 3.76 GPA as an exercise science major, played in all 11 games on special teams and recorded five total tackles (4 solo). He was a 2022 Academic All-WAC selection.
 
Daniel Thomason
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Thomason, who has a 3.55 GPA as a general studies major, started in six of 10 games played and finished with 15 receptions for 219 yards and one touchdown. Thomason caught six passes for a career-high 100 yards and one TD at Austin Peay (11/11), and made three grabs for 70 yards in the season finale vs. Southern Utah (11/18).