Idaho lands three football players on All-Sun Belt Conference first team

NEW ORLEANS – Idaho senior running back Aaron Duckworth, senior defensive end Aikeem Coleman and junior linebacker Tony Lashley were named to the All-Sun Belt Conference first team, the conference announced Wednesday.

The Vandals placed three players on a first team for the first time since 2008, when Idaho played in the Western Athletic Conference.

The Vandals also had three second-team selections and four named honorable mention.

Duckworth led the Sun Belt with 1,025 rushing yards, becoming the first Vandals player to lead a conference in rushing since Joel Thomas in 1996 (Big West).

Coleman, last year’s Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, recorded a team-high seven sacks and ranked second on the team with 14 tackles for loss.

Lashley totaled 123 tackles this season, second in the conference and the most by a Vandals player since 2007.

Idaho’s second-team selections were junior linebacker Kaden Elliss, sophomore offensive lineman Noah Johnson and freshman punter Cade Coffey.

Senior defensive tackle Arie Anderson, junior linebacker Ed Hall, senior linebacker Leonard Hazewood and senior wide receiver Alfonso Onunwor were Idaho’s honorable mention selections.

Idaho finished the season 4-8 after defeating Georgia State 24-10 last Saturday. The Vandals will move to the Big Sky Conference next season.