Last season, the Weber State football team finished the regular season with a 10–3 overall record and 6–2 in the Big Sky Conference.
Securing a guaranteed FCS Playoff berth, the Wildcats faced off against the University of North Dakota for the first game of the FCS Playoffs. With the game ending in a 38–31 win for Weber State, the Wildcats moved to the next round to face No. 1-ranked Montana State University. The Bobcats held off Weber’s late fourth-quarter comeback and were able to beat the Wildcats 33–25.
With the 2022 season ending on Dec. 3, the preseason honors for the 2023 season are in action. Weber State senior linebacker Winston Reid, senior offensive lineman Noah Atagi and senior cornerback Maxwell Anderson have been named on the KSL 60 in 60 list by Hans and Scotty on the KSL Sports Zone Network.
Counting down the top 60 college football players in the state of Utah, as voted by the media and fan ballots, Reid was ranked No. 57 on the list. Reid will be returning for his senior year of play.
“I’m not the fastest guy, or even the tallest guy, but what sets me apart from the other linebackers is my work ethic towards this sport,” Reid said.
Throughout the 2022 season, Reid had a total of 112 total tackles and earned first-team All-Big Sky honors. He had 68 solo tackles last season, the fifth-most in a season in Weber State history. Reid’s single career-high for tackles in a game was 14, in a win over Montana. He also finished the season with four sacks as a linebacker.
Weber State All-American kick returner and cornerback Abraham Williams was also named in the 60 in 60 list. Ranked No. 49, Williams will be returning to Weber State for his junior year of college football.
In the 2022 season, Williams set a record of four 100-yard kickoff returns for a touchdown, a record no other college football player has accomplished. Williams led the nation in kickoff returns with 24 returns for 898 yards. Williams also earned All-Big Sky honors as a kick returner. On the defensive end, Williams had two interceptions, both coming in the win over Utah Tech.
Entering the 2023 season, No. 45-ranked Atagi has played in 45 career games in his five seasons at Weber State University. Noah is one of few to share the same position as his older brother, Ethan Atagi.
During Noah Atagi’s junior year at Weber, he earned All-American honors for the first time in his career. He started in all 13 games during the 2022 for the Wildcats and helped the Cats to a 10-win season. Entering his senior year of college, Noah Atagi had earned Academic All-Big Sky honors while pursuing an MBA degree.
“I’ve done a good job with my coaches with setting goals and expectations on me trying to be the best player out there as should the rest of my teammates,” Noah Atagi said. “I think that’s why Weber State football has been so good is because we put that pressure on ourselves and at the end of the day we’re taught to see pressure as a privilege.”
The Wildcats begin their 2023 season on Aug. 31 at home against Central Washington University.
