Five players from the Idaho Vandals football team have been recognized by the Big Sky Conference for their performances during the 2025 season. The conference announced its all-conference teams on Wednesday.
Nate Azzopardi was unanimously chosen as a team captain for the third consecutive year and started every game this season. He was part of an offensive line considered among the best in the conference and achieved five games with a pass block grade of 80 or higher, according to Pro Football Focus. Azzopardi received an honorable mention on last year’s all-conference team.
Isiah King, described as one of the most disruptive defensive players in the conference, ranked in the top 15 for tackles and tackles for loss. He earned an 89.1 run defense grade from PFF and led Idaho in quarterback hits while ranking second on his team in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks. King also received an honorable mention last year.
Brayden Rice was named to the Second Team All-Conference as a specialist. Throughout the season, he stood out on special teams and was twice selected as Idaho’s special teams player of the week. Rice set a career high with five tackles at Northern Arizona.
Dylan Layne led Idaho in tackles throughout the season and served as a team captain. He finished among the top ten tacklers in the conference with 88 total stops and broke up six passes—second-most on his team. Layne recorded three games with double-digit tackles, including a career-high 12 against St. Thomas and matched that number at Northern Arizona.
Matyus McLain was recognized for his presence in opponents’ backfields, finishing third in total tackles for loss (TFL) within the conference with 13.5 TFLs and ranking among the top fifteen in sacks. His season included a career-best performance of 3.5 TFLs with one sack at Eastern Washington.
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