Monmouth University football wide receiver Dymere Miller and running back Jaden Shirden added more postseason accolades on Dec. 20. The duo earned AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-America First Team Offense honors.
Miller and Shirden have now been recognized with national honors from multiple organizations in 2023. The list includes AFCA Coaches’ All-America First Team, Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team, Associated Press All-America First Team, Phil Steele FCA All-American First Team, FCS Football Central 2023 FCS All-American First Team. Both Miller and Shirden were also finalists for the Walter Payton Award, with Miller finishing 12th and Shirden in the top three.
Miller ended a historic regular season as the nation’s leading receiver with 1,293 yards and 117.5 yards per game while adding 10 total touchdowns. His 1,293 yards along with his 90 catches are new Monmouth Football single-season records. The senior tallied six 100+ receiving yard games and scored twice in three games through the air.
On November 11, Miller posted a record-breaking 11-catch, 333-yard performance versus New Hampshire in which he found the endzone twice. The 333 yards is a new program record, the second-most in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) history, and the most by any receiver in college football this year. Miller was named the FedEx Ground FCS National Offensive Player of the Week and CAA Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
At Elon on October 21, the Coatesville, PA native broke off a career-long 68-yard touchdown run to go along with 11 catches for 144 yards and a score in the passing game.
Shirden, the two-time CAA Offensive Player of the Year, finished the 2023 regular season as the nation’s leading rusher for the second consecutive season. Entering the year at seventh on Monmouth’s all-time rushing yardage list, Shirden’s 1,478 yards on the ground in 2023 saw him rise to third, and his 10 touchdowns on the season brought him into the program’s top-10. The junior notched seven 100+ rushing yard games including two games eclipsing the 250 mark.
Shirden’s biggest game came at home on October 14 against Hampton where he ran for 276 yards and scored a career-best four touchdowns – including a 63-yard score and 72-yard score – on 16 carries. Two weeks later at No. 24/22 William & Mary, the West Haven, CT native ran for two touchdowns while notching 251 yards on 21 carries.