MONMOUTH’S DYMERE MILLER AND JADEN SHIRDEN EARN CONSENSUS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICA STATUS

Article by: Mark Mohrman, Monmouth University

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth University football wide receiver Dymere Miller and running back Jaden Shirden secured consensus First Team All-America honors after claiming additional awards from the Walter Camp Foundation. The duo was named to the 2023 Walter Camp Football Championship Subdivision All-America Team.

Twenty-seven players from 21 different schools and eight conferences were represented on the 2023 Walter Camp Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America team.  The team is voted on by the FCS sports information directors and administered by the Walter Camp Foundation. Monmouth was one of four schools with multiple award recipients. 

Miller and Shirden have now been recognized with national honors from multiple organizations in 2023. The list includes Walter Camp FCS All-America Team, FCS ADA All-America Team, AFCA Coaches' All-America First Team, Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team, Associated Press All-America First Team, Phil Steele FCS 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 end zone 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.

Game Article by Scott Stump

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.

Miller will complete his final season of eligibility at Rutgers, while Shirden recently declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.