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SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah's Shaky Smithson, who leads the nation in punt return yards with 572, has been named a first-team All-American by Scout/Foxsports.com.
Smithson set the Mountain West Conference record for punt return yards in a season while also becoming the first Ute ever to surpass 500 yards in punt returns in a season.
The senior is averaging 19.72 yards per return and his four 100-yard punt return games leads the NCAA. He also has four of the top 11 punt return yardage games in the nation this season, with 145 vs. Iowa State (2nd), 140 vs. New Mexico (3rd), 128 vs. UNLV (5th-tie) and 111 vs. Wyoming (11th), and is the only player with three 70-yard punt returns.
A three-time Mountain West Conference Player of the Week, Smithson also returns kicks and plays receiver for the Utes.
