Stephen F. Austin’s Gipson, Self On Walter Payton Award Watch List; Five Lumberjacks On Preseason Phil Steele FCS All-America Teams
DENVER – Two standouts from the Stephen F. Austin football program represented the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) on Wednesday on the 2022 Walter Payton Award Watch List, presented by Stats Perform. Wide receiver Xavier Gipson and quarterback Trae Self were among 35 FCS players to be included on the preseason watch list for the national offensive player of the year award.
Gipson and Self also led five Lumberjack players who were named to preseason 2022 Phil Steele FCS All-America Teams. Gipson landed on the first team with defensive end BJ Thompson, punter Max Quick made the second team and kicker Chris Campos joined Self on the fourth team.
Gipson, selected as the unanimous WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, was a 2021 finalist for the Walter Payton Award. Gipson led the WAC with 75 receptions, 1,377 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns last season, averaging 144.0 all-purpose yards per game. Gipson logged eight 100-yard receiving games a year ago, highlighted by a nine-catch, 218-yard and two-touchdown showing in a Stephen F. Austin win at Utah Tech on Oct. 23.
Self was the WAC leader with 3,201 yards and 266.8 passing yards per game in 2021, to go along with 28 passing touchdowns for Stephen F. Austin. Self also netted 311 rushing yards and three touchdowns for the Lumberjacks.
Thompson registered 9.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles over 12 games last season, adding in two pass breakups for Stephen F Austin. Thompson finished with 1.5 sacks each in wins over Tarleton (Sept. 4) and Lamar (Nov. 20) and made 2.5 tackles for loss against Lincoln (Calif.) (Sept. 25).
Quick averaged 46.0 yards per punt on 44 attempts in 2021 to lead the WAC, which included a season-long of 74 yards against Sam Houston on Oct. 2. Quick landed a conference-high 18 punts inside the 20, including four of his six punts in a Stephen F. Austin win against Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 6).
Campos, the WAC Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year, connected on 20-of-24 field goal attempts (83.3 percent) and all 49 extra-point tries to lead the conference with 109 points last season.
2022 WALTER PAYTON AWARD WATCH LIST (National Offensive Player of the Year)
QUARTERBACK
Trae Self, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 6-4, 190
WIDE RECEIVER
Xavier Gipson, Stephen F. Austin, Jr., 5-9, 170 (2021 Finalist)
2022 PHIL STEELE FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
WR Xavier Gipson, Stephen F. Austin, Jr.
DEFENSE
DL BJ Thompson, Stephen F. Austin, Sr.
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SECOND TEAM
SPECIAL TEAMS
P Max Quick, Stephen F. Austin, Jr.
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FOURTH TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Trae Self, Stephen F. Austin, Sr.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Chris Campos, Stephen F. Austin, So.
- WAC -