From the American Southwest Conference:
RICHARDSON, Texas – Defending conference and national champion Mary Hardin-Baylor has been picked to win the 2022 American Southwest Conference football championship after a vote of the league's head coaches and directors of sports information. In addition, a trio of UMHB players were selected to preseason player of the year awards.
Mary Hardin-Baylor (15-0, 9-0 ASC) received 159 points and 15 of 18 first place votes the preseason poll after winning its 17th ASC championship en route to an undefeated 2021 season. Hardin-Simmons (9-1, 8-1 ASC) received 146 points, including three first-place votes, to be picked second. Howard Payne (7-3, 6-3 ASC) totaled 118 points.
East Texas Baptist (104), Southwestern (84) and Texas Lutheran (78) finished fourth, fifth and sixth in the poll while McMurry (62), Sul Ross State (37) and Austin College (31) rounded out the ASC preseason listing.
Preseason Player of the Year honors went to a trio of Mary Hardin-Baylor standouts. Senior quarterback Kyle King was voted the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while senior defensive tackle Pete Smith was Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and senior wide receiver K.J. Miller named Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year.
King, who was named to the 2022 D3football.com Preseason All-America First Team, led the conference in pass efficiency (197.18) with 168 completions in 256 attempts for 2,682 yards. Smith earned all-conference honors last season finishing with 44 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. A 2022 D3football.com Preseason All-America Second Team pick and two-time ASC Special Teams Player of the Year, Miller accumulated 25 punt returns for 626 yards and two scores last year along with 76 receptions as a wide receiver.
Nineteen student-athletes were named by the conference head coaches as Players to Watch in the upcoming season, including 14 who earned all-conference honors a year ago.
2022 ASC Preseason Football Poll
|
Team (First) |
Votes |
2021 Record (ASC) |
|
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor (15) |
159 |
15-0 (9-0) |
|
2. Hardin-Simmons (3) |
146 |
9-1 (8-1) |
|
3. Howard Payne |
118 |
7-3 (6-3) |
|
4. East Texas Baptist |
104 |
5-5 (4-5) |
|
5. Southwestern |
84 |
4-6 (4-5) |
|
6. Texas Lutheran |
78 |
3-7 (3-6) |
|
7. McMurry |
62 |
2-7 (2-7) |
|
8. Sul Ross State |
37 |
2-7 (2-7) |
|
9. Austin |
31 |
1-8 (1-8) |
2022 ASC Preseason Players of the Year
Offense: Kyle King, QB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Defense: Pete Smith, DT, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Special Teams: K.J. Miller, RET, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Players to Watch in 2022
|
Name |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Team |
Hometown |
|
Brock Bujnoch * |
DB |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Hutto, Texas |
|
Alek Child * |
P |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Castroville, Texas |
|
Kevi Evans * |
WR |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Mount Vernon, Texas |
|
Terrell Franklin * |
LB |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Abilene, Texas |
|
K |
So. |
Southwestern |
Austin, Texas |
|
|
QB |
Sr. |
Southwestern |
Mission, Texas |
|
|
Tyler James * |
P |
Gr. |
Austin |
Willis Point, Texas |
|
Joey Johnson * |
LB |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Dallas, Texas |
|
KJ Kelley |
DB |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Abilene, Texas |
|
Kyle King * |
QB |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Milano, Texas |
|
Landon McKinney * |
QB |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Liberty City, Texas |
|
Jared Mendoza * |
K/P |
Sr. |
McMurry |
Fort Worth, Texas |
|
Matt Mitchell * |
LB |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Wimberley, Texas |
|
K.J. Miller * S |
RS/WR |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Orange, Texas |
|
DB |
Sr. |
Southwestern |
Little Elm, Texas |
|
|
Kaleb O'Bryant |
WR |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Houston, Texas |
|
Sante Parker Jr. |
DE |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Katy, Texas |
|
Pete Smith * |
DT |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
San Antonio, Texas |
|
Cameron Welch * |
P/K |
So. |
Texas Lutheran |
New Braunfels, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
S – 2021 Special Teams Player of the Year
* - 2021 All-Conference