DAVIS, Calif. -- UC Davis senior quarterback Jake Maier earned one of 25 spots on the Walter Payton Award preseason watch list for the third straight season, STATS LLC announced Wednesday. The communication major from La Habra, California, is one of 25 FCS players from across the country to be named on the preseason list.
Maier's inclusion continues a parade of preseason accolades, along with All-America status from HERO Sports, Athlon Sports and STATS; plus Big Sky Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He completed 364 of 557 passes as a junior a year ago, ranking among national FCS leaders with 3,931 passing yards and 34 aerial touchdowns.
In just two seasons since transferring to UC Davis from Long Beach City College, Maier has amassed career passing totals of 1,003 attempts, 670 completions, 7,600 yards, and 60 touchdowns. This puts him in striking range of the school career records in each category. Randy Wright (2010-13) holds the Aggie benchmarks of 755 completions and 1,289 attempts; while J.T. O'Sullivan (1998-2001) ranks as the school's all-time leader for yards (10,745) and touchdowns (96).
Named for the Jackson State alumnus and 1993 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, the Walter Payton Award honors the most outstanding FCS offensive player of the year. Maier first appeared as a candidate late in the 2017 season, then joined teammate Keelan Doss on last year's preseason watch list. The winner is announced during the week leading into the championship game, held this year on January 11, 2020 in Frisco, Texas.
The list of UC Davis candidates for the award comprises Jon Grant (2006), Doss (2017, 2018) and Maier (2017, 2018, 2019). Doss advanced to the final three following his junior year of 2017. The Big Sky Conference has boasted more Payton Award winners than any other league, namely John Friesz (1989), Jamie Martin (1991), Doug Nussmeier (1993), Dave Dickenson (1995), Archie Amerson (1996), Erik Meyer (2005), Bo Levi Mitchell (2011) and Cooper Kupp (2015).
UC Davis went 10-3 overall, climbed as high as No. 4 in the STATS national poll, captured a share of its first-ever Big Sky title and made its first appearance in the FCS tournament in 2018. The Aggies kick off their season on August 31 with a 3:30 p.m. game at California.
2019 WALTER PAYTON AWARD - PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Tyrie Adams, QB, Western Carolina
Troy Andersen, ATH, Montana State
Kenji Bahar, QB, Monmouth
Eric Barriere, QB, Eastern Washington
Michael Bandy, WR, San Diego
Grant Breneman, QB, Colgate
Case Cookus, QB, Northern Arizona
Zerrick Cooper, QB, Jacksonville State
Tom Flacco, QB, Towson
Chase Fourcade, QB, Nicholls
A.J. Hines, RB, Duquesne
Cade Johnson, WR, South Dakota State
Noah Johnson, QB, Alcorn State
Reed Klubnik, WR, Yale
Jake Maier, QB, UC Davis
Caylin Newton, QB, Howard
Bryce Nunnelly, WR, Chattanooga
Aaron Parker, WR, Rhode Island
Josh Pearson, WR, Jacksonville State
James Robinson, RB, Illinois State
Shane Simpson, RB/RS, Towson
Nathan Stewart, Sam Houston State
Charlie Taumoepeau, TE, Portland State
Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton
De'Shawn Waller, RB, Alcorn State
ABOUT UC DAVIS: Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO: Established in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE: Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit this site for more information.
