Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PROVO â Weâve seen BYU quarterback Zach Wilson and running back Lopini Katoa receive votes and eyes as watchlist season rolls out before the 2019 college football season.
But the backfield is only as good as the line in front of it.
Two figures from the BYU line of scrimmage will have eyes on them this year, as well.
Sophomore center James Empey was named a candidate for the 2019 Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding center in college football. The son of former BYU offensive line coach Mike Empey is one of 81 centers on the preseason watchlist, and the only one from the state of Utah.
Standout tight end Matt Bushman was also named to the 2019 Mackey Award watchlist, given annually to college footballâs top tight end as selected by the John Mackey Award selection committee. Heâs one of 60 tight ends named to the preseason watchlist, and joins the Utesâ Cole Fotheringham as an honoree from the state of Utah.
Both awards will be announced Dec. 11 prior to the College Football Awards Show on ESPNU.
Empey, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound center who originally signed with Utah out of American Fork, started all 13 games for BYU in 2018. The highest-graded offensive lineman at BYU, Empey received top marks from Pro Football Focus as the No. 1 freshman center in the country en route to Freshman All-American honors.
A former Freshman All-American by USA Today, Bushman led all BYU receivers the past two seasons with 1,031 yards on 78 receptions to go along with five touchdowns. Heâs averaged 516 yards per season each of the past two years, and enters the 2019 season as the starting tight end.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound pass catcher from Tucson, Arizona, also played baseball at BYU in 2017, and heâs married to Emily Lewis on the BYU womenâs volleyball team â the daughter of former BYU and NFL great Chad Lewis.
