The American Southwest Conference on Monday announced the 2023 ASC Football Preseason Poll and Preseason Players of the Year, and Howard Payne University was picked to finish third with Landon McKinney tabbed as ASC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, after a vote of the league’s head coaches and directors of sports information.
Howard Payne, who finished 7-3 and 6-2 in conference play last season, received 67 votes to finish right behind Hardin-Simmons and Mary Hardin-Baylor. HPU boasted one of the best offenses in the nation in 2022 starting the season with a 6-1 record.
Senior quarterback Landon McKinney was named 2023 ASC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. A second team all-conference selection in 2022, McKinney guided the seventh-ranked offense in the nation last season. He led the ASC in Total Passing Yards (2876), and Passing Yards Per Game (287.6), finishing in the top 15 nationally in both categories. He was in the top 30 in the nation in Total Offense (296.5), Points Responsible (178), Passing Completions Per Game (14.3), and Passing Efficiency (152.4). He guided an HPU offense that broke the school record for Total Yards in a game with 769 (375 rushing, 394 passing) versus Hendrix. McKinney was named ASC Player of the Week once last season.
The Yellow Jackets started their fall camp on Thursday, Aug. 10th with 133 players reporting. Howard Payne will open the 2023 season on the road versus George Fox University Saturday, September 2. It will be a 4:00 pm PST (6pm CST) kickoff in Newberg, Oregon.