Cardenas named to preseason watch list for John Mackey Award
NEW YORK — UTSA senior tight end Oscar Cardenas has been named to the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award for the second straight season, The Friends of John Mackey announced on Friday. Cardenas is one of 48 players, including one of two from the American Athletic Conference, selected for the list for the award given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end. A product of San Antonio Brandeis High School, Cardenas is coming off his most productive season for the Roadrunners.
He started all 14 contests and caught 31 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 14. 1 yards per reception en route to honorable mention All-Conference USA honors. He hauled in six passes for 84 yards and a TD in the 48-27 victory over North Texas in the C-USA Championship Game, and he had four receptions for 86 yards, including a season-long 54-yard catch, in the 44-38 double-overtime win at UAB.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2021, Cardenas played in all 14 games and made four starts. He logged 16 receptions for 233 yards and two touchdowns during the season, and he caught the game-winning TD reception on a tipped pass with three seconds left in the 34-31 victory over UAB that secured the C-USA West Division crown. He will enter his senior season with 50 catches for 717 yards and four scores.
Established in 2000 by the Nassau County Sports Commission, the award is given to the tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics and community values of Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey. The winner is voted on by a selection committee comprising of current sportswriters and former players. Under the direction of two-time conference coach of the year Jeff Traylor, the Roadrunners are coming off an 11-3 campaign that saw them capture their second straight Conference USA crown and play in a bowl game for the third year in a row.
UTSA has been ranked in the top 25 in each of the last two seasons and boasts a combined 23 wins over that span, the fourth-best total among all FBS teams behind only Georgia (29), Michigan (25) and Alabama (24). The Roadrunners have been picked to finish second in the AAC Preseason Media Poll and will kick off their 13th season of play on Saturday, Sept. 2, when they travel to Houston to face the Cougars at 6 p.
m. at TDECU Stadium. UTSA will face Texas State for the home opener at 2:30 p.
m. the following Saturday at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners will host Army at 6 p.
m. on Friday, Sept. 15, UAB on Oct.
14, East Carolina on Oct. 28, Rice on Nov. 11 and South Florida at 8 p.
m. on Friday, Nov. 17.
Season and single-game tickets are on sale now by calling 210-458-UTSA (8872) or visiting goUTSA. com/tickets. 2023 John Mackey Award Watch List Erick All, Iowa Elijah Arroyo, Miami AJ Barner, Michigan Gavin Bartholomew, Pitt Jaheim Bell, Florida State Brock Bowers, Georgia Jake Briningstool, Clemson Sean Brown, Jacksonville State Oscar Cardenas, UTSA Jalin Conyers, Arizona John Copenhaver, North Carolina Devin Culp, Washington Oscar Delp, Georgia CJ Dipper, Alabama Mason Fairchild, Kansas Rivaldo Fairweather, Auburn Terrance Ferguson, Oregon Nick Gallo, Virginia Tech Donovan Green, Texas A&M Brady Hunt, Ball State Neal Johnson, Louisiana Theo Johnson, Penn State Trey Knox, South Carolina Brant Kuite, Utah Luke Lachey, Iowa Johnny Langan, Rutgers Colston Loveland, Michigan David Martin-Robinson, Temple Josiah Miamen, FIU Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina Trent Pennix, NC State Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss Mark Redman, San Diego State Tip Reiman, Illinois Isaac Rex, BYU Carson Ryan, UCLA Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas Ben Sinnott, Kansas Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota Austin Stogner, Oklahoma Cade Stover, Ohio State George Takacs, Boston College Mason Tayor, LSU Michael Trigg, Ole Miss Jacob Warren, Tennessee Jared Wiley, TCU Thomas Yasmin, Utah Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford -UTSA- .