Tarleton Football’s Britten listed on 2024 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List

STEPHENVILLE, Texas - Tarleton State Football senior running back was one of 35 players in NCAA Division I FCS to be named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List.

Presented annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS, Britten is one of just two players from the United Athletic Conference to be represented on the list. The UAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year was named a First Team FCS All-America nominee earlier this week.

Finishing on the UAC First Team All-Conference list last season, Britten completed 2023 as one of the best running backs in the FCS College. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native led the UAC in rushing touchdowns (third in the FCS) and total touchdowns (tied-fifth in FCS). He was second in the conference in total rushing yards (ninth in FCS) along with rushing yards per game (tied-11th FCS) and yards per rush (21st in FCS).

Britten's 1,150 yards in 2023 were the sixth-most rushing yards in a single season in Texan Football history, averaging 6.3 yards per carry off 183 carries. His 16 rushing touchdowns were the third-most in a single season by a Tarleton football player. In addition to averaging 104.6 rushing yards per contest, Britten came up with 106 receiving yards and a touchdown on 11 catches.

Scoring in 10 of Tarleton's 11 games in 2023, Britten was also tabbed to the FCS Football Central All-American Third Team and the Phil Steele FCS All-American Fourth Team last season. The unanimous 2024 Preseason First-Team All-Conference selection by the UAC has over 2,300 career rushing yards and 34 career touchdowns.

In its 38th season and affectionately known as the Heisman of the FCS, the Walter Payton Award is named after legendary running back Walter Payton. Payton, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection for the Chicago Bears, starred at Jackson State en route to a Hall of Fame career in the National Football League. Past recipients of the Walter Payton Award include NFL veterans Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance.

The Texans, who are set to compete in their first season as a full-fledged NCAA Division I program in 2024, open the season at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 2:30 p.m. against McNeese in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN2.

Season tickets start at just $150 and are on sale now by visiting TarletonSports.com/Tickets or by visiting the Tarleton Ticket Office in person located on the west side entrance of Memorial Stadium. Single-game tickets will be available for purchase the week of each home game on Mondays.

The 2024 Walter Payton Award preseason watch list:
Quarterbacks
Chase Artopoeus, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-2, 208 (Southern Conference)
Luke Bailey, Drake, R-Sr., 6-2, 190 (Pioneer Football League)
Zach Calzada, UIW, Grad, 6-4, 200 (Southland Conference)
Myles Crawley, Grambling State, R-Sr., 6-3, 185 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-5, 229 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 195 (Southern Conference) - 2023 Finalist
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) - 2023 Recipient
Pierce Holley, Eastern Illinois, Grad, 6-2, 215 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 209 (Big Sky Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Cam Miller, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 213 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) - 2023 Finalist
CJ Montes, Fordham, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Patriot League) - 2023 Finalist
Darius Perrantes, Duquesne, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Northeast Conference) - 2023 Finalist
Connor Watkins, Villanova, Grad, 6-3, 225 (CAA Football)
Jake Willcox, Brown, Fifth Year, 6-2, 195 (Ivy League) - 2023 Finalist
Running Backs
Mari Adams, Davidson, Jr., 5-10, 210 (Pioneer Football League)
, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 195 (United Athletic Conference)
Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., 5-8, 164 (Patriot League) - 2023 Finalist
Tyvon Edmonds Jr., Robert Morris, Sr., 5-8, 180 (Northeast Conference)
Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-0, 231 (Patriot League)
Jarett Hunter, Howard, Grad., 5-10, 205 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Mason King, Illinois State, Sr., 6-2, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Lan Larison, UC Davis, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Big Sky Conference) - 2023 Finalist
ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-9, 180 (United Athletic Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Jaylon Spears, Nicholls, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Southland Conference)
Marcus Yarns, Delaware, Grad, 5-11, 183 (CAA Football)
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 210 (CAA Football)
Wide Receivers
Junior Bergen, Montana, Sr., 5-11, 180 (Big Sky Conference)
Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Nick DeGennaro, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-1, 190 (CAA Football)
Jared Richardson, Penn, Jr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League)
Donovan Wadley, Merrimack, Jr., 5-9, 180 (FCS Independent)
Javin Whatley, Chattanooga, Jr., 5-10, 170 (Southern Conference)
Offensive Linemen
Zack Gieg, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-1, 290 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280 (CAA Football)
Marcus Wehr, Montana State, Sr., 6-4, 292 (Big Sky Conference)

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