LA Tech tight end Nate Jones named to 2023 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List

RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech junior tight end Nate Jones has been named to the 2023 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and SPORTyler announced Thursday.

Jones made an immediate impact during his first season in Ruston in 2022. The Malakoff, Texas native appeared in all 12 games while making five starts at tight end. Jones tallied 16 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a season-high 72 yards on four receptions at FIU (Oct. 28) and his first collegiate touchdown against Rice (Oct. 22). Jones enters the 2023 season having recorded a reception in seven-consecutive games.

The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, announced in 2012 by the Tyler Chamber and SPORTyler, recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community, and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals.

In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year Division I Texas college.

The voting committee, co-chaired by Kirk Bohls, Austin Statesman, and Phil Hicks, Tyler Morning Telegraph, included 47 broadcasters, commentators, and journalists from across the country as well as fans and the previous winners, Bryce Petty (2013), Trevone Boykin (2014), Greg Ward, Jr. (2015), D’Onta Foreman (2016), Baker Mayfield (2017) Kyler Murray (2018), J.K. Dobbins (2019), Kyle Trask (2020), and Bailey Zappe (2021).

Jones’ watch list selection was the fifth for a Tech player this season, joining Abraham Delfin (Wuerffel Trophy), Smoke Harris (Paul Hornung Award) and Marquis Crosby (Doak Walker Award) and Willie Roberts (Jim Thorpe Award) as Bulldogs who have garnered specialty award watch list recognition.

Louisiana Tech will play a fast, exciting brand of football when Head Coach Sonny Cumbie’s Bulldogs open the 2023 season with an 8 p.m. CUSA showdown against FIU on Aug. 26 inside Joe Aillet Stadium.

LA Tech has six home games at Joe Aillet Stadium during the 2023 season. After the week zero conference matchup with FIU (Aug. 26), LA Tech will host non-conference foes Northwestern State (Sept. 9) and North Texas (Sept. 16). Tech closes out the home slate in conference play with Western Kentucky (Oct. 5), New Mexico State (Oct. 24), and a homecoming bout with Sam Houston (Nov. 11).

Season tickets for the 2023 Louisiana Tech football season are on sale now. Fans can purchase season tickets online at LATechSports.com/tickets or by calling the LA Tech Ticket Office at (318) 257-3631.

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