CHICAGO, IL (GoJacks.com) – South Dakota State running back Julius Loughridge is one of 30 players named to the initial watch list for the 2025 Walter Payton Award, which is presented by Stats Perform. The award is presented annually to the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.
An incoming transfer, Loughridge, previously excelled at the FCS level at Fordham, where he racked up 3,005 rushing yards over three seasons, including posting back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns in 2023 (1,146 yards) and 2024 (1,044). The Houston, Texas, native also caught 21 passes for 155 yards during the 2024 campaign.
The Walter Payton Award watch list will be updated periodically throughout the the 2025 season, with the award presented at the Stats Perform National Awards Banquet on Jan. 3, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee.
The watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented to the top defensive player in the FCS, will be revealed on Wednesday.
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VERMILLION, SD (GoYotes.com) —A pair of standout returning Coyotes have been named to the prestigious Walter Payton Award preseason watch list, announced by STATS Perform on Tuesday.
The Walter Payton Award recognizes the best offensive player in the FCS. The award began back in 1987 and has been named annually since. The award is named in honor of NFL legend Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State University in the 1970s. The most recent Walter Payton Award winner was Montana State’s Tommy Mellott last season.
Aidan Bouman, senior, quarterback
Heading into his third year as the full-time starting quarterback at USD and third-straight season as a team captain, Bouman has also been named to the Walter Payton Award preseason watch list. He’s been listed as a two-time preseason All-American selection so far this summer with First Team (FCS Football Central) and Second Team (STATS Perform) honors as the only returning quarterback from the FCS semifinal field a season ago. Bouman threw for nearly 3,000 yards in 2024 (2,959) with 19 passing touchdowns on the campaign.
He’s led South Dakota to the to the quarterfinals and the semifinals the past two seasons and enters the 2025 campaign third all-time in passing yards (6,402) and fifth in passing touchdowns (42), while also leading the USD Division I FCS era quarterbacks in career starts (31) and career wins (22).
Charles Pierre Jr., junior, running back
Already receiving multiple accolades heading into his junior season in 2025, team captain Pierre Jr. adds Walter Payton Award preseason watch list. He’s been named to a pair of preseason All-America teams, First Team (FCS Football Central) and Second Team (STATS Perform) honors thus far. HEROSports.com named Pierre Jr. the best returning running back in the FCS.
Pierre Jr. was the first Coyote to rush for 1,000 yards in a season in the Division I FCS era last season, leading the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) with 1,244 yards on the season with 16 rushing scores.
The MVFC has six preseason watch list members between the three offensive positions of quarterback, running back, and wide receiver. Bouman is the only MVFC quarterback to make the preseason Walter Payton Award watch list, while Pierre Jr. was one of four Valley running backs.
The Coyotes open the season with a road trip to Ames, Iowa to battle the Cyclones of Iowa State on August 30 on FOX.