MISSOULA — Montana’s Junior Bergen and Montana State’s Tommy Mellott and Marcus Wehr have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Walter Payton Award, Stats Perform announced Tuesday.
The Walter Payton Award is given annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. Mark Gronowski, quarterback for South Dakota State, won the award in 2023 and is once again on the preseason watch list.
Bergen and Wehr have received multiple preseason honors, including being named to the Big Sky’s preseason all-conference team, the East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000, and the Stats Perform Preseason All-America Team.
In 2023, Bergen, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior from Billings Senior, led the FCS with three punt return touchdowns in a single season and tied the Big Sky record with the fifth return TD of his career. He also contributed 791 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver.
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Wehr, on the other hand, is coming off a first-team All-America season. The 6-4, 292-pound senior offensive lineman from Billings Central helped the Bobcats rush for a Big Sky-leading 292.4 yards per game and finish with the conference’s top-scoring offense at 39.9 points per game.
Mellott, a 6-0 senior from Butte, played in nine games in 2023, completing 63% of his passes for 1,059 yards, 10 touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 690 yards, averaging 8.1 yards per carry.
Other players from the Big Sky Conference on the Walter Payton Award watch list include UC Davis running back Lan Larison and Eastern Washington wide receiver Efton Chism III. View the complete watch list here.
