Eight Cougars named to Athlon Sports All-Big 12 Preseason Team

PROVO, Utah –  Eight BYU football players were named to the Athlon Sports 2023 All-Big 12 Team for the upcoming football season.

The 2023 All-Big 12 Team is led by 20 selections from Texas, while TCU, Oklahoma, Kansas and Kansas State join the Longhorns with double-digit picks.

Among BYU players honored, transfer running back Aidan Robbins was named to the second-team offense, while wideout Kody Epps and tackle Kingsley Suamataia earned a spot on the third team. Offensive lineman Connor Pay also earned recognition on the fourth team.

On defense, BYU defensive lineman Tyler Batty, linebacker Ben Bywater and defensive back Micah Harper were named to the fourth team, while punt returner Hobbs Nyberg earned a spot on fourth team among the specialists.

Robbins comes to BYU after leading UNLV last season with 209 carries for 1,011 yards and nine touchdowns. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry, while also catching 23 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown in 2022.

Epps saw action in eight games during an injury shortened 2022 season but still finished with 39 receptions for 459 yards and tied for the team lead with six touchdowns. College Football News gave him honorable mention on its Freshman All-America team.

Suamataia was named to the Freshman All-America Second Team by the Athletic last season while both he and Pay were named to the College Football Network All-Independent Team, anchoring BYU’s offensive line.

Batty posted 52 tackles last season and seven tackles for loss while Bywater led the Cougars for the second consecutive season with 98 total tackles.

Harper, a Freshman All-America honorable mention by College Football News, posted 62 solo stops, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles in 2022.

Nyberg returned nine punts for 115 yards for an average 12.8 yards per return, the top average among Big 12 players returning for the 2023 season.

BYU kicks off its inaugural season as a member of the Big 12 Conference against Sam Houston State on Sept. 2 at LaVell Edwards Stadium.