San Diego State star Lucky Sutton named to prestigious national watch list

Sutton is one of just two Pac-12 players named to the Walter Camp Player of the Year preseason list

San Diego State Aztecs running back Lucky Sutton (7). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another new week brings another new honor for San Diego State senior running back Lucky Sutton.

Sutton was one of two players from the Pac-12 Conference and 50 nationally who were named to the Walter Camp Player of the Year Preseason Watch List on Monday. 

The other Pac-12 player included on the preseason list is Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen. 

The two players will lead their teams into an important showdown on Nov. 21 in Boise. BSU and SDSU are the consensus teams to finish 1-2 in the reconfigured Pac-12.

Why this matters

The Walter Camp award is the fourth-oldest individual award in college football. 

Earlier this month, Sutton was named to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is presented to the player of the year. That followed inclusion on preseason All-Pac-12 first-teams as picked by Athlon Sports, Lindy’s Sports and Phil Steele Magazine.

Sutton was a Doak Walker Award semifinalist as the nation’s top running back last season, when his breakout junior season included a Mountain West-leading 1,297 yards. That was good for No. 13 on the school’s all-time, single-season list and a spot on the All-MW first team. 

San Diego State Aztecs running back Lucky Sutton (7). | Photo courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics

But as fans have come to know, Sutton is all about team performance first. 

“Not focused on things individually. Just wanting to be a part of a team that wins a championship and really holds up to our potential,” Sutton said last week. “That's all I'm really focusing on is doing my part to contribute to a team that goes hard and wins.

“It’s just the same mindset I came into last year. I still have a lot to prove. I've been saying that for a while now. I feel like last season, everyone says it was a decent or good season. I didn't think it was good enough. So just having that mindset that I have something to prove is just one thing. I'm just having that mentality coming into this season.” 

Sutton starred at San Diego’s Cathedral Catholic High. He announced in December that he would finish his college career with the Aztecs rather than shop himself around on the NIL market. 

Who was Walter Camp?

Camp left his imprint on college football in a big way more than 100 years ago. He introduced some basics of the game, such as 11 players per side and set plays. He also picked the first All-America team. 

The 10 semifinalists will be announced in early November, with the three finalists named in early December. The winner will be announced in December.

What’s next

The Aztecs are heading into their second full week of fall camp. They open the season at home against Portland State on Sept. 5. The highly anticipated Pac-12 opener is also at home, against Texas State on Oct. 3.