Sophomore Austin Stogner is the latest Oklahoma football player to find himself a preseason candidate for a major national award.
The second-year tight end out of the Dallas, Texas suburb of Plano, has been named to the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award, presented every season to college football’s most outstanding tight end.
Stogner is one of 36 players from around the country who are being considered for the 2020 Mackey Award, which was first presented in 2000. Former Oklahoma tight end Mark Andrews (now with the NFL Baltimore Ravens) is a previous winner of the award (2017).
The sophomore tight end played in all 14 OU games a year ago, albeit sparingly, making seven catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns. His two touchdown catches came in the same game in the Sooners’ remarkable 34-31 comeback win over 12th-ranked Baylor.
The former four-star prospect was a member of Oklahoma’s 2019 recruiting class that included No. 1 dual-threat QB Spencer Rattler and three five-star wide receivers (Jadon Hasselwood, Theo Wease and Trejan Bridges).
Stogner is one of four Big 12 tight ends named to the Mackey Award watch list for the coming season. Norman native Charlie Kolar, who plays for Iowa State and went to Norman North High School, is one of the four, along with Pro Wells of TCU and Jalani Wood of Oklahoma State.
The Mackey Award is named after former Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey. The award recognizes the college tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics and community values of the former NFL star.