OKLAHOMA CITY – San Diego State senior safety Tariq Thompson and junior cornerback Darren Hall have each been named to the preseason watch list of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame (OSHOF) and Jim Thorpe Association announced Monday. Thompson and Hall are two of the 49 players named to the initial list.
The Aztecs are one of 10 programs with multiple players on the preseason list and have two of the four players from the Mountain West. Last year, Luq Barcoo was a semifinalist for the award after tying for the FBS lead in both interceptions (9) and pass breakups (16).
Last season, the duo helped SDSU to a 10-3 record, the program's fourth double-digit win campaign over the last five years. San Diego State led the Mountain West in 2019 in scoring defense (12.7, 2nd in FBS), rush defense (75.4, 2nd in FBS), total defense (287.8, 5th in FBS) and defensive pass efficiency (110.25, 6th in FBS).
Pro Football Focus recently named the Aztecs the highest-graded secondary of returning players.
It is the second watch list for Thompson (San Diego/St. Augustine HS), who last week was named to the Bednarik Award Watch List with Cameron Thomas for the outstanding defensive player in college football. Thompson registered 55 tackles (44 solo) last year to go along with three tackles for loss, a sack, four interceptions, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries (tied for sixth in Aztec single-season history). For his efforts, Thompson earned second-team all-Mountain West accolades for a third consecutive season.
For his career, Thompson is tied for fifth all-time at SDSU in fumble recoveries (5) and tied for seventh in interceptions (11), while totaling 178 tackles. Thompson, who has started all 39 games since arriving on campus in 2017, enters his final season tied for second among active FBS players in interceptions (11) and seventh in interceptions per game (0.28).
Hall (Pasadena, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga HS), meanwhile, had 49 tackles (34 solo) last year, as well as 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, an interception and a team-high-tying 16 pass breakups. His 16 pass breakups tied for the most in the country, and he also ranked in a tie for sixth in pass deflections (INT + PBU) per game (1.42) and tied for 10th in total passes defended (17). Additionally, his 16 PBUs tied Barcoo (2019) and Ron Smith (2017) for the second most in San Diego State single-season history.
For his career, Hall has 96 tackles (70 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three interceptions, 19 pass breakups and a fumble recovery in 26 games.
A preseason watch list is compiled by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame based on previous performance and preseason All-America lists. A screening committee, consisting of OSHOF members, monitor the watch list players and narrow the field to 10 to 15 semifinalists on Nov. 2. This committee then selects three award finalists, which are submitted to a national panel of over 250 sports writers, sportscasters, former players and coaches who vote to determine the winner of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.
The three finalists will attend The Home Depot College Football Awards Show Presented by Gildan, broadcast live on ESPN in Atlanta, where the winner will be announced. The official presentation of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award takes place in Oklahoma City, following ESPN's live presentation at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The current winner and all former winners are invited each year to celebrate. Over 600 supporters attend the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet each year, including many celebrities and dignitaries.