HONOLULU — The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame today announced the 2023 Watch List for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award. The list includes five members of the BYU football team— Chaz Ah You, Atunaisa Mahe, Paul Maile, Isaac Rex and Kingsley Suamataia.
The Award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity. The 2023 watch list is composed of 85 players from 40 different FBS schools.
Ah You, Mahe and Rex were selected to the watch list for a second consecutive season. Suamataia was previously named to the 2023 watch list for the Outland Trophy, while Rex was selected to the watch list for the John Mackey Award for a third-consecutive year.
A native of San Clemente, California, Rex was also recently named to the 2023 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team. The 6-6, 255-pound junior tight end has played in 40 games for the Cougars over the past four seasons and is currently tied for No. 2 all-time with former Consensus All-American Dennis Pitta at BYU in career touchdown receptions by a tight end with 21. Rex was named Phil Steele All-Independent First Team in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and was also selected to the College Football Network All-Independent Second Team in 2022.
Suamataia, a 6-6, 325-pound sophomore from Orem, Utah, was previously named to the 2023 College Football News Preseason All-America Second Team, the Athlon Sports 2023 All-Big 12 Third Team, the Phil Steele Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team and the Big 12 Conference Preseason All-Big 12 Team by media representatives who cover the league. He started 12 games for BYU in 2022 and was named Freshman All-American Second Team by The Athletic. He was also named College Football Network All-Independent First Team, Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team and Midseason Freshman All-American Second Team by College Football News.
Ah You is a 6-2, 220-pound senior linebacker from Saratoga Springs, Utah. He played in eight games for BYU in 2021 before suffering an injury that cut short his season. Ah You had a key interception in the Cougars 26-17 win over No. 18 ranked Utah and had five games with six or more tackles. He redshirted the 2022 season.
Mahe, a 6-1, 310-pound defensive lineman, has played in 33 games over three years for the Cougars. The senior from West Jordan, Utah, has recorded 61 tackles, including 9 1/2 for loss, with three sacks and four quarterback hurries over three seasons (2019, 2021-22) at BYU.
Maile, a 6-2, 300-pound offensive lineman, started 12 games at center for Utah in 2022 before transferring to BYU for his senior season. Maile, from Salt Lake City, played in 29 games for the Utes (2018-22), starting 17 games on the offensive line at center and guard. He was named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll in 2020 and 2021.
The candidates for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award were selected based on past performance and future potential. Additions to the list may be made as the 2023 season progresses.
Five finalists for the 2023 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award will be unveiled on Nov. 30, with the winner being announced on Dec. 14. The presentation of the Award will be held during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Celebration Dinner on Jan. 20, 2024, at the Sheraton Waikiki. They will also be recognized during the Polynesian Bowl on Jan. 19.
The finalists and winner will be chosen by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, which includes former NFL Player and inaugural inductee Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson (Chairman), coaches Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil, former NFL Player and inaugural inductee Olin Kreutz, inaugural inductee and past NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, former NFL player and Class of 2015 Inductee Ray Schoenke, ESPN sportscaster Neil Everett, and NFL Network commentator Steve Wyche.
Current Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Marcus Mariota was the inaugural recipient of the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award in 2014 while attending Oregon. Since then, eight others have been the recipient of the annual award, including former BYU and current New York Jets quarterback, Zach Kapono Wilson, who received the award in 2020 after leading the Cougars to a 11-1 record and a No. 11 final ranking. The junior passed for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns, while completed 73.4 percent of his passes — good for a new BYU record, eclipsing the previous mark held by NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young.