HONOLULU - Fresno State senior offensive guard Mose Vavao has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2023 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award, announced by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame on Thursday.
The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity. The watch list is composed of 85 players from 40 different FBS schools.
Vavao started all 14 games at right guard in 2022, one of only two spots on the Bulldogs' offensive line that did not have a different starter at any point in the season. He enters 2023 with the second-most career starts with 29, getting the start in every game for the past two seasons. He has appeared in 33 career games.
The Newark, Calif. native has been a part of the offensive success that Fresno State has had over the years. Since 2020, Vavao has been an anchor on the offensive line for an offense that consistently ranked as the best in the Mountain West and among the top in the FBS. In 2022, Vavao helped Bulldogs Jordan Mims (RB) and Jalen Moreno-Cropper (WR) to 1,000 yards in their respective categories. It was the first time Fresno State had both in one season since 2014.
Vavao has been a versatile athlete, playing both right and left guard in his time as a Bulldog.
His preseason honors include being named to the preseason All-Mountain West team, and being selected as a first team All-Mountain West lineman by Phil Steele and third team All-Mountain West lineman by Athlon Sports. Vavao was also added to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, an award that recognizes the best interior lineman in college football.
Former Fresno State offensive lineman and current lineman for the Las Vegas Raiders Netane Muti was a back-to-back addition to the preseason watch list in 2018 and 2019.
About the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year
The Watchlist candidates have been selected based on past performance and future potential. Additions to the list will be made as the 2023 season progresses. 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 Chief National Reporter Steve Wyche.
The winner of the 2023 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award will be announced on December 14. Five finalists will be unveiled on November 30. The presentation of the Award will be held during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Celebration Dinner (January 20, 2024) at the Sheraton Waikiki, and they will also be recognized at halftime of the Polynesian Bowl (January 19, 2024).
Former University of Oregon, Philadelphia Eagles QB Marcus Mariota was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Award in 2014; former University of Notre Dame, Baltimore Ravens OL Ronnie Stanley in 2015; former University of Colorado QB Sefo Liufau in 2016; former Washington State University, former Minnesota Vikings DE Hercules Mata`afa in 2017; former University of Alabama, Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa in 2018 & 2019; former University of Oregon, Detroit Lions OL Penei Sewell
in 2019; former University of Southern California, San Francisco 49ers Safety Talanoa Hufanga, and former Brigham Young University, New York Jets QB Zach Kapono Wilson in 2020; former DL at The Ohio State University Haskell Garrett in 2021; and former University of Southern California, Los Angeles Chargers DL Tuli Tuipulotu in 2022.
More on the award and the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame can be found here.