Dixie State Football landed seven players in the program's debut on the annual Phil Steele 2020 Preseason Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Independent Team, which was announced on Friday. The Trailblazers tied Presbyterian with seven preseason nods, while fellow NCAA FCS newcomer Tarleton State led the way with 12 selections.

Four of the Blazers' seven selections are on the offensive side of the ball, highlighted by redshirt junior quarterback Kody Wilstead (6-7, 230; St. George, Utah/Pine View HS/BYU/Coffeyville CC), who threw for 1,640 yards and 18 touchdowns in his DSU debut last season. Wilstead connected on 54.5 percent (103-189-7) of his throws, which included completing 18-of-29 passes for 341 yards and a school-record tying five touchdowns in Dixie State's 2019 season ending 35-10 home win over Adams State (11/16). That performance earned him Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Two of Wilstead's main targets heading into the 2020 campaign made the list, including senior tight end Chase Hess (6-4, 225; Taylorsville, Utah/Taylorsville HS/Snow College) and senior wide receiver Jalen Powell (5-10, 180; Los Angeles, Calif./Lynwood HS/Snow College).

Hess is coming off a stellar junior campaign in 2019 that saw him haul in 23 catches for 354 yards and team-high tying seven touchdowns on his way to first team all-RMAC and D2CCA All-Super Region 4, and Don Hansen third team All-Super Region 4 accolades. Hess led all region tight ends in receptions, yards and TDs, and posted two 80-plus yard outings, highlighted by a 107-yard day with two scores vs. Black Hills State (10/5), and a three touchdown game and 83 yards on six catches vs. ASU (11/16).

Meanwhile Powell is Dixie State's top-returning receiver after he finished second on the team in catches (44) and yards (557), and was tied for third on the club with five touchdowns. Powell, who earned 2019 all-RMAC honorable mention recognition, enjoyed a breakout day in Dixie State's home win over Colorado Mesa (W, 42-32; 11/2/19), during which he tied a career-high with eight catches for a career-best 127 yards and two TDs.

Senior offensive lineman Nathen Aceves was also listed on the Phil Steele offensive team for 2020. Aceves started in 10 games and garnered second team all-RMAC accolades last season after he anchored a Trailblazer offensive line that helped Dixie State rack up over 5,000 yards of total offense (5,008 – 455.3 yards per game), which included 3,378 yards (307.1 ypg) through the air and another 1,630 yards (148.2 ypg) on the ground. 

Dixie State redshirt junior defensive lineman Dylan Hendrickson (6-6, 230; St. George, Utah/Pine View HS) is the Trailblazers' lone representative on the Steele defensive team. Hendrickson was an honorable mention all-RMAC pick in 2019 after he broke DSU's NCAA-era sack record with 10, which included a school-record 4.5 sacks and 13 total tackles in a 28-16 road victory at South Dakota Mines (9/28) that earned him RMAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. The junior-to-be finished with 38 total tackles, including 16 solos stops, and 11.5 tackles for loss.

DSU also placed two more players on the special teams list in senior placekicker James Baird (5-8, 175; Trenton, New Jersey/Northridge [UT] HS/Snow College) and redshirt senior quarterback/punter Keaton Mott (6-4, 210; South Jordan, Utah/Bingham HS/Northern Colorado). Baird broke two DSU single-season records for made kicks after he connected on 11-of-13 field goal and 42-of-45 point-after-touchdown attempts on his way to first team all-RMAC and third team Don Hansen all-Super Region 4 recognition.

Mott averaged 38.1 yards per punt (32 punts, 1,220) in 2019, which included three 50-plus yard boots and four punts downed inside the 20-yard line a season ago. The senior-to-be was also part of an effective 1-2 punch at quarterback last season as he passed for 1,274 yards and 10 touchdowns, while he connected on 54.2 percent (90-166-2) of his throws.

Dixie State begins its first season of D-I FCS competition with a date at in-state rival Southern Utah on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Cedar City. The kick-off time for that game has yet to be announced.