Eastern New Mexico’s Kamal Cass, Texas A&M-Commerce’s Luis Perez, and Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Brandon Jones were named Lone Star Conference Football Preseason Players of the Year for the 2017 season league officials announced Thursday.

      ENMU’s Cass and A&M-C’s Perez shared Offensive Player of the Year recognition, while TAMUK’s Jones earned the Defensive Player of the Year award. 

      The league’s preseason awards were selected by a vote of LSC head coaches and sports information directors, plus various media representatives from throughout the region.

      Cass, a 5-11, 185-pound senior running back from Clovis, New Mexico, was named LSC Offensive Back of the Year after leading the league with 1,191 rushing yards and 108.3 yards per game last season.  He paced the nation's second leading rushing attack while finding the end zone in nine of 11 games for 14 touchdowns.

      Perez, a 6-3, 220-pound senior quarterback from Chula Vista, California, earned first-team All-LSC honors with a league-high 3,326 passing yards, 277.2 yards per game and 32 touchdowns.  He set the school record for TD passes including a career-high five touchdown passes twice last season.

      With 11 votes each, Cass and Perez were the top choices in front of three others who received votes.

      Jones, a 6-3, 250-pound junior defensive lineman from Houston, Texas, claimed both Defensive Player of the Year (J.V. Sikes award) and Defensive Lineman of the Year acclaim last season.  He recorded a LSC-best 9.5 sacks along with 49 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss.

      Jones received 21 votes for preseason acclaim over four others that collected votes.