PHILADELPHIA ? Appalachian State University quarterback Armanti Edwards and linebacker Pierre Banks have been named to the initial watch lists for the Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan Awards, The Sports Network announced on Thursday.

The Payton Award is presented annually to the nation's top NCAA Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision ? formerly Division I-AA) player while the Buchanan Award recognizes FCS's top defensive player. Each watch list features 16 players.

One of the nation's top dual threats as a passer and runner at any level, Edwards is on pace to shatter Appalachian's career total offense record during his junior season. Despite missing four-and-a-half games due to injury last year, Edwards racked up 1,948 passing yards and 1,588 rushing yards and accounted for 38 touchdowns. In 2006, he became just the fifth player in Division I history (FCS or FBS) ? and only the second freshman ? to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season.

The anchor of perhaps the nation's top linebacking corps, Banks amassed 108 tackles a season ago and needs just 47 more stops to move into ASU's all-time top 10 in the category. In 2007, he helped lead the Mountaineers to their 34-32 triumph over Michigan with a game-high 12 tackles and a fumble recovery and keyed Appalachian's dramatic first-round postseason victory over James Madison with 11 tackles, a forced fumble and the fumble recovery with less than 22 seconds remaining that sealed the win.

Edwards and Banks were named the 2008 preseason Southern Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, by the league's coaches. Leaders both on and off the field, Edwards and Banks are Appalachian's 2008 co-captains and both earned ASU academic honor roll recognition for posting 3.25-plus grade point averages last semester.

The duo leads the Mountaineers into Baton Rouge, La. this weekend for the ?08 season opener versus defending BCS champion LSU. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 5 p.m. EDT on ESPN.