Welcome to the 2019 FCS Kickoff Jersey Countdown.
The regular season begins Saturday, Aug. 24 with Samford vs. Youngstown State in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff along with Villanova playing at Colgate.
[divider]MORE FCS FOOTBALL:
- FCS Home
- The Best Player in FCS Who Wears Each Number, 1-99
- Preseason Top 25 Poll
- Preseason All-American Teams
- Team By Team & Conference Previews
[divider]
HERO Sports is going to count down each day by highlighting the best player in the FCS who wears the jersey number equal to the number of days until kickoff. You can find the running list of top players here.
*Note: Jersey numbers are from the 2018 season.
[divider]
13: Shane Simpson, RB (Sr.) — Towson
Back-to-back picks for Towson with quarterback Tom Flacco being named the best No. 14 yesterday. This is indicative of just how explosive Towson's offense will be in 2019, a unit that ranked T15th with 34.5 points per game last year and 18th with 465 yards per game.
While Flacco deservedly gets a lot of love, let's not forget just how big of a weapon Shane Simpson is. And he can get it done in multiple ways. The 5-foot-9, 200-pounder was second in the FCS last year with 171.5 all-purpose yards per game. Simpson had 711 rushing yards, 356 receiving yards, 104 punt return yards and 887 kick return yards in 12 games.
RELATED: 2019 Towson Season Preview
Simpson scored 12 touchdowns (six rushing, five receiving and one on a kick return). He showed this play-making ability as a freshman in 2016, where Simpson had 784 yards rushing and three TDs along with 34 kick returns for 915 yards. Simpson was named the CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year and a HERO Sports Freshman All-American.
He was only able to play five games in 2017 due to injury but reminded everyone just how good he was last season. Simpson earned five different All-American all-purpose honors, including HERO Sports First Team, was the CAA Special Teams Player of the Year and was a three-time All-CAA selection: First Team running back, Second Team kick returner and Third Team punt returner.
Simpson enters his senior season on our Preseason All-American First Team.
[divider]
NEXT: The Best Traditions in the FCS
SUBSCRIBE: HERO Sports FCS Podcast
