BEAUMONT — The 28^th annual Willie Ray Smith Awards will be taking place soon and all of the nominees from Southeast Texas schools have been turned in.

Southeast Texas media voted this past week as the field will be narrowed down to four offensive and four defensive finalists and those finalists will be announced Jan. 22.

The Willie Ray Smith Awards Banquet will take place Feb. 10 at the Elegante Hotel Ballroom starting at 6 p.m.

The guest speaker will be Damon West.

The Smith Awards is considered Southeast Texas’ Heisman Trophy. It was created in 1992 and first given out in 1993.

Smith won 235 games and two state championships in 33 seasons as coach at Beaumont Charlton-Pollard, Orange Wallace and Lufkin Dunbar.

Offensive nominees includes Bridge City’s Andy Lara, East Chambers’ Nolton Shelvin, Hamshire-Fannett’s Marcus Morris, Hardin-Jefferson’s Westen Nugent, Jasper’s Bryce Barbay, Kelly’s Owen Sheldon, Little Cypress-Mauriceville’s Ethan McCollum, Lumberton’s Hayes Chizer, Nederland’s Bryce McMorris, Newton’s DeAnthony Gatson, Orangefield’s Chase Broussard, Port Neches-Groves’ Blake Bost, Silsbee’s Dralyn Taylor, United’s Zemaiah Vaughn, Vidor’s Brad Nunez, West Brook’s Troy Yowman, West Hardin’s Keaton Castilaw, West Orange-Stark’s Quincy Ledet and Woodville’s Trey Hatton.

Defensive nominees includes Bridge City’s Jackson Tims, East Chambers’ Christian Simien, H-F’s Ross Owen, H-J’s Enrique Montel, Jasper’s Brashvan Hubbard, Kelly’s Zach Moon, LC-M’s Matthew Lopez, Lumberton’s Brittain Alfaro, Newton’s Zach Gulley, Orangefield’s Clayson Choate, PN-G’s Santiago Agvdelo, Silsbee’s Lawrence Williams, United’s J.K. Wilson, Vidor’s Gage Galloway, West Brook’s Markel Clark, West Hardin’s Russell Payne, WO-S’ Tyrone Brown and Woodville’s D’Quincy Wise.

Here are the past Willie Ray Smith Award winners:

1993: Dexter Hebert, Kelly

1994: Jay McGuire, Silsbee

1995: Jeffery Spikes, Burkeville

1996: Elijah Burkins, Thomas Jefferson

1997: Bryan Bock, Bridge City

1998: Offense: Chip Ambres, West Brook; Defense: Charles Sias, WO-S

1999: Offense: Beaux Daville, Orangefield; Defense: Rod Gulley, Newton

2000: Offense: Dustin Long, PN-G; Defense: Gayron Allen, WO-S

2001: Offense: Sean Yoder, Nederland; Defense: Jermaine Hope, WO-S

2002: Offense: Tony Eckert, Lumberton; Defense: Ricky Wilson, Lincoln

2003: Offense: Matt Peebles, Bridge City; Defense: William Bryant, Jasper

2004: Offense: Jamaal Charles, P.A. Memorial; Defense: William Morrissey, Silsbee

2005: Offense: Jamaal Charles, P.A. Memorial; Defense: Brian West, Ozen

2006: Offense: Kenneth Beasley, WO-S; Defense: Sean Weatherspoon, Jasper

2007: Offense: Micah Mosley, Nederland; Defense: Earl Thomas, WO-S

2008: Offense: Cody Hussey, Lumberton; Defense: Tramain Thomas, East Chambers

2009: Offense: Christian Micheal, West Brook Defense: Kevin Robinson, WO-S

2010: Offense: Jeremy Johnson, Silsbee; Defense: Jacoby Hale, Central

2011: Offense: Fred Ford, Kirbyville; Defense: Colin Garrett, West Brook

2012: Offense: Terrence Singleton, P.A. Memorial; Defense: Corbin Carr, Nederland

2013: Offense: Montana Quirante, Vidor; Defense: Montana Quirante, Vidor

2014: Offense: Patrick Reed, Silsbee; DeShawn Washington, Nederland

2015: Offense: Michael Jacquet, Central; Defense: Deionte Thompson, WO-S

2016: Offense: Jack Dallas, WO-S; Defense: Steven Tims, WO-S

2017: Offense: Calvin Tyler, Silsbee; Defense: Kary Vincent, PA Memorial

2018: Offense: Roschon Johnson, PN-G; Defense: Corbin Foster, Newton

2019: Offense: Darwin Barlow, Newton; Defense: Darrell Hawkins, Jr., West Brook