SDSU FOOTBALL PICKED TO WIN MW WEST; SWEEPS PRESEASON AWARDS

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Pumphrey (offensive), Kazee (defensive) and Penny (special teams) each named MW preseason players of the year

Source: goaztecs.com press release

Photo: Damontae Kazee via goaztecs.com

July 26, 2016 (Las Vegas) - The San Diego State football team swept the preseason awards and captured all 29 first-place votes en route to being picked to win the West Division of the Mountain West in the 2016 preseason poll, the league announced Tuesday in Las Vegas. The Aztecs became just the second unanimous preseason pick in MW history (TCU in 2010).

As of Tuesday morning, SDSU is the only team to in the FBS to receive all of the possible first-place votes in a divisional or league poll.

The preseason poll and all-conference team are voted on by media representatives who cover the conference.

Senior Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas) was named the preseason offensive player of the year, while senior Damontae Kazee (San Bernardino, Calif.) was chosen as the defensive player of the year and junior Rashaad Penny (Norwalk, Calif.) as the special teams player of the year. The three players captured all three postseason awards in 2015.

Last year, Pumphrey rushed for 1,653 yards and 17 touchdowns on 309 attempts (5.3 avg.), while leading the team with 28 catches for 416 yards and three touchdowns en route to being named a Sports Illustrated Honorable-Mention All-American, the MW Offensive Player of the Year and an all-MW first-team selection for a second straight season. He was one of just four players in all of FBS to lead his team in rushing yards and receptions.

A cornerback, Kazee had eight interceptions in 2015, which tied for the second most in the nation, the most in Aztecs’ Division I era (since 1969) and in Mountain West history. He also added 75 tackles (team-high 58 solo stops), seven pass breakups, 5.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, eventually being named a second-team USA Today All-American, a honorable-mention Sports Illustrated All-American, the MW Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-MW pick.

Penny, meanwhile, returned 24 kicks for 804 yards (33.5 avg.) and three touchdowns last season. He was one of five players last year in FBS play to have at least three kick return touchdowns, ranking second in the nation in kick return average (33.5) and being named the MW Special Teams Player of the Year. He also added 368 rushing yards and four scores on 61 attempts (6.0 avg.) and eight catches for 120 yards (15.0 avg.) and another score.

Pumphrey, Kazee and Penny were joined on the preseason all-MW team by seniors Alex Barrett (Mesa, Ariz.), Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo) and Nico Siragusa (Chula Vista, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic High). The six players on the preseason all-conference team were the most in the league (Utah State was second with four picks) and SDSU’s second-highest total in league history, one behind the 1999 squad’s seven selections.

Barrett came up with 62 tackles a year ago with 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions (one for a touchdown) and seven quarterback hurries. Barrett backed a defense that finished among the top 10 in FBS in each of the four main categories, including fifth in total (287.3), seventh in scoring (16.4) and rushing (108.7), and 10th in passing (178.6). Barrett was also an all-MW first-team pick.

Munson led SDSU in multiple categories in 2015, including tackles (98), tackles for loss (15), sacks (9.5) and fumble recoveries (2, tied), while adding two interceptions (both returned for a touchdown), two forced fumbles and seven quarterback hurries. Munson was also a Phil Steele Magazine third-team All-American and an all-Mountain West first-team pick.

Siragusa anchored an offensive line that helped the Aztecs rush for a school-record 3,226 yards and have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers for the first time in program history (Pumphrey and Chase Price). He was also a first-team all-MW selection by the league’s media and coaches last year.

SDSU is coming off an 11-3 season where it tied a school record for the most wins in a single year, finished with a 10-game winning streak (second-longest active FBS streak heading into 2016), won the MW title (20th conference title in program history) and beat Cincinnati, 42-7, in the Hawai‘i Bowl.

It is the second straight year that San Diego State has been picked to win the league, although this is the fourth year of the two divisions in the MW. The Aztecs, who averaged a predicted finish of 6.5 from 2005-12, have been picked to win the West Division each of the last two years and were predicted second in both 2013 and 2014. SDSU has won two of the past four MW regular season titles (2012 and 2015).

San Diego State has ended up at or better than its predicted finish in seven straight seasons and 10 times over the past 11 years.

The Aztecs garnered 174 points, including all 20 first-place votes. Nevada was picked to finish second in the West Division with 129 points, followed by San José State (122), Fresno State (76), UNLV (73) and Hawai‘i (35).

Boise State paced the Mountain Division by amassing 172 points, including 27 first-place votes. The Broncos were followed by Air Force, which won the Mountain Division a year ago, with 126 points and the other two first-place votes. Utah State (111), Colorado State (95), New Mexico (74) and Wyoming (31) rounded out the Mountain side.

SDSU season tickets and single-game tickets are now available. Both season tickets and single-game tickets can be purchased through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting Qualcomm Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT.

The Aztecs kick off the 2016 season at Qualcomm Stadium against New Hampshire on Sept. 3 at 5:30 p.m. PT.



2016 Mountain West Preseason Poll

West Division


1. San Diego State (29 first-place votes) - 174

2. Nevada - 129

3. San José State - 122

4. Fresno State - 76

5. UNLV - 73

6. Hawai’i - 35

Mountain Division

1. Boise State (27) - 174

2. Air Force (2) - 126


3. Utah State - 111

4. Colorado State - 95

5. New Mexico - 74

6. Wyoming - 31



2015 Mountain West Football Preseason All-Conference Team

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
 Donnel Pumphrey, Sr., RB, San Diego State

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Damontae Kazee, Sr., CB, San Diego State

Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year: Rashaad Penny, Jr., KR, San Diego State

 


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