Nov. 29, 2004
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State linebacker Kirk Morrison has been named the 2004 Mountain West Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year, the conference office announced Monday. Morrison earns the honor for the second consecutive season, sharing the 2004 award with Utah defensive back Morgan Scalley.
Morrison is the first two-time defensive player of the year in the six-year history of the conference. He also was the Aztecs' lone selection to the all-MWC first team, doing so for the third time in his career. Morrison is SDSU's first three-time first-teamer since defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (1997-98-99).
A first team All-American in 2003, Morrison ranked second in the MWC this season in tackles in both overall (115) and conference outings (77). The senior finished his Aztec career second all-time in tackles with 396 and sixth in tackles for loss with 40. His career best 72 unassisted tackles in 2004, rank seventh in SDSU season history.
Morrison posted 20 career games with 10 tackles or more and was one of 12 semifinalists for the 2004 Butkus award, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate linebacker. The Oakland, Calif., native garnered MWC Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors on three occasions, including twice this season.
Three Aztecs, offensive tackle Mike Kracalik, defensive lineman Blake Lobel and linebacker Matt McCoy, earned all-MWC second-team honors. Kracalik and McCoy were named to the second team for the second year in a row.
Kracalik, a senior out of Oceanside, Calif., was the anchor of SDSU's young offensive line, starting 10 times at left tackle. McCoy, a junior from Tustin, Calif., had 90 tackles, three sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss before sitting out the season finale against UNLV due to injury.
Lobel, a senior from Chino Hills, Calif., ranked eighth in the conference in sacks (5) and tackles for loss (11) to earn his first all-MWC honor.
Four Aztecs received honorable mention honors including junior wide receiver Jeff Webb, sophomore defensive tackle Jonathan Bailes, senior linebacker Heath Farwell and senior safety Marviel Underwood.
2004 Mountain West Conference Football Honorees
Offensive Player of the Year - Alex Smith, Jr., QB, Utah
Co-Defensive Players of the Year - Kirk Morrison, Sr., LB, SDSU and Morgan Scalley, Sr., DB, Utah
Freshman of the Year - Austin Collie, WR, BYU
Coach of the Year - Urban Meyer, Utah
2004 All-Mountain West Conference Football Teams (SDSU honorees only)
First-Team Defense
Kirk Morrison, Sr., LB, (2002, 2003, 2004)
Second-Team Offense
Mike Kracalik, Sr., OL, (2003, 2004)
Second-Team Defense
Blake Lobel, Sr., DL
Matt McCoy, Sr., LB, (2003, 2004)
Honorable Mention
Jonathan Bailes, So., DL
Heath Farwell, Sr., LB
Marviel Underwood, Sr., (2003, 2004)
Jeff Webb, Jr., WR
( ) - Years honored