Dec. 13, 2007
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Seven San Diego State football players were named to Phil Steele's 2007 All-Mountain West Conference team on Thursday. Brett Swain and Russell Allen earned first-team recognition, while Will Robinson and Luke Laolagi were second-team honorees. Kevin O'Connell, Ray Bass and Michael Hughes were all third-team selections.
Swain, a senior wide receiver from Carlsbad, Calif., was San Diego State's leading receiver in 2007, with a career-best 58 receptions for 973 yards and five touchdowns. He was also second in the MWC and 31st nationally in receiving yards per game (81.1), including a pair of 100-yard efforts. Swain set career bests with 224 yards and three touchdowns on just six catches in the team's win over Portland State on Sept. 22.
Junior linebacker Allen led the Aztecs with 119 tackles and also ranked first in the league in tackles per outing (10.6). The Oceanside, Calif., native broke a 36-year old school record with 22 tackles, including 10 solo stops, against Utah on Oct. 13, and was named co-MWC defensive player of the week for his efforts.
Robinson, a senior offensive tackle from Pomona, Calif., started every game in his last two years as an Aztec. The four-year letterwinner provided protection for senior quarterback O'Connell, who rushed for a team-high 408 yards and 11 touchdowns and threw for 3,063 yards and 15 scores.
Laolagi, a sophomore linebacker from Reseda, Calif., was San Diego State's third-leading tackler (94). He had a career-high 13 stops against both New Mexico (Nov. 3) and TCU (Nov. 24). Laolagi also finished with 10 solo tackles, including four for a loss and his first career sack in the Aztecs' comeback win against Wyoming, earning him MWC co-player-of-the-week honors. Laolagi reached double figures in tackles in four games in his first year as a starter.
O'Connell, a four-year team captain, became the first quarterback in school history to lead the team in both passing and rushing yards in 2007. The Carlsbad, Calif., native also ranked first in the MWC in league outings in total offense per game (284.2) and was second in passing average (239.2 yards/game). O'Connell completed his eligibility as the school's all-time leader in career rushing yards (1,312) and touchdowns (19) by a quarterback. He also ranks second in completions (664), attempts (1,151), total offense (9,001) and starts (33) and is third in career passing yards (7,689).
A senior safety from Corona, Calif., Bass was second on the team with 103 tackles, including three for loss. The 2007 captain logged a career-high 17 stops at Air Force on Nov. 17. Bass also finished with 14 tackles at Utah and rounded out his Aztec career with 10 stops in the season finale with BYU.
Senior punter Hughes ended the regular season ranked 11th nationally and second in the league in punting average (44.2). The Moreno Valley, Calif., native earned MWC special teams player-of-the-week honors twice in 2007, following the game at Air Force when he tied the school record with a 54.8 punt average, and after the Wyoming contest when he had 10 punts for 481 yards, including three of 50 or more yards and a season-long 75 yarder. A two-time nominee for the Ray Guy Award, Hughes finished his Aztec career ranked second in attempts (231) and yardage (9,807) and fifth in average (42.0).
The Aztecs ended the 2007 campaign with a 4-8 overall record, including a 3-5 mark in conference play for sixth place finish in the MWC standings.
Phil Steele's 2007 All-MWC Team (SDSU Only)
First Team: Offense
WR - Brett Swain
First Team: Defense
LB - Russell Allen
Second Team: Offense
OL - William Robinson
Second Team Defense
LB - Luke Laolagi
Third Team Offense
QB - Kevin O'Connell
Third Team: Defense
DB - Ray Bass
Third Team: Special Teams
P - Michael Hughes