Dec. 2, 2010
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State football team had 12 players named to the Phil Steele Postseason All-MWC team today. Six players, including three on the offensive side of the ball, were named to Steele's first team.
Freshman running back Ronnie Hillman, senior wide receivers Vincent Brown and DeMarco Sampson, junior linebacker Miles Burris, sophomore defensive back Leon McFadden and junior punter Brian Stahovich were all first-team selections. Junior quarterback Ryan Lindley and freshman tight end Gavin Escobar were both second-team honorees, while senior center Trask iosefa, junior defensive back Larry Parker (chosen as a punt returner), senior defensive lineman Ernie Lawson and junior defensive lineman Jerome Long rounded out the selections by being named to Steele's third team.
Hillman, who was named MWC freshman of the year earlier this week, broke the conference record for rushing yards by a freshman with 1,304. He ranks first in the conference, 14th nationally and first among freshmen in the FBS in rushing yards per game (108.7) and is the only player in the league to average more than 100 yards on the ground.
Brown leads Mountain West Conference and ranks ninth in the nation in receiving yards per game (98.9). He has 61 catches for 1,187 yards on the year and has a team-best nine receiving scores. Brown has five, 100-yard receiving performances in 2010, including four vs. MWC foes, and has found the end zone at least twice in a single outing in three contests. The 6-0 wideout is third in Aztec history in career receptions (201) and yardage (2,945) and fifth in touchdowns (22).
Sampson is currently No. 1 in the league in receptions per outing (5.4) and second behind Brown in receiving yards (97.9 ypg.). He posted his sixth 100-yard receiving game in the team's regular-season finale with UNLV and has seven on his career to tie for 13th in the SDSU record book. Sampson has averaged 15.3 yards per catch during his collegiate career and has 144 receptions, 2,197 receiving yards and 18 scores to his credit.
Burris ranks first in the MWC by a wide margin in both sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (19.0), which are both career bests. The 6-3 linebacker has a team-high 74 tackles with 49 solo efforts and forced four fumbles, which ties for fourth in school single-season history. Burris has recorded a sack in five of his last six contests and was named the league's defensive player of the week on Nov. 8, after he had 10 stops, including four for a loss, two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in a victory over Colorado State.
McFadden is tied for ninth nationally and led the MWC in passes defended with 12 PBUs and a pair of interceptions. He also had a career-high 54 tackles with seven behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of 40 yards. McFadden's 12 PBUs are tied for 10th in SDSU season history and are the most by an Aztec since 2005.
Stahovich led the conference the entire year in punting average and currently boasts a 45.7 average, which is eighth-best in the FBS in 2010, and would be an Aztec season record. The preseason all-MWC selection has 16 kicks for over 50 yards, dropped 15 inside the 20-yard line and has had 14 fair-caught. Stahovich was named the league's special teams player of the week following his career-long 89-yard boot at Wyoming, which is a school record and ranks No. 2 in conference history. He was a second-team all-league honoree in 2009.
Both of SDSU's second-team Steele selections played on the offensive side of the ball. Lindley has thrown for 3,554 yards, which ranks sixth nationally, and 26 touchdowns to lead the country's 11th-best passing offense. The 6-4 junior has three of the league's top five passing performances on the year, including a MWC season-best 528 yards against Utah, and six, 300-yard passing games overall. Lindley has thrown for 866 yards and eight touchdowns in the team's last two games alone and stands second in Aztec career history in passing yards (9,261), attempts (1,262), completions (706) and total offense (9,029).
Escobar has 26 catches for 299 yards and four scores, highlighted by a six-catch, 65-yard performance vs. Utah. The 6-6 tight end has started 11 of 12 outings and has 18 receptions for either first downs or touchdowns in 2010.
Rounding out the list were four third-team selections: Iosefa, Parker, Lawson and Long. Iosefa has started all 48 games over the last four campaigns on Montezuma Mesa. A two-time member of the Rimington Award Watch List, Iosefa has been the anchor in the Aztec offensive line that has allowed only nine sacks on the year and has helped the team rank 11th nationally in passing offense and 61st in rushing offense.
Parker was recognized by Steele for his work on special teams. Parker ranks third in the conference with a 7.2 average on punt returns, and recorded a season-long 29 yard return at TCU. Parker has also tallied 16 tackles, four passes defended and a forced fumble.
Lawson, one of SDSU's three captains, has recorded a career-high 25 tackles with eight coming behind the line of scrimmage, good for 10th most in the MWC. Long has 27 tackles, including five for a loss. He also blocked a crucial field goal against Colorado State. Both linemen have been key pieces to the Aztecs' 3-3-5 defense, which ranks fifth nationally in tackles for loss, 44th in total defense and 49th in rushing defense.
Fans are encouraged to order their tickets through the Aztec Ticket Office at Qualcomm Stadium, Window E or by phone at (619) 283-7378.
Donors to the Aztec Club and full 2010 football season ticket holders still have until noon PT on Friday (Dec. 3) to place their online advance ticket order using a priority number. Information on online ordering has previously been distributed to all eligible accounts.
The general public may advance order $55 tickets in the SDSU sections starting Thursday (Dec. 2) at 9 a.m. PT. Seat locations will not be available until after all priority group orders have been seated.