July 26, 2011
LAS VEGAS - For the first time in seven seasons, the San Diego State football team is picked to finish in the upper division of the Mountain West, coming in fourth place with 160 points in the 2011 preseason poll, which is voted on by media representatives who cover the conference. The Aztecs also had a student-athlete on the preseason all-league offensive, defensive and special teams for the first time since 1999.
Released at the league's annual media day in Las Vegas on Tuesday morning, the MW preseason poll has the Aztecs picked for fourth place, their highest projected finish since being pegged for third in 2004. Last season, San Diego State was projected to come in sixth place, but ended up in a tie for third after posting a 9-4 overall record and a 5-3 mark in Mountain West play. It marked the fifth time in the last six seasons that SDSU has finished at or higher than its projected finish.
In addition, San Diego State senior linebacker Miles Burris, sophomore running back Ronnie Hillman, junior cornerback Leon McFadden and senior punter Brian Stahovich were all named to the preseason all-conference team. This marked just the second time in league history that the Aztecs placed a student-athlete on the all-conference offensive, defensive and special teams and is the program's most preseason all-league picks since 2004, when it also had four honorees.
Burris, a first-team all-conference selection as a junior last season, is on the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Award (top defensive player), Butkus Award (outstanding linebacker) and Lombardi Award (top down lineman). He led the team in nearly every defensive category last season, including tackles (80), tackles for loss (20), sacks (9.5) and forced fumbles (4). The 2010 SDSU Student-Athlete of the Year, the Granite Bay, Calif., native ranked in the nation's top 25 in tackles for loss, quarterback sacks and forced fumbles.
Hillman, a first-team all-league pick as a freshman, is on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award (college player of the year), Walter Camp Award (college player of the year) and Doak Walker Award (top running back). He finished the 2010 campaign as the nation's 10th-leading rusher and led the freshman class with 1,532 yards. A native of La Habra, Calif., Hillman produced six games with at least 150 yards rushing, including two 228-yard efforts, to earn Mountain West Freshman-of-the-Year accolades.
McFadden was tabbed a first-team all-league selection in 2010, when he led the MW in passes defended per game (1.08). He ranked third on the team in tackles with a career-high 55 with seven of those stops behind the line of scrimmage. The Inglewood, Calif., native also had a pair of interceptions, started every contest and returned punts.
Stahovich (Solana Beach, Calif.), a first-team all-conference selection a year a go, led the Mountain West and ranked eighth nationally in punting as a junior with a 45.4 yard average. He is a two-time nominee for the Ray Guy Award (top punter) and has 41 career punts of 50 yards or more, including a school-record 89-yard punt last season in the victory at Wyoming.
MW newcomer Boise State was picked to win the league title in 2011, capturing 28 of the 31 first-place votes and earning 236 points overall. The Broncos were followed by TCU, Air Force, San Diego State, Colorado State, Wyoming, UNLV and New Mexico.
Season, mini-plan and individual game tickets, for the upcoming 2011 campaign are currently on sale through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting the Aztec Ticket Office at Qualcomm Stadium's Window E. The ticket office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Season tickets, which have already surpassed totals from the past three seasons, start at just $66.
The Aztecs return 14 starters and seven all-conference selections for the 2011 season, including Burris, Hillman, McFadden, Stahovich and the nation's second-leading returning passing quarterback Ryan Lindley (Alpine, Calif.).
Media day coverage continues through Wednesday from Las Vegas. Watch full coverage of MW Media Day on GoAztecs.com and get the latest news via Twitter at http://twitter.com/GoAztecs.
2011 Mountain West Preseason Poll
1. Boise State (28 first-place votes) - 236 points
2. TCU (3) - 208
3. Air Force - 176
4. San Diego State - 160
5. Colorado State - 104
6. Wyoming - 80
7. UNLV - 77
8. New Mexico - 39
2011 Preseason All-Mountain West Football Team
Offense
QB, Kellen Moore, Sr., Boise State
WR, Phillip Payne, Sr., UNLV
WR, Josh Boyce, So., TCU
RB, Ronnie Hillman, So., San Diego State
RB, Doug Martin, Sr., Boise State
OL, Nate Potter Sr., Boise State
OL, A.J. Wallerstein, Sr., Air Force
OL, Kyle Dooley, Sr., TCU
OL, Thomas Byrd, Sr., Boise State
OL, Paul Madsen, Sr., Colorado State
TE, Lucas Reed, Jr., New Mexico
Defense
DL, Billy Winn, Sr. Boise State
DL, Shea McClellin, Sr., Boise State
DL, Stansly Maponga, So., TCU
DL, Josh Biezuns, Sr., Wyoming
LB, Tank Carder, Sr., TCU
LB, Mychal Sisson, Sr., Colorado State
LB, Miles Burris, Sr., San Diego State
DB, George Iloka, Sr., Boise State
DB, Leon McFadden, Jr., San Diego State
DB, Anthony Wright, Sr., Air Force
DB, Jon Davis, Sr., Air Force
Specialists
P, Brian Stahovich, Sr., San Diego State
PK, James Aho, Sr., New Mexico
Ret., Jonathan Warzeka, Sr., Air Force
Offensive Player of the Year:
Kellen Moore, Sr., QB, Boise State
Defensive Player of the Year:
Tank Carder, Sr., LB, TCU
Special Teams Player of the Year:
Jonathan Warzeka, Sr., KR, Air Force