July 22, 2013
LAS VEGAS - The San Diego State football team was picked to finish second in the West Division of the Mountain West in the 2013 preseason poll, the league announced today in Las Vegas. The poll is voted on by media representatives who cover the conference.
The second-place prediction is the Aztecs' highest in the 15-year history of the league, although this is the first year of two divisions in the MW. SDSU was picked to finish third in 1999 and 2004, and averaged a predicted finish of 6.5 from 2005-12.
Last season San Diego State was selected fifth and finished in a three-way tie for the conference title with Boise State and Fresno State. It marked the fourth straight year and seventh time in the last eight seasons that the Aztecs finished at or higher than their projected finish. SDSU also picked up one of the 41 first-place votes in the West Division.
San Diego State garnered 181 points, including the one first-place vote. Fresno State earned 39 first-place votes and 243 points total in the West Division. San Jose State had 168 points and the other first-place vote to come in third, while Nevada (132), UNLV (69) and Hawai'i (58) rounded out the West.
Boise State paced the Mountain Division with 245 points, including 40 first-place votes. Utah State came in second with 204 and the other first-place vote, followed by Air Force (143), Wyoming (116), Colorado State (90) and New Mexico (63).
Additionally, senior Nat Berhe and juniors Jake Fely and Adam Muema each were named to the MW preseason all-conference team, giving the Aztecs three players on the team for the school-record fourth consecutive season.
This marks only the third time in the MW era that SDSU has had multiple players on the preseason all-conference defensive team (also 2004 in Matt McCoy and Kirk Morrison and 2011 in Miles Burris and Leon McFadden). San Diego State joined Fresno State and San Jose State as the only teams with multiple student-athletes on the preseason defensive team.
A two-time all-MW selection at defensive back, Berhe picked up his fifth preseason honor of the summer after earlier being named to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List (best defensive back) and Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List (Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity), and a first-team all-MW pick by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
Last season Berhe led the Aztecs with 94 tackles, which ranked 10th in the MW and was the highest total for a SDSU player since head coach Rocky Long took over the defense in 2009. He also added five pass breakups, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Fely, who was a second-team all-MW pick as a linebacker in 2012, also picked up his fifth preseason honor of the summer. Fely has been named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List (down end-to-end lineman (offense or defense) and linebackers) and Bednarik Award Watch List (Defensive Player of the Year), as well as first-team all-MW honors by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
Last year Fely ranked second on the team with 90 total tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss, while recording a team-high seven sacks.
A running back, Muema was a second-team all-MW selection in 2012. It was the fifth preseason honor of the summer for Muema, who also has been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List (top running back) and the Maxwell Award Watch List (Player of the Year), and first-team picks by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
Muema rushed for 1,458 yards and 16 touchdowns on 237 carries in 2012, the third-highest yardage ever by a San Diego State sophomore behind Ronnie Hillman and Marshall Faulk. He ranked 17th in the nation with 112.2 rushing yards per game and third among sophomores. He had seven 100-yard performances, including a pair of 200-yard efforts vs. San Jose State and at Wyoming.
The Aztecs return 17 starters of their 2013 team that finished 9-4 overall and 7-1 in MW play, claimed their 19th conference championship in school history and played in a bowl game for a school-record third consecutive year.
SDSU kicks off its season Aug. 31 at Qualcomm Stadium vs. Eastern Illinois. The KGB SkyShow, the largest fireworks display in San Diego, will be held following the game, which starts at 5 p.m. PT.
San Diego State season and single-game tickets can be purchased online through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting the Aztec Ticket Office at Qualcomm Stadium Window "E" from 9 a.m. PT-5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday.
2013 Mountain West Preseason Poll
West Division
1. Fresno State (39 first-place votes) - 243
2. San Diego State (1) - 181
3. San Jose State (1) - 172
4. Nevada - 135
5. UNLV - 71
6. Hawai'i - 59
Mountain Division
1. Boise State (40 first-place votes) - 245
2. Utah State (1) - 204
3. Air Force - 143
4. Wyoming - 116
5. Colorado State - 90
6. New Mexico - 63
2013 Mountain West Football Preseason All-Conference Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Derek Carr, Sr., QB, Fresno State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Derron Smith, Jr., DB, Fresno State
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year: Chase Clayton, Jr., KR, New Mexico
Offense
QB Derek Carr, Sr., Fresno State
WR Davante Adams, So., Fresno State
WR Noel Grigsby, Sr., San Jose State
RB Kasey Carrier, Sr., New Mexico
RB Adam Muema, Jr., San Diego State
OL Charles Leno, Sr., Boise State
OL Matt Paradis, Sr., Boise State
OL Weston Richburg, Sr., Colorado State
OL Austin Wentworth, Sr., Fresno State
OL Tyler Larsen, Sr., Utah State
TE Marcel Jensen, Sr., Fresno State
Defense
DL Demarcus Lawrence, Jr., Boise State
DL Tyeler Davison, Jr., Fresno State
DL Brock Hekking, Jr., Nevada
DL Travis Raciti, Jr., San Jose State
LB Jake Fely, Jr., San Diego State
LB Keith Smith, Sr., San Jose State
LB Kyler Fackrell, So., Utah State
DB L.J. Jones, Sr., Fresno State
DB Derron Smith, Jr., Fresno State
DB Nat Berhe, Sr., San Diego State
DB Bené Benwikere, Sr., San Jose State
Specialists
P Ben Skaer, Sr., New Mexico
PK Austin Lopez, So., San Jose State
Ret. Chase Clayton, Jr., New Mexico