Dec. 20, 2013
SAN DIEGO - Seven San Diego State football players earned all-Mountain West recognition from Phil Steele's College Football Magazine, the publication announced on Friday.
Senior safety Nat Berhe (Colton, Calif.) was named to the all-conference defensive first team, while junior wide receiver Ezell Ruffin (Long Beach, Calif.), senior offensive lineman Bryce Quigley (Apple Valley, Calif.), senior linebacker Nick Tenhaeff (Atascadero, Calif.), junior defensive back J.J. Whittaker (Oceanside, Calif.) and senior kick returner Colin Lockett (Diamond Bar, Calif.) were each second-team selections. Junior running back Adam Muema (Covina, Calif.) was named to the third-team offense.
A first-team all-MW selection, Berhe led San Diego State in tackles (94), solo stops (59) and is tied for a team-high with two fumble recoveries. He also became the first Aztec since 1999 to earn all-conference accolades in three-consecutive seasons, and currently has the most starts (40) and consecutive starts (37) on the team.
After playing tight end his first two season on The Mesa, Quigley earned second-team all-MW honors for the second-straight season at offensive tackle. The senior anchored a line that allowed two or fewer sacks in each of the final nine games, and helped running backs Muema and freshman Donnel Pumphrey combine for 1,765 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Ruffin finished with 63 receptions for 1,061 yards and three scores, while Lockett racked up 740 kick-return yards with a long of 44 yards and a 24.7 average. Tenhaeff led the Aztecs with five sacks and 13 tackles for loss, while Whittaker had team-highs with 11 pass break ups and 14 passes defended. Muema rushed for 1,074 yards and 12 touchdowns.
San Diego State (7-5, 6-2 MW) finished second in the West Division of the MW and will play Buffalo (8-4, 6-2 MAC) in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 3:30 p.m. MT (2:30 p.m. PT). The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.