June 3, 2014
CLEVELAND - San Diego State football had seven players named to the 2014 Phil Steele Preseason All-Mountain West Team, led by senior defensive back J.J. Whittaker (Oceanside, Calif.) as a first-team selection.
Senior wide receiver Ezell Ruffin (Long Beach, Calif.), senior offensive lineman Terry Poole (Seaside, Calif.) and senior linebacker Jake Fely (Oceanside, Calif.) were each named to the second team, while redshirt freshman running back Marcus Stamps (Los Angeles, Calif.) was picked to the third team. In addition, both junior offensive lineman Darrell Greene (Oakley, Calif.) and junior defensive lineman Christian Heyward (San Diego, Calif.) were fourth-team selections.
Whittaker, an all-MW honorable mention a season ago, had team-highs with 11 passes broken up, 14 passes deflected and three interceptions, including one for a touchdown. He also recorded 32 total tackles and two tackles for loss.
Ruffin, also a 2013 all-MW honorable mention, led the Aztecs in receptions (68), receiving yards (1,136) and yards per catch (16.7), while recording three touchdown receptions last season. Poole is the third 2013 all-MW honorable mention returnee for SDSU, starting 12 games at tackle a season ago, while Fely was limited to four starts due to injury last year and finished with 20 total tackles, one sack, one pass broken up and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Greene appeared in all 13 games in 2013, making 12 starts, while Heyward will play his first season on The Mesa this fall after playing at USC in 2011-12.
San Diego State begins its 2014 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 30, when it welcomes Northern Arizona to Qualcomm Stadium. Season tickets are now available to the general public for as low as $66 per seat. Tickets may be purchased online at GoAztecs.com, at Qualcomm Stadium Window "E" Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by calling (619) 283-7378 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All orders have a $15 handling fee regardless of the point of sale.
The Aztecs are coming off an 8-5 season in 2013, including a 6-2 mark in MW play, which concluded with a victory over Buffalo, 49-24, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. In the process, SDSU became one of only 29 teams in the nation, and one of just five non-BCS schools, to play in a bowl game in four-consecutive years.