July 22, 2014
2014 SDSU FOOTBALL PRESEASON ACCOLADES
LAS VEGAS - The San Diego State football team has been picked to finish second in the West Division of the Mountain West in the 2014 preseason poll, the league announced Tuesday in Las Vegas. The poll is voted on by media representatives who cover the conference.
The second-place prediction matches the Aztecs' highest in the 16-year history of the league (also in 2013), although this is the second year of the 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.
San Diego State matched its prediction last year, taking second in the West with a 6-2 MW mark. In 2012, the Aztecs were picked fifth, but went onto finish in a three-way tie for first with Boise State and Fresno State en route to its 19th conference championship. SDSU has ended up at or better than its projected finish in five straight seasons and eight times over the past nine years.
San Diego State garnered 172 points, just two shy of two-time defending champion Fresno State's 174. Both the Aztecs and the Bulldogs picked up 15 first-place votes apiece, while Nevada had the other three and had 130 points for third in the West Division. UNLV (95), San José State (87) and Hawai'i (35) rounded out the West.
SDSU received 15 first-place votes after earning just seven total over the previous 15 preseason polls. The only other time San Diego State received multiple first-place votes in the poll was in the MW inaugural season of 1999 when it had four first-place votes. The Aztecs had one first-place vote apiece in 2001, 2012 and 2013.
Boise State paced the Mountain Division with 183 points, including 20 first-place votes. Utah State came in second with 176 and 12 first-place votes and Colorado State was third with 135 and the other first-place vote. Wyoming (90), New Mexico (56) and Air Force (53) were picked fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Mountain Division.
SDSU is the only school to play road games against the predicted winners of each division (Boise State and Fresno State). Additionally, San Diego State plays at Nevada, the team picked right behind the Aztecs in the preseason poll.
SDSU also landed two players on the preseason all-conference team in sophomore running back Donnel Pumphrey and senior defensive back J.J. Whittaker. San Diego State joined Boise State, Fresno State and Utah State as the only teams to have at least one player each on the offensive and defensive team, and has now had multiple selections on the preseason all-MW team in a school-record five consecutive seasons. The two preseason all-conference selections, however, are the fewest since the Aztecs had one player on the 2009 team.
Pumphrey, who earlier this month was named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List (top running back), is the lone underclassmen on the preseason all-MW team (offense, defense or special teams) and the first SDSU sophomore named to the team since back-to-back 1,500-yard rusher Ronnie Hillman in 2011. It is the sixth preseason honor for Pumphrey. He also received first-team all-MW recognition by Athlon Sports and second-team honors by Lindy's Sports, and was chosen as San Diego State's Most Valuable Player and a Player to Watch by Lindy's Sports.
As a true freshman in 2013, Pumphrey rushed for 752 yards and eight rushing touchdowns on 125 carries (6.0 avg.), while adding 22 catches for 234 yards (10.6 avg.) and another two scores. He was one of just two freshmen in the country (and the only freshman in program history) and 19 players overall to record at least 750 rushing yards and 230 receiving yards.
Whittaker, who was named to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List (best defensive back) earlier this month, is one of seven seniors on the defensive side of the ball on the preseason all-conference team. The Aztecs have now had a defensive back on the preseason all-MW team in four straight seasons (also Nat Berhe in 2013, Leon McFadden in 2011-12). Whittaker has also earned preseason first-team accolades from Athlon Sports, Lindy's, Phil Steele and Sporting News, and was named the "Best Cover Corner" and a "Player to Watch" by Lindy's.
Last season, Whittaker had 32 tackles (24 solo) along with 11 pass breakups, three interceptions, a forced fumble and two tackles for loss en route to all-MW honorable mention accolades. Whittaker missed the first three years (2010-12) of his collegiate career with various injuries.
SDSU returns 12 starters and 35 letterwinners from a team that finished 8-5 overall and 6-2 in Mountain West play a year ago, culminating with a victory over Buffalo, 49-24, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. With its bowl game appearance, San Diego State became one of only 29 teams in the nation, and one of just five non-BCS schools, to play in a bowl game in each of the last four seasons.
The Aztecs kick off the 2014 season on Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. PT, when they welcome Northern Arizona to Qualcomm Stadium.
Season tickets and all individual home football game tickets are currently on sale through GoAztecs.com, the SDSU athletic ticket office (619) 283-SDSU or Qualcomm Stadium, Window E (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).
2014 Mountain West Preseason Poll
West Division
1. Fresno State (15 first-place votes) - 174
2. San Diego State (15) - 172
3. Nevada (3) - 130
4. UNLV - 95
5. San José State - 87
6. Hawai'i - 35
Mountain Division
1. Boise State (20) - 183
2. Utah State (12) - 176
3. Colorado State (1) - 135
4. Wyoming - 90
5. New Mexico - 56
6. Air Force - 53
2014 Mountain West Football Preseason All-Conference Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Chuckie Keeton, Sr., QB, Utah State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Derron Smith, Sr., DB, Fresno State
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year: Carlos Wiggins, Jr., KR, New Mexico
Offense
QB Chuckie Keeton, Sr., Utah State
WR Matt Miller, Sr., Boise State
WR Devante Davis, Sr., UNLV
RB Donnel Pumphrey, So., San Diego State
RB Jay Ajayi, Jr., Boise State
OL Ty Sambrailo, Sr., Colorado State
OL Cody Wichmann, Sr., Fresno State
OL LaMar Bratton, Sr., New Mexico
OL Brett Boyko, Sr., UNLV
OL Robert Waterman, Sr., UNLV
TE Kivon Cartwright, Sr., Colorado State
Defense
DL Tyeler Davison, Sr., Fresno State
DL Brock Hekking, Sr., Nevada
DL B.J. Larsen, Sr., Utah State
DL Eddie Yarbrough, Jr., Wyoming
LB Ejiro Ederaine, Jr., Fresno State
LB Kyler Fackrell, Jr., Utah State
LB Zach Vigil, Sr., Utah State
DB J.J. Whittaker, Sr., San Diego State
DB Donte Deayon, Jr., Boise State
DB Jeremy Ioane, Sr., Boise State
DB Derron Smith, Sr., Fresno State
Specialists
P Garrett Swanson, Jr., Fresno State
PK Jared Roberts, Sr., Colorado State
RET Carlos Wiggins, Jr., New Mexico