June 5, 2015
SAN DIEGO - Athlon Sports has predicted that the San Diego State football team will win the West Division of the Mountain West. Both Sporting News and Athlon Sports now have the Aztecs winning the west, but falling to Boise State in the MW Championship.
The magazine has SDSU taking first and playing Louisiana Tech in the New Mexico Bowl. Following San Diego State in the west is Nevada, Fresno State, San Jose State, Hawai'i and UNLV, according to the magazine.
Athlon Sports also has eight Aztecs on the preseason all-MW team, including three - junior running back Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas, Nev.), junior cornerback Damontae Kazee (San Bernardino, Calif.) and senior kicker Donny Hageman (Covina, Calif.) - on the first team and five - senior offensive lineman Darrell Greene (Oakley, Calif.), junior defensive lineman Alex Barrett (Mesa, Ariz.), junior linebacker Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo.), senior cornerback J.J. Whittaker (Oceanside, Calif.) and junior punt returner Lloyd Mills (Chandler, Ariz.) - on the second team.
Pumphrey, who was also named a first-team pick by Phil Steele and Sporting News, earned first-team honors with Athlon Sports as well. Last year, Pumphrey set a San Diego State single-season record with 1,867 yards and 20 touchdowns on 276 carries, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt. He also caught 23 passes for 260 yards (12.3 avg.) en route to being named a first-team all-MW performer. Pumphrey also was named the league's No. 1 running back.
Kazee was the only Aztec on the defensive team, despite SDSU retuning eight starters from a squad that finished 2014 with national ranks of 10th in passing (178.5), 13th in scoring (19.8), 16th in total (332.5) and 19th in pass efficiency (112.10). A second-team all-MW selection as a sophomore last year and also a preseason first-team selection by Sporting News and second-team pick by Phil Steele this year, Kazee totaled 58 tackles (40 solo), four tackles for loss, an interception, a fumble recovery and a team-high 13 pass breakups.
Like Pumphrey, Hageman picked up his third first-team honor (also Phil Steele and Sporting News) of the preseason after finishing 20-for-25 on field goal attempts and a perfect 37-for-37 in PAT's last year as a junior. The 20 field goals ended up setting a San Diego State school record, while the field goal percentage (80.0) ranked fifth all-time.
Leading the second-team Aztecs was Greene, who garnered first-team accolades by Phil Steele earlier this week. Greene blocked for Pumphrey and helped SDSU rush for 2,809 yards last year, averaging 216.1 yards per game, and 26 touchdowns. The 2,809 rushing yards were the second most in school history, while the 216.1 yards per game ranked 26th in the country. Greene also backed an offensive line that ranked ninth in the nation in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.46) and tied for 42nd in sacks allowed per game (1.77). Greene was an honorable-mention all-MW pick last year.
Barrett had 39 tackles (21 solo), nine tackles for loss, three sacks, three PBUs, six quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a blocked kick, despite missing the final three games with a leg injury. Barrett, who earned honorable-mention all-conference honors, earlier this week was named to the Phil Steele's College Football Magazine preseason first team.
Munson had a solid true sophomore season in 2014, recording 83 tackles (54 solo), along with team highs of 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, four interceptions (for 146 yards and a touchdown) and two forced fumbles (tied). An honorable-mention all-MW pick last year, Munson was named the league's defensive player of the year by writer David Fox.
Whittaker, who was a second-team all-MW selection last year and a preseason second-team pick by Phil Steele this year, accounted for 63 tackles (43 solo), two tackles for loss, two interceptions and six PBUs.
Mills, who also had 22 catches and a touchdown for 310 yards (14.1 avg.), returned 18 punts for 205 yards and a touchdown, averaging 11.4 yards per return. The 11.4 punt return average ranked 11th in the nation and got him second-team all-MW accolades. It's his second preseason all-conference nod, also earning second-team honors as a punt returner by Phil Steele.
Other awards from Athlon Sports include Rocky Long (MW Coach of the Year by writer Mitch Light), Maxwell Smith (MW Top Newcomer by writers Steven Lassan and Mitch Light) and Desean Holmes (Top MW Incoming Freshman).
The Aztecs, one of 27 schools to play in a bowl game each of the last five seasons and one of just three from the "Group of 5" conferences, finished 2014 with a 7-6 record and 5-3 in MW action.
SDSU kicks off the season Sept. 5 vs. San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium.
Deposits for new season tickets are currently underway and can be secured by calling the Aztec Ticket Office at (619) 283-7378 or online at GoAztecs.com.
Athlon Sports
2015 Preseason Mountain West Team
(SDSU athletes listed only)
First Team
RB - Donnel Pumphrey, Jr.
CB - Damontae Kazee, Jr.
K - Donny Hageman, Sr.
Second Team
OL - Darrell Greene, Sr.
DL - Alex Barrett, Jr.
LB - Calvin Munson, Jr.
CB - J.J. Whittaker, Sr.
PR - Lloyd Mills, Jr.
Mountain West Coach of the Year (from writer Mitch Light)
Rocky Long
Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year (from writer David Fox)
LB - Calvin Munson, So.
No. 1 Running Back in the Mountain West
RB - Donnel Pumphrey, Jr.
Mountain West Top Newcomer (from writers Steven Lassan and Mitch Light)
QB - Maxwell Smith, Sr.
Top Mountain West Incoming Freshman
WR - Desean Holmes, Fr.