Dec. 14, 2015
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State senior fullback Dakota Gordon (Clovis, Calif.) and junior tight end Daniel Brunskill (Valley Center, Calif.) have each been named Pro Football Focus All-Americans, the website announced today. Pro Football Focus grades and analyzes every snap of all 850-plus FBS games to select the top players at each position.
Gordon earned first-team accolades from the website, while Brunskill was an honorable-mention selection.
Of Gordon, PFF's Steve Palazzolo wrote, "… Gordon stood out as a strong blocker while also being the only fullback to play more than 600 snaps (he finished with 723). Gordon's +31.0 grade as a blocker dwarfed the next closest competitor and he added a +4.6 grade as a runner for good measure."
A team captain, Gordon has started all 13 games this season, rushing 34 times for 180 yards (5.3 avg.) with two touchdowns and adding eight catches for 109 yards (13.6 avg.)
Brunskill, meanwhile, graded out as the fourth-ranked tight end on the website, joining Iowa's George Kittle and Arkansas' Hunter Henry as honorable-mention picks. UTSA's David Morgan II was the first-team selection, while Western Kentucky's Tyler Higbee was on the second team.
An honorable-mention all-Mountain West pick by the league's head coaches and media, Brunskill has started all 13 games at tight end, recording 10 catches for 112 yards (11.2 avg.) and two touchdowns.
Two other SDSU players - junior running back Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas) and Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo.) - were also featured in Zoltan Buday's article "PFF's Non-Power5 Dream Team: Best Players at Every Position." Pumphrey was the top running back on the list, while Munson was the No. 2 linebacker.
Of Pumphrey, Buday wrote, "After a slow start, Pumphrey reached 100 rushing yards in all of his last eight regular season games and graded below +1.0 in only one of his last nine games. He also proved to be a threat as a receiver out of the backfield and became a nightmare for defenders to tackle. He was at his best against Utah State in Week 8 where he averaged 4.7 yards after contact and forced nine missed tackles en route to 181 rushing yards and two touchdowns." According to the website, Pumphrey forced 76 missed tackles, second only to LSU's Leonard Fournette this year, and is at +19.0 on the season.
On Munson, Buday wrote, "Munson was one of the most exceptionally versatile linebackers in college football. He ranks among the best 25 linebackers in the nation in rushing the passer, coverage and run defense as well. He did, however, have a brief slump in Weeks 2 and 3, he graded out above +1.0 in 8 of his last 10 games. He recorded three sacks, two hits and two hurries in Week 7 against San Jose State." The website also wrote that Munson allowed just a passer rating of 42.7, the second lowest in the nation among linebackers who were targeted at least 20 times. He has a +32.7 mark heading into the bowl game.
To see who PFF grades and analyses players, click here.
San Diego State (10-3) plays Cincinnati (7-5) on Dec. 24 in the Hawai'i Bowl. The Aztecs have won their last nine games, the third-longest active streak in the nation. SDSU finished a perfect 8-0 record in the Mountain West regular season and defeated Air Force, 27-24, on Dec. 5 in the 2015 Sports Authority MW Championship for the school's 20th conference title. San Diego State is one of just 25 schools to advance to six straight bowl games and one of just three "Group of 5" programs.
Tickets for the Hawai'i Bowl are on sale now and available for $45 with no limit on the amount of tickets allowed to be purchased. Season-ticket holders will be given priority seat placement (by points). Additionally, a special ticket and tailgate combo is available for $70. Fans also have the opportunity to sponsor a spirit squad member, a member of the military or a youth for $45.
Tickets are available through GoAztecs.com, Qualcomm Window E or by calling (619) 283-7378.