June 29, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
2016 SDSU FOOTBALL PRESEASON ACCOLADES
San Diego State senior offensive lineman Nico Siragusa (Chula Vista, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic High) has been named a preseason second-team All-American selection by Phil Steele's 2016 College Football Preview magazine.
Siragusa was joined on the preseason all-MW first team by senior running back Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas), senior cornerback Damontae Kazee (San Bernardino, Calif.) and senior linebacker Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo.), and junior kick returner Rashaad Penny (Norwalk, Calif.). Senior defensive end Alex Barrett (Mesa, Ariz.) landed on the second team, while senior offensive tackle Kwayde Miller (Ramona, Calif./Ramona High), senior defensive end Kyle Kelley (Irvine, Calif.) and senior safety Malik Smith (Compton, Calif.) earned third-team honors.
Kazee, Munson, Pumphrey and Siragusa are now on the preseason all-MW first team in five publications (Phil Steele's 2016 College Football Preview, ESPN College Football, Sporting News, Athlon Sports and Lindy's Sports).
The magazine also projected the Aztecs as the West Division winners, but falling to Boise State in the MW Championship game, and playing Brigham Young in the Poinsettia Bowl. SDSU is also just outside the top 25 at 28th and is listed as the third-best non-Power 5 team.
San Diego State is coming off an 11-3 season where it tied a school record for the most wins in a single year, finished with a 10-game winning streak (second-longest active FBS streak heading into 2016), won the MW title (20th conference title in program history) and beat Cincinnati, 42-7, in the Hawai'i Bowl.
Siragusa anchored an offensive line that helped the Aztecs rush for a school-record 3,226 yards and have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers for the first time in program history (Pumphrey and Chase Price). He was also a first-team all-MW selection by the league's media and coaches last year. Phil Steele's 2016 College Football Preview has him as the second-best draft-eligible offensive guard.
Last year, Pumphrey rushed for 1,653 yards and 17 touchdowns on 309 attempts (5.3 avg.), while leading the team with 28 catches for 416 yards and three touchdowns en route to being named a Sports Illustrated Honorable-Mention All-American, the MW Offensive Player of the Year and an all-MW first-team selection for a second straight season. Pumphrey was also labeled as the 12th-best draft-eligible running back.
Kazee had eight interceptions in 2015, which tied for the second most in the nation, the most in SDSU's Division I era (since 1969) and in MW history. He also added 75 tackles (team-high 58 solo stops), seven pass breakups, 5.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, eventually being named a second-team USA Today All-American, a honorable-mention Sports Illustrated All-American, the MW Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-MW pick. The Phil Steele magazine also deemed him the 10th-best draft-eligible cornerback.
Munson led SDSU in multiple categories in 2015, including tackles (98), tackles for loss (15), sacks (9.5) and fumble recoveries (2, tied), while adding two interceptions (both returned for a touchdown), two forced fumbles and seven quarterback hurries. Munson and Kazee led a defense that finished among the top 10 in FBS in each of the four main categories, including fifth in total (287.3), seventh in scoring (16.4) and rushing (108.7), and 10th in passing (178.6). The magazine had him ranked as the 16th-best draft-eligible inside linebacker.
Penny returned 24 kicks last year for 804 yards (33.5 avg.) and three touchdowns. He was one of five players in FBS play to have at least three kick return touchdowns, ranking second in the nation in kick return average (33.5) and being named the MW Special Teams Player of the Year. He also added 368 rushing yards and four scores on 61 attempts (6.0 avg.) and eight catches for 120 yards (15.0 avg.) and another score. Earlier this month, Penny was named a preseason second-team All-American by Athlon Sports as a kick returner.
Barrett came up with 62 tackles a year ago with 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions (one for a touchdown) and seven quarterback hurries. Barrett was also a first-team all-MW pick last season. The magazine also named him the 33rd-best draft-eligible defensive end.
Miller, the starting left tackle in all 14 games last year, backed an offensive line that allowed only 20 sacks, ranking in a tie for 31st in the nation in sacks allowed per game (1.43).
Kelley had 24 tackles (15 solo) in 2015, including nine tackles for a loss of 47 yards, 7.5 sacks for 44 yards, a team-high eight quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a blocked kick in 14 games. He was named to the USA Today 2015 All-Bowl Team and the Associated Press 2015 All-Bowl Team after recording career highs of nine tackles (six solo), 3.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss for 25 yards in the Hawai'i Bowl.
Smith finished with 77 tackles a year ago to go along with five tackles for loss, five interceptions and a team-high nine pass breakups, while earning honorable-mention all-MW accolades for a second straight campaign. Phil Steele had Smith as the 23rd-best draft-eligible strong safety as well.
The magazine also had San Diego State as the top-rated unit in the league for linebackers (No. 15 in FBS), running backs (No. 17 in FBS), defensive line (No. 26 in FBS), defensive backs (No. 33 in FBS) and coaching staff. Additionally, the magazine projected the Aztecs as the second-best total defense this year, the No. 3 rush defense, the No. 10 rush offense, the No. 13 pass defense and the No. 15 scoring defense.
SDSU season tickets are now available and can be purchased through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting Qualcomm Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT. Fans who purchase season tickets will receive a free Donnel Pumphrey bobblehead.
The bobblehead (one per voucher while supplies last, which will be attached to the season ticket) can be picked up at either the Marketing Suite at Fowler Athletics Center (FAC1010 at the San Diego State campus) from Aug. 23-26 from 9 a.m. PT-5 p.m. PT, outside the Aztec Athletic Ticket Office (Window E) at Qualcomm Stadium from Aug. 30-Sept. 2 from 9 a.m. PT-5 p.m. PT, or before SDSU's opener on Sept. 3 vs. New Hampshire at the table in the Aztec Village (Qualcomm Parking Lot C1 / D1) from 2:30 p.m. PT-4:30 p.m. PT.
Phil Steele's 2016 College Football Review
National Ranking
28th
Predicted MW Championship Outcome
Runner-Up
Predicted West Division Finish
First
Projected Bowl
Poinsettia Bowl vs. Brigham Young
2016 Preseason All-America Team
Second Team
OG - Nico Siragusa, Sr.
2016 Preseason Mountain West Team
(SDSU athletes listed only)
First Team
RB - Donnel Pumphrey, Sr.
OG - Nico Siragusa, Sr.
LB - Calvin Munson, Sr.
CB - Damontae Kazee, Sr.
KR - Rashaad Penny, Jr.
Second Team
DE - Alex Barrett, Sr.
Third Team
OT - Kwayde Miller, Sr.
DE - Kyle Kelley, Sr.
WAR - Malik Smith, Sr.
Top FBS Units
No. 15 (linebackers)
No. 17 (running backs)
No. 26 (defensive line)
No. 31 (special teams)
No. 33 (defensive backs)
No. 37 (offensive line)
Top MW Units
No. 1 (running backs)
No. 1 (defensive line)
No. 1 (linebackers)
No. 1 (defensive backs)
No. 1 (coaching staff)
No. 2 (special teams)
Other Team Superlatives
No. 3 Non-Power 5 Team
No. 2 Projected Total Defense
No. 3 Projected Rush Defense
No. 10 Projected Rush Offense
No. 13 Projected Pass Defense
No. 15 Projected Scoring Defense