July 12, 2016
BRUSH PRAIRIE, Wash. -
2016 SDSU FOOTBALL PRESEASON ACCOLADES
San Diego State senior football player Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo.) has been named to the Butkus Award Watch List, which is given to the nation's top linebacker at the collegiate, prep and professional levels.
Munson led the Aztecs in multiple categories in 2015 at linebacker, 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 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). He eventually was named a first-team all-Mountain West performer and a third-team All-American by Phil Steele Magazine.
Munson is one of only four players from the MW on the 2016 watch list and one of just 10 from a Group of Five conference. Munson is the first SDSU player to be named to the preseason list since Miles Burris in 2011 and is just one of five Aztecs to ever be named to the preseason Butkus Award watch list (Kirk Morrison made the list on three occasions).
Munson is now on four preseason lists, including the Butkus (national linebacker of the year), Nagurski (national defensive player of the year), Bednarik (collegiate defensive player of the year) and the Lott IMPACT (integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity). Additionally, he has been named the preseason MW defensive player of the year by ESPN College Football 2016, and a first-team all-MW selection by five national publications - ESPN, Phil Steele's 2016 College Football Preview, Sporting News, Lindy's Sports and Athlon Sports.
The Aztecs are coming off an 11-3 season where they 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.
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.
The Butkus Award Watch List (National Linebacker of the Year)
LB Calvin Munson, Sr.