San Diego State football's Kyhava Tezino and Kaelin Himphill have each been named Mountain West Players of the Week, the league announced Monday. Tezino was chosen as the MW Defensive Player of the Week, while Himphill was named the MW Special Teams Player of the Week.
It is the first MW weekly accolades for the duo, who helped the Aztecs (5-1, 2-0 MW) beat Air Force, 21-17, Friday night at SDCCU Stadium.
Out of the 18 possible awards (offensive, defensive and special teams) for the six games that SDSU has played this season, a San Diego State player has won seven times (John Baron II special teams three times, Darren Hall defensive twice, and Tezino (defensive) and Himphill (special teams) today). Excluding the week they were idle (Oct. 1), an Aztec has won the special teams award four consecutive weeks and the defensive award three straight weeks.
A Los Angeles native, Tezino had a game and season-high 15 tackles, including 10 solo stops, while adding a pass breakup. Tezino helped limit an AFA offense that came into the weekend averaging 31.4 points, 254.8 rushing yards and 370.6 total yards per game to just 17 points, 214 rushing yards and 276 total yards. The 17 points were Air Force's fewest of the season and fewest since scoring 14 against Wyoming on Nov. 11, 2017. Tezino's 15 tackles were the second most of his career (17 vs. Army West Point on Dec. 23, 2017). He recorded his second double-digit tackle game of the season and fourth of his career (all over his last eight games), while leading the team in tackles for the eighth time of his career (all over the last 11 games).
On the season, Tezino leads SDSU in tackles (54), solo tackles (28), assisted tackles (26), tackles for loss (5.5), sacks (3.0) and quarterback hurries (11). Over the last 11 games since Tezino became a starting linebacker, he has recorded 110 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss.
Himphill, meanwhile, came up with arguably the biggest play of the game when he blocked a punt with 16 seconds left in the first half. Down, 9-7, teammate Trenton Thompson was able to pick up the ball and get into the end zone to put San Diego State on top, 14-9, heading into intermission. It was the Aztecs' first blocked punt since Kameron Kelly blocked one against UNLV on Sept. 27, 2014, and their first blocked punt return for a touchdown since Freddy Keiaho did so against New Mexico on Oct. 22, 2005. The Aztecs now have 20 special teams touchdowns (14 kick return, five punt return and one punt block) in the Rocky Long era (since 2011).
A Hillsboro, Ore., native, Himphill has played in five of the team's six games on the season, all on special teams.
SDSU, which is receiving votes in both the AP Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll, plays host to San José State (0-6, 0-2 MW) at 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday.
Tickets are still available for Saturday's game. The Aztec Ticket Office, located at SDCCU Stadium Window E, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid long lines on game day.
Student tickets for Aztec football games are now mobile and can be accessed at SDSUStudentTix.com, starting the Monday before each home game at 9 a.m. Current enrolled students receive free admission to each regular-season home game. To access the mobile tickets, students should simply visit SDSUStudentTix.com on their iPhone or Android device, and log in with their preferred email address on file with the Registrar's Office for their tickets to be automatically delivered to their phone prior to each home game. Students are also able to purchase up to two (2) student guest tickets directly from SDSUStudentTix.com.