COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- San Diego State football sophomore offensive lineman Keith Ismael and junior linebacker Kyahva Tezino were each named first-team all-Mountain West, the league announced Wednesday.
The Aztecs had three other players make the second team in senior offensive lineman Ryan Pope, sophomore Warrior (safety) Tariq Thompson and senior kicker John Baron II. Junior running back Juwan Washington, junior tight end Kahale Warring, senior Aztec (safety) Parker Baldwin, senior defensive tackle Noble Hall and junior punter Brandon Heicklen, meanwhile, were honorable mention selections.
The all-conference awards are voted on by the league coaches and various media members from the league.
A second-team all-MW pick last year as a redshirt freshman, Ismael improved to first team this season after starting 11 of the team's 12 games, including six times at center and five times at right guard. A three-time honoree for the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Team of the Week this year, Ismael has graded out as the second-best center (per PFF) in the league despite playing 294 of his 759 snaps at right guard. The Oakland, Calif., native, who has the best run blocking grade in the league (per PFF), has committed just two penalties in 759 snaps (0.26 pct.) and has allowed only three sacks. An Aztec offensive lineman has now made the first or second team nine straight seasons (since 2010)
Tezino, meanwhile, has put together one of the most prolific defensive seasons in recent memory at SDSU, totaling 120 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries, all marks which lead the team by a wide margin. Tezino, who along with teammate Darren Hall are the only two athletes to win the MW Defensive Player-of-the-Week award multiple times this season, leads the MW in solo tackles per game (5.58, 20th in FBS), while ranking in a tie for second in tackles for loss (14.5) and sacks (8.5). Tezino, who's 120 tackles are the third most by an Aztec in a junior season, has led San Diego State in tackles in seven straight games and 10 times this season. Additionally, the Los Angeles native has reached double digits in tackles six times this year in 12 games, including 15 apiece against Air Force and at Fresno State, being named to the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Team of the Week three times. Tezino joined Calvin Munson (2015-16) and Miles Burris (2010-11) as the only SDSU linebackers to earn first team in the Rocky Long defensive coordinator era (since 2009).
Pope, a two-time Pro Football Focus Mountain West Team of the Week honoree, made his first all-conference team after being one of just two Aztecs to start all 12 games on the offensive line. Pope (Long Beach, Calif.) started the first 10 at right tackle before moving over to left tackle the last two games. The Aztecs' best pass blocker (according to Pro Football Focus), Pope has allowed just two sacks in 371 snaps (0.05 pct.). Pope and Ismael have blocked for a team that has had injuries to its all-time winningest starting quarterback (six games), starting running back and Maxwell Award Watch List member (four games) and starting fullback (four games).
Thompson (San Diego/St. Augustine HS) made the second team for a second consecutive season, recording 53 tackles so far to go along with four tackles for loss, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Thompson, who leads the team in PBUs and forced fumbles, and is tied for the lead in interceptions and fumble recoveries, has made the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Team of the Week a team-high four times this year, while being graded out as the top safety (13th nationally) by PFF (as of Nov. 16).
Baron also earned second-team honors after making the first team in 2016. A Lou Groza Award semifinalist, Baron was named the MW Special Teams Player of the Week a league-record-tying five times this season, making 17-of-22 field goal attempts, including all five from 50-plus yards. Last Saturday, Baron made a 53-yard field goal against Hawai'i, joining UCLA's Kai Forbath (2007) as the only players since at least 1996 to make all five of their field goal attempts from 50-plus yards in the same season. Additionally, the Temecula, Calif., native has a FBS-leading three game-winning field goals (last five minutes of 4th quarter or OT which gave team a lead it would never relinquish), tied for the most in a season in the FBS overtime era (since 1996). Among the FBS leaders, Baron ranks first in 50-yard field goals (5) and PAT percentage (1.000), 13th in touchback percentage (.721, No. 1 in MW) and 20th in field goals per game (1.42, No. 2 in MW).
Washington led the honorable mention Aztecs after rushing for 870 yards and 10 touchdowns so far, averaging 108.8 yards per game. Among the Mountain West leaders, Washington ranks second in yards per game (108.8, No. 13 in FBS, min. 180 att.), fourth in rushing touchdowns (10, No. 49 in FBS) and yards per carry (4.8, min. 180 att.), and sixth in rushing yards (870). Despite missing 4 ½ games due to injury, the Kennedale, Texas, native ranks third in the MW with 13 runs of at least 15 yards and fifth with 40 avoided tackles (according to Pro Football Focus). Earlier this season, Washington joined Marshall Faulk and Rashaad Penny as the only Aztecs to start their season with back-to-back 150-yard rushing games, and now has four 100-yard games on the year. A SDSU running back has now made the all-MW team every season since 2010 (nine straight overall).
On the Mackey Award Watch List, Warring (Sonora, Calif.) made his first all-league team, catching a team-high 31 passes for 372 yards (12.0 avg.) and a team-high-tying three touchdown receptions. A two-time member of the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Team of the Week, Warring ranks in a tie for second in the MW in receiving touchdowns (3), and third in receptions (31) and receiving yards (372).
Playing the signature "Aztec" position in Rocky Long's 3-3-5 defense, Baldwin became an honorable mention pick for a second straight season, recording the second most tackles on the team (94) so far. Baldwin, who's 94 tackles only trail Tezino (120) and are 41 more than No. 3, ranks 11th in the league in tackles per game (7.8). The Siloam Springs, Ark., native has two games with double digits in tackles, and landed on the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Team of the Week for his play at No. 13/13 Stanford (11 tackles, 1 TFL).
Hall, a Las Vegas native, became a first-time all-MW selection by recording 35 tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries, two blocked PATs and an interception. Hall, who missed two games this year while battling a wrist injury, backs a defense that leads the MW in rushing (94.5), first downs (195), fourth down percentage (.385), and ranks second in scoring (21.8), and third in total (327.4).
The final Aztec on the list, Heicklen has punted 63 times for 2,652 yards (42.1 avg.) with a long of 58 yards. Heicklen ranks third in the MW (24th in FBS) in net punt average (40.1) with 26 of his 63 punts landing inside the 20-yard line, including 11 inside the 10 and seven inside the 5. The Tarzana, Calif., native went 52 punts to start the year and 81 overall without recording a touchback, and has just one touchback in 63 punts on the season (1.6 pct.). If you take away the 12 times he has punted inside his opponent's territory, he has punted 51 times for a 43.9 average.
San Diego State (7-5) awaits a possible bowl destination on Sunday (Dec. 2).
2018 Mountain West All-Conference Football Awards (SDSU winners only)
First Team
OL Keith Ismael, So.
LB Kyahva Tezino, Jr.
Second Team
OL Ryan Pope, Sr.
DB Tariq Thompson, So.
K John Baron II, Sr.
Honorable Mention
RB Juwan Washington, RB
TE Kahale Warring, Jr.
DB Parker Baldwin, Sr.
DL Noble Hall, Sr.
P Brandon Heicklen, Jr.