SAN DIEGO – San Diego State junior linebacker Kyahva Tezino was presented with the John Simcox Memorial Trophy as the Aztecs' 2018 Most Valuable Player at the team's annual banquet Sunday inside Montezuma Hall on the SDSU campus.
Tezino also collected the Byron H. Chase Memorial Defensive Player of the Year award after compiling 120 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries thus far during the 2018 campaign. The Los Angeles native leads the MW in solo tackles per game (5.58, 19th in FBS) while tying for second in sacks (8.5) and ranking third in tackles for loss (14.5).
Tezino, whose 120 tackles are the third most by an SDSU player with a junior class standing, has led the Aztecs in tackles in seven straight games and 10 times this season. Additionally, he has reached the double-digit plateau in tackles on six occasions this year, including 15 apiece against Air Force and at Fresno State, landing a spot on the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Team of the Week three times.
Not to be outdone, Tezino shared the Dr. R. Hardy/C.E. Peterson 2018 Captain's Awards with seniors John Baron II, Christian Chapman and Ronley Lakalaka.
Meanwhile, junior quarterback Ryan Agnew was named the Byron H. Chase Offensive Player of the Year after leading San Diego State to a 6-1 record during the regular season in relief of Chapman, who was injured in the second game of the year vs. Sacramento State on Sept. 8.
For the season, Agnew has completed 104 of 199 passes for 1,525 yards and 10 touchdowns with five interceptions en route to a 128.19 pass efficiency rating. The Southlake, Texas, product occupies the eighth spot nationally among FBS players (1st in MW) in passing yards per completion (14.66) and ranks fifth in the Mountain West in passing yards per attempt (7.66, 48th in FBS), eighth in pass efficiency rating (128.19), passing yards (1,525), passing yards per game (138.84) and total offense (150.50).
Elsewhere, Baron garnered Most Valuable Special Teams Player accolades after receiving second-team all-conference recognition from the MW last month at placekicker.
A Lou Groza Award national semifinalist, Baron has connected on 17-of-22 field-goal attempts, including all five from 50 yards and out. In the regular-season finale vs. Hawai'i on Nov. 24, the Temecula, Calif., native drilled a 53-yard field goal, 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, Baron 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 is tied for the top spot in PAT percentage (1.000). He is also 13th in touchback percentage (.721, No. 1 in MW) and 20th in field goals per game (1.42, No. 2 in MW).
Sophomore Keith Ismael was named Offensive Lineman of the Year, while senior Noble Hall took home Defensive Lineman of the Year honors.
A first-team all-Mountain West selection in 2018, Ismael started 11 of the team's 12 games, including six times at center and 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 also committed just two penalties in 759 snaps (0.26 pct.) and has allowed only three sacks.
Hall, meanwhile, received all-MW honorable mention after recording 35 tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries, two blocked PATs and an interception. A product of Las Vegas, Nev., Hall missed two games this year while battling a wrist injury, but still contributed to an outfit that leads the MW in rushing defense (94.5), first downs (195), fourth down percentage (.385) while ranking second in scoring defense (21.8), and third in total defense (327.4).
Other honorees from Sunday's festivities included senior safety Marc Ellis and junior cornerback Ron Smith, who each merited the President's Award for High Athletic and Academic Excellence, while Baron and Lakalaka were co-recipients of the Most Inspirational Player award.
In addition, the Outstanding Freshman award was shared between running back/kick returner Jordan Byrd and defensive back Darren Hall.
Four student-athletes were presented with Scout Team Player of the Year awards, including Kashan Griffin and Jesse Matthews on offense, Josh Bornes on defense and Andrew Alves on special teams.
SDSU (7-5) will square off against Ohio (8-4) in the DXL Frisco Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 19 in Frisco, Texas. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT.
Tickets for the DXL Frisco Bowl are on sale online at GoAztecs.com, in person (SDCCU Stadium Window E) and over the phone ((619) 283-7378).
2018 Aztec Football Team Awards
John Simcox Memorial Trophy
Most Valuable Player
Kyahva Tezino
Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy
Offensive Player of the Year
Ryan Agnew
Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy
Defensive Player of the Year
Kyahva Tezino
Most Valuable Special Teams Player
John Baron II
Dr. R. Hardy/C.E. Peterson Memorial Trophy
Captain's Awards
John Baron II
Christian Chapman
Kyahva Tezino
Ronley Lakalaka
Most Inspirational Player
John Baron II
Ronley Lakalaka
President's Award for High Athletic and Academic Excellence
Marc Ellis
Ron Smith
Outstanding Freshman Award
Jordan Byrd
Darren Hall
Offensive Lineman of the Year
Keith Ismael
Defensive Lineman of the Year
Noble Hall
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year
Kashan Griffin
Jesse Matthews
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year
Josh Bornes
Special Teams Scout Team Player of the Year
Andrew Alves
Football Presents Team Awards at Annual Banquet
