SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State's Parker Houston and Keith Ismael each were named to preseason watch lists recognized by the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) on Friday. Houston made the Mackey Award Watch list, which goes out to the outstanding collegiate tight end, while Ismael landed on the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the nation's outstanding center.
Houston is coming off a junior season in 2018 when he started all 13 games at tight end, recording 16 passes for 178 yards (11.1 avg.), two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion. The Sparks, Nev., is one of 60 tight ends on the initial watch list.
For his career, Houston has 27 catches for 266 yards (9.9 avg.) with three touchdowns, starting 24 of his 36 career games played. His 36 straight games played is the second-longest streak on the team.
NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position.
The 2019 Mackey Award recipient will be announced on Dec. 11 and then presented live on Dec. 12 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU.
Ismael, meanwhile, racked up his third preseason accolade after being named a first-team all-Mountain West pick by both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Magazine last month. Last season, Ismael was a first-team all-Mountain West selection, the team's offensive lineman of the year and was on the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Offensive Team of the Year. He started all 12 games he appeared in, including six games at center, five at right guard and once at left guard.
For his career, Ismael is a two-time all-MW pick and has started all 25 games he has played in.
The Rimington Trophy is named after Dave Rimington, who was a consensus first-team All-America center at Nebraska in 1981 and 1982. The winner will be recognized at the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Neb., on Jan. 18, 2020.
The Aztecs finished 2018 with a 7-6 record, including wins over No. 23/25 Arizona State and rv/No. 24 Boise State. SDSU is one of 14 teams to make a bowl game in nine consecutive seasons. San Diego State returns its leading passer (Ryan Agnew), rusher (Juwan Washington) and tackler (Kyahva Tezino) from a year ago.
SDSU's Mountain West home schedule features the two teams that finished atop the West Division standings last year (Fresno State and Nevada), and two cross-division opponents with the best league record (Utah State) and the third-best mark on the Mountain Division (Wyoming). Overall, San Diego State's four Mountain West home games come against teams that went a combined 23-9 in league competition, while its four conference road contests are against teams that went 10-22 in league play.
The Aztecs kick off their 2019 season at home on Saturday, Aug. 31 against Weber State at 6 p.m. PT, followed by the KGB SkyShow.
For more ticket information, visit GoAztecs.com, call (619) 283-7378 or visit SDCCU Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT.
Houston and Ismael Earn National Preseason Honors
