COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- San Diego State had 14 players earn 2019 All-Mountain West football postseason honors, the league announced Wednesday.
A league-high-tying five Aztecs made the first team, including four on the defensive side of the ball in senior linebacker Kyahva Tezino, senior cornerback Luq Barcoo, and defensive linemen Myles Cheatum and Cameron Thomas. Junior center Keith Ismael was the lone SDSU representative on the offensive first team.
Leading the way on the second team were seniors Parker Houston (tight end) and Daishawn Dixon (left guard), along with junior Warrior (safety) Tariq Thompson and sophomore defensive end Keshawn Banks.
San Diego State also had five honorable-mention selections in senior punter Brandon Heicklen, junior Aztec (safety) Dwayne Johnson Jr., sophomore cornerback Darren Hall, and redshirt freshmen William Dunkle (right guard) and Matt Araiza (kicker).
The 14 all-league picks match the most by an Aztec squad since 2001 (16) and are tied with Air Force for the second most in the MW, while the five first-team honorees are tied with Boise State for tops in the league. In all, SDSU had eight defensive players make all-conference, four offensive players and two special teamers.
The all-conference awards are voted on by the league coaches and various media members from the league.
Tezino has led a defensive unit that tops the MW in scoring defense (12.8), total defense (288.7), rush defense (72.3) and pass efficiency defense (113.4), among other categories. The San Diego State defense ranks among the top 10 in the nation in rush defense (3rd), scoring defense (5th), interceptions (6th, 15), total defense (7th) and first downs allowed (8th, 190).
Tezino, who is on the first team for the second straight year, leads the Aztecs in tackles (96) and quarterback hurries (22), while adding nine tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception and two pass breakups. A member of the watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award (college defensive player of the year), Bronko Nagurski Award (defensive player of the year) and Butkus Award (nation's best linebacker), Tezino is the fourth-highest graded inside linebacker in the country by Pro Football Focus, and has been named to the PFF MW Team of the Week four times this season. The MW Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 9 for his play at UCLA (9 tackles, 1.0 SCK, 1.5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 QBH), Tezino has three games this year with double-digits in tackles, including 13 tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack at Colorado State. Tezino, who has also been named a PFF honorable-mention All-American this season, is just the fourth Aztec linebacker to earn multiple all-MW first team honors for his career, joining Calvin Munson (2015-16), Miles Burris (2010-11) and Kirk Morrison (2002-04).
Barcoo, meanwhile, leads the country in total passes defended (INT + PBU) (24) and passes defended per game (2.00), and is tied for the lead in total interceptions (8), pass breakups (16) and interceptions per game (0.67). A semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back) and a PFF honorable-mention All-American, Barcoo has been named to the PFF MW Team of the Week six times this year (in 12 chances). Barcoo, the top-graded cornerback in the league by PFF, had a career game at Colorado State when he had six tackles and three interceptions on consecutive snaps, the first time that has occurred since at least 2012 and likely the first time in NCAA history, en route to being named the Jim Thorpe Award Player of the Week and MW Defensive Player of the Week. He has added 51 tackles (41 solo) on the year, including five tackles for loss.
A senior, Cheatum made his first all-conference team after finishing the regular season with 39 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, a team-high five sacks, 12 quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. Among the MW leaders, Cheatum ranks in tie for sixth in sacks and a tie for ninth in tackles for loss.
A redshirt freshman, Thomas joined Cheatum on the first team after recording 45 tackles so far, including 8.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. A four-time PFF Mountain West Team of the Week selection, Thomas is graded as the top defensive tackle in the MW and 13th best in FBS play, and third-best defensive lineman overall in the MW (according to PFF). Thomas and Cheatum gave San Diego State two defensive linemen on an all-conference first team for the first time since 1974 when it was in the five-team Pacific Coast Athletic Association.
Ismael is the final San Diego State player on the all-conference first team, making the top squad for the second straight season and third time overall (also second team as a redshirt freshman in 2017). A member of the Outland Trophy Watch List (top interior lineman) and Rimington Trophy Watch List (nation's most outstanding center), Ismael is the only Aztec to play every snap this season (881 on offense), where PFF has graded him out as the second-best center in the nation. PFF also ranks him as the second-best pass blocker and sixth-best run blocker, and the top offensive lineman in the league regardless of position. Ismael has allowed just one sack in 366 passing plays (0.27 pct.) and has only recorded three penalties in 881 snaps (0.34 pct.). Ismael is just the second SDSU offensive lineman to make a pair of MW first teams (also Nico Siragusa, 2015-16) and the only one to make three first or second teams.
Houston earned all-conference accolades for the first time, leading the four San Diego State players on the second team. For the season, Houston has 17 catches for 143 yards (8.4 avg.), while playing H-back as well for the first time of his career. Houston, who was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (academic success, football performance and leadership), and on the watch list for the Mackey Award Watch List (outstanding collegiate tight end) and Wuerffel Trophy Watch List (community service, athletic and academic achievement), has played the fifth-most snaps (678) in the league among tight ends. It is the fifth straight year an Aztec tight end has earned all-conference.
Like Houston, Dixon made the all-MW team for the first time. A three-year starter, Dixon made the PFF National Team of the Week and the PFF MW team of the Week on Sept. 17 for his play at New Mexico State. A durable player throughout his career, Dixon has played 848 snaps at left guard, only missing the first half of the Hawai'i game while battling a flu. He finished the regular season with the fourth-highest pass block grade in the league among guards, not allowing a sack in the 848 snaps and recording just two accepted penalties.
Banks also made the all-MW team for the first time in his first year as a starter. On the year, Banks has recorded 41 tackles, including a team-high 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, a pass breakup and nine quarterback hurries. He ranks in a tie for third in the league in tackles for loss, while ranking just outside the top 10 in sacks. Banks has posted highs this season of five tackles (five times), two tackles for loss (twice) and two sacks at New Mexico State.
Thompson, meanwhile, made the second team for a third consecutive season, recording 51 tackles so far to go along with three tackles for loss, a sack, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries for 48 yards, a forced fumble and eight pass breakups. A member of the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List (top defensive back), Thompson is a three-time member of the PFF MW Team of the Week, including a monster game in the finale vs. Brigham Young (9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR). On the season, Thompson is tied for the league lead and ranks fifth in FBS with three fumble recoveries, while ranking in a tie for eighth in the MW in passes defended per game (0.92). Thompson is the first Aztec safety to make a MW first or second team three times in league history.
A member of the Ray Guy Award Watch List, Heicklen is an honorable mention selection for the second straight season after punting 67 times for 3,043 yards (45.4 avg.). Heicklen, who ranks third in SDSU single-season history in punt average (45.42), leads the Mountain West in punt yards (3,043, 9th in FBS), punt yards per game (253.58, 9th in FBS), punts (67, T-14th in FBS) and punts per game (5.58, T-15th in FBS). A three-time MW Special Teams Player of the Week winner, including each of the past two weeks, 32 of Heicklen's 67 punts have finished inside the 20-yard line, including 12 of his last 15 punts.
Johnson Jr. also earned honorable-mention accolades in his first year as a starter. For the season, he ranks second on the team with 86 tackles (50 solo) to go along with 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and five pass breakups. Johnson, a two-time PFF MW Team of the Week member, ranks as the top safety in the league (by PFF) and the third best in the nation. His 0.17 fumble recoveries per game rank in a tie for seventh in the MW, while his two recoveries rank in a tie for 25th in FBS play.
Opposite Barcoo at cornerback, Hall made the all-MW team as an honorable-mention pick for the first time of his career after recording 43 tackles (29 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception, two forced fumbles, a team-high-tying 16 pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. A PFF National Second Team of the Week selection on Oct. 14 and two-time PFF MW Team of the Week winner, Hall ranks in a tie for first in FBS in pass breakups (16), a tie for fifth in total passes defended (17) and seventh in passes defended per game (1.55). Additionally, he ranks in a tie for eighth in the MW in forced fumbles per game (0.18).
Rounding out the San Diego State all-conference performers are Dunkle and Araiza, a pair of redshirt freshmen. Dunkle has made the PFF MW Team of the Week three times so far in 2019, appearing in 805 of the team's 881 snaps. According to PFF, Dunkle ranks as the fourth-best guard, while earning the second-highest pass block rating. Dunkle has not allowed a sack this season through his 805 snaps and has only four penalties (0.50 pct).
Araiza has also performed well, making 20 of his 24 field goal attempts (83.3 pct.) and all 22 PATs. Araiza, the MW Special Teams Player of the Week for his play at UCLA when he had three field goals, has scored 82 of the team's 228 points (36.0 pct.), more than the Aztecs' next three players combined. Among the MW leaders, he ranks first in touchback percentage (75.00, T-10th in FBS), a tie for first in PAT percentage (1.000, T-1st in FBS) and field goals (20, T-10th in FBS), second in field goals per game (1.67, T-10th in FBS) and touchbacks (42, T-26th in FBS) and third in kickoff average (62.41, 42nd in FBS). Araiza, who has at least one field goal in all 12 games this season and multiple field goals in seven games, is tied for second in SDSU single-season history in field goals (20) and sixth in field goal percentage (.833).
SDSU (9-3) will find out its bowl destination on Sunday (Dec. 8).
2019 Mountain West All-Conference Football Awards (SDSU winners only)
First Team
OL Keith Ismael, Jr.
DL Myles Cheatum, Sr.
DL Cameron Thomas, RS-Fr.
LB Kyahva Tezino, Sr.
DB Luq Barcoo, Sr.
Second Team
TE Parker Houston, Sr.
OL Daishawn Dixon, Sr.
DL Keshawn Banks, So.
DB Tariq Thompson, Jr.
Honorable Mention
OL William Dunkle, RS-Fr.
DB Darren Hall, So.
AZ Dwayne Johnson Jr., Jr.
K Matt Araiza, RS-Fr.
P Brandon Heicklen, Sr.
Fourteen Aztecs Earn 2019 All-MW Football Honors
