COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- San Diego State's Jordan Byrd (Albuquerque, N.M.) has been named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. It is the first career weekly honor for the junior.
Byrd helped the Aztecs to a 29-17 win over Colorado State on Saturday night, returning two kickoffs for a career-high 148 yards (74.0 avg.), including a 93-yard touchdown. It was SDSU's first kickoff return TD since Kaegun Williams had one at San Jose State on Oct. 19, 2019. The 74.0 kickoff return average was the highest by an Aztec in a game since at least 1996 (min. 2 returns), the second highest in Mountain West history and the second highest in a FBS game this season. Additionally, the 148 kickoff return yards were the most by an Aztec since Davion Mauldin totaled 151 yards on Nov. 7, 2009 vs. TCU and the ninth most in program history.
Along with a 90-yard punt return TD by BJ Busbee, San Diego State became the first team with a kickoff return and punt return in the same quarter since Tennessee on Oct. 31, 2015 (third quarter at Kentucky). SDSU's 267 kick return yards (kickoff and punt) are the most in a FBS game this season and most by an Aztec team since at least 1996. Byrd also rushed 10 times in the game for 33 yards.
Byrd led a special teams unit that scored 23 of SDSU's 29 points in the win.
San Diego State travels to Provo, Utah, to play at No. 14/16 Brigham Young at 8 p.m. MT Saturday.
Byrd Named MW Special Teams Player of the Week
