LAS VEGAS -- San Diego State's defending Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year Jack Browning has been named the 2023 preseason Mountain West Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday. Browning is one of four preseason all-conference selections for the Aztecs, who were also picked to finish fourth in the first one-division preseason poll since 2012.
Browning, who also made the preseason all-conference team at punter, was joined on the team by tight end Mark Redman, offensive guard Cade Bennett and linebacker Cody Moon. SDSU's four preseason all-league selections only trailed Wyoming for the most in the MW.
The all-conference team and preseason poll are voted on by media representatives who cover the conference.
Browning is coming off a spectacular year after taking over for 2021 Ray Guy Award winner Matt Araiza, following him by handling all three kicking duties (punting, field goals/PATs, kickoffs). Browning punted 68 times for 3,135 yards (46.1 avg.) with a long of 63 yards and a net punt average of 42.3. Out of his 68 punts, 28 landed inside the 20-yard line, including 14 inside the 10 and six inside the 5. Browning, who was named a second-team Pro Football Focus All-American and an honorable-mention College Football Network All-American at punter, also made 20 of 25 field goal attempts (80.0 pct.) with a long of 52 yards and all 30 PATs. Additionally, he kicked off 59 times for 3,784 yards (64.1 avg.) with 37 touchbacks.
Browning ranked third in San Diego State single-season history in punt average (46.10), tied for third in field goals (20) and tied for seventh in field goal percentage (80.0). Among the national leaders, Browning tied for the FBS lead in PAT percentage (100.00), and was sixth in punt average (46.1, 1st in MW), tied for sixth in punts inside the 20-yard line (28, 1st in MW), eighth in kickoff average (64.14, 1st in MW) and total punt yards (3,145, 3rd in MW), 12th in net punt average (42.3, 1st in MW), tied for 12th in field goal attempts per game (1.92, T-1st in MW), tied for 14th in field goal attempts (25, T-2nd in MW), 16th in punt yards per game (241.92, 3rd in MW), tied for 16th in total punts (68, 3rd in MW) and field goals made (20, 3rd in MW), and tied for 17th in field goals per game (1.54, T-3rd in MW) and punts per game (5.25, 4th in MW). Additionally, Browning was second in the league in kickoff touchbacks (37, T-48th in FBS), third in kickoff touchback percentage (62.71, 37th in FBS), fourth in field goal percentage (80.00, T-47th in FBS), fifth in total points (90), sixth in points per game (6.92), seventh in made PATs (30) and attempted PATs (30), and tied for eighth in points responsible for (90).
It's another preseason accolade for Browning, who has been named a preseason first-team all-MW selection by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Sports Info Solutions at punter, a third-team honoree at kicker by Phil Steele Magazine and Athlon Sports, and the sixth-ranked draft-eligible player at both punter and kicker.
Redman, meanwhile, had a solid first season with the Aztecs in 2022, making 21 catches for 233 yards (11.1 avg.) with two touchdowns on the season in 12 starts (13 games played) with a long catch of 28 yards. Among Mountain West tight ends, Redman ranked second in yards per reception (11.1, min. 20 rec.), third in yards (233), and tied for fourth in receptions (21) and touchdowns (2). For his efforts, the Washington transfer was named a second-team all-league pick. Redman has also been named a preseason first-team all-MW selection by Phil Steele Magazine and Athlon Sports, and is listed as the 42nd draft-eligible tight end by Phil Steele Magazine.
Bennett is coming off a good first year with SDSU in 2022, earning second-team all-MW accolades by the league's coaches and media. An Oklahoma State transfer, Bennett started and played the first 12 games of the season (748 of the team's first 755 offensive snaps before an injury), allowing only six quarterback pressures (no sacks) in 367 passing opportunities. According to Pro Football Focus, his 82.4 pass block rating was the second highest in the MW among offensive linemen and first among MW guards (min. 300 pass opportunities). Bennett has also been named a preseason first-team all-MW honoree by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Sports Info Solutions.
Moon, meanwhile, made the preseason all-MW team after earning honorable-mention accolades while with New Mexico in 2022. Moon logged team highs of 105 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks with the Lobos a year ago after making 44 stops, 0.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery as a redshirt freshman in 2021. A former walk-on, Moon has compiled 21 tackles in two games against San Diego State, including 13 last year in the November meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Moon also has been named a preseason first-team all-MW pick by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Sports Info Solutions.
The Aztecs, meanwhile, picked up 338 points and one first-place vote in the preseason poll voted on by 36 media members. Boise State was picked to win the league with 433 points and 28 first-place votes, while Air Force had 364 points and two first-place votes and Fresno State picked up 351 points and five first-place votes. San José State was a distant fifth with 293 points, and Wyoming (281), Colorado State (201), Utah State (194), UNLV (177, one first-place vote), Hawai'i (102), Nevada (92) and New Mexico (60) rounded out the preseason poll.
A team from the former West Division (San Diego State, Fresno State, Hawai'i, Nevada, UNLV and San José State) has won five of the past eight MW Championships, including the Aztecs in both 2015 and 2016.
SDSU finished the 2022 season with a 7-6 record and its streak of 13 consecutive years without a losing season is tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
Five of San Diego State's first six games will be against teams that made a bowl game in 2022, including four 10-win programs in Ohio (10-4), Oregon State (10-3), Boise State (10-4) and Air Force (10-3), along with UCLA (9-4).
Mountain West Football Preseason Players of the Year
Offensive Player of the Year: Chevan Cordeiro, Sr., QB, San José State
Defensive Player of the Year: Easton Gibbs, Jr., LB, Wyoming
Special Teams Player of the Year: Jack Browning, Sr., PK/P, San Diego State
2023 Mountain West Football Preseason All-Conference Team
Offense
QB Chevan Cordeiro, Sr., San José State
WR Tory Horton, Sr., Colorado State
WR Justin Lockhart, Jr., San José State
RB John Lee Eldridge III, Sr., Air Force
RB George Holani, Sr., Boise State
OL Thor Paglialong, Sr., Air Force
OL Cade Beresford, Sr., Boise State
OL Mose Vavao, Sr., Fresno State
OL Cade Bennett, Jr., San Diego State
OL Frank Crum, Sr., Wyoming
TE Mark Redman, Sr., San Diego State
Defense
DL Payton Zdroik, Jr., Air Force
DL Mohamed Kamara, Sr., Colorado State
DL Devo Bridges, Sr., Fresno State
DL Jordan Bertagnole, Jr., Wyoming
DL DeVonne Harris, Jr., Wyoming
LB DJ Schramm, Sr., Boise State
LB Cody Moon, Jr., San Diego State
LB Easton Gibbs, Jr., Wyoming
DB Trey Taylor, Sr., Air Force
DB Jack Howell, Jr., Colorado State
DB Cam Stone, Sr., Hawai'i
DB Ike Larsen, So., Utah State
Specialists
P Jack Browning, Sr., San Diego State
PK John Hoyland, Jr., Wyoming
PR Tory Horton, Sr., Colorado State
KR Christian Washington, So., New Mexico
Preseason All-Conference Notes: Jack Browning is the second straight Aztec to be named the Mountain West Preseason Special Teams of the Year (Jordan Byrd) and the fourth overall (also Rashaad Penny in 2016 and 2017) … A SDSU player has earned MW Special Teams Player-of-the-Year honors five times in the last eight years (Penny in 2015, 2016 and 2017, Matt Araiza in 2021 and Browning in 2022), the most in the 24-year history of the league … SDSU's four preseason all-league honorees only trailed Wyoming's five … San Diego State's two preseason offseason players matched Air Force, Boise State and San José State for the most in the league … The Aztecs have at least three all-MW preseason picks in nine straight years after doing so just four times over the previous 10 years (2005-14) … Mark Redman is the first SDSU tight end to earn preseason all-MW honors since David Wells in 2017 and just the second since 2012 … Cody Moon made the preseason all-MW team despite never playing a snap at San Diego State (he lettered at New Mexico from 2021-22) … Browning is just the second Aztec punter to garner preseason all-MW accolades, joining Brian Stahovich (2010 and 2011).
2023 Mountain West Preseason Poll
Team (first-place votes)--Points
1. Boise State (28) --433
2. Air Force (2)--364
3. Fresno State (5)--351
4. San Diego State (1)--338
5. San José State--293
6. Wyoming --81
7. Colorado State--201
8. Utah State--194
9. UNLV (1) --177
10. Hawai'i --102
11. Nevada --92
12. New Mexico 60
Preseason All-Conference Team Notes: This is the first Mountain West preseason poll without divisions since 2012 when the Aztecs were picked fifth and captured the league title along with Boise State and Fresno State … SDSU's 338 total points and 9.39 average points per voter are its highest in league history … San Diego State, which averaged a predicted finish of 6.5 from 2005-12, has ended up at or better than its predicted finish in 10 of the last 14 seasons and 13 times over the past 18 years … The Aztecs have won two of the last eight MW titles (2015 and 2016) and three of the past 11 (also 2012) … Three of the five previous times Brady Hoke was head coach, SDSU finished above its preseason selection (finished seventh in 2009 after being picked eighth, finished tied for third in 2010 after being picked sixth and finished first in the West Division in 2021 after being picked third).
Jack Browning Named MW Preseason Player of the Year
