LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- San Diego State associate head coach and special teams coordinator Zac Barton has been named a nominee for the 2024 Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches. Barton is one of 65 nominees in this year’s class selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 131 Division I programs across the country.
In his first season as the team’s special teams coordinator, the Aztec special teams unit is ranked sixth in the country according to ESPN’s efficiency rank at 68.8, trailing only Florida State (78.4), Vanderbilt (72.8), Baylor (72.5), Michigan (70.5) and Kennesaw State (69.8). Special teams efficiency is on a 0-to-100 scale and based on special teams' contribution to scoring margin on per-play basis, adjusted for strength of opposing special teams faced.
Under Barton’s tutelage, both punter Tyler Pastula and kicker Gabe Plascencia are leading the Mountain West in their respective categories and rank among the top 10 nationally. Pastula is currently averaging 46.16 yards per punt, which would rank third in SDSU single-season history. He’s first in the MW in punt average (46.16, 7th in FBS), second in net punt average (41.33, 28th in FBS) and third punts inside the 20-yard line (17, T-28th in FBS). Additionally, Pastula has two of the six longest punts in FBS play this season (79-yarder at Boise State on Nov. 1 and a 75-yarder at Wyoming on Oct. 12).
Plascencia, meanwhile, is 13-for-14 on the season in field goal attempts. The 92.9 field goal percentage would be a school record if the season ended today. Plascencia leads the MW in field goal percentage (92.86, 10th in FBS), and is second in made field goals per game (1.30, 43rd in FBS) and total made field goals (13, T-48th in FBS). He has made 12 consecutive field goals, which is tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
San Diego State is also ranked 18th in the country in kick return defense (16.82), 39th in net punting (40.34) and 40th in punt return defense (5.48).
Barton is one of six special teams coordinators on the list and one of six assistant coaches from the MW.
The Broyles Award selection process includes the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), broadcasters, a college football hall-of-fame selection committee and current college head coaches. The selection committee will select 15 semifinalists and five finalists from the list of nominees and an overall winner.
The Aztecs (3-8, 2-4 MW) welcome Air Force (4-7, 2-4 MW) at 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium.