Nat Berhe Season 2012

#20
PositionDEFENSIVE BACK
Weight190 lbs
Height5-10
ClassJunior
HometownColton, Calif.

One of the premier defensive players in the Mountain West and the entire West Coast ... The top returning tackler in the league, Berhe[apos]s 94 tackles last season were the most by an Aztec player in the four seasons in which Rocky Long has overseen the Aztec defense ... A two-time all-conference honoree (honorable mention as a sophomore in 2011, and a second-team member in 2012 ... Has been named to the 2013 Lott IMPACT Tropy Watch List, Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, and is a preseason first-team all-conference selection by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.

2012: Named a second-team all-Mountain West performer ... Started all 13 games during the 2012 campaign at the Aztec position ... Led San Diego State in total tackles (94), assisted tackles (26) and tied for team-high honors with 68 solo stops for a unit that ranked third in the league in both scoring defense (24.4 points) and total defense (369.0 yards) ... Helped the Aztecs rank 39th nationally in total defense and 42nd in the country in scoring defense ... One of four players on the team to post multiple interceptions in 2012 (joining, Leon McFadden, Eric Pinkins and Derek Largent) ... One of two Aztec players to have multiple interceptions in each of the past two seasons (McFadden) ... His 94 total tackles are the most by any San Diego State player in Rocky Long[apos]s four seasons as defensive coordinator ... San Diego State went 3-0 in 2012 when he recorded a double-digit tackle total ... One of 10 players to start every game during the 2012 campaign, including just five total on the defensive side of the ball (Jake Fely, McFadden, Sam Meredith and Jordan Thomas).

2011: Earned all-MW accolades as an honorable mention pick ... Started all 13 contests with the first six at one of the warrior spots and the final seven at Aztec ... His 67 tackles were third-most on the squad ... Also tied for second with a pair of interceptions and tied for third in pass breakups (5) ... 2011 midseason all-Mountain West first team by Phil Steele[apos]s College Football Magazine ... Starter at one of the warrior spots vs. Cal Poly, contributing three tackles ... Doubled his opening-game effort with six stops at Army ... Three solo tackles and his first pass breakup of the year vs. Washington State ... Logged his second career interception in the third quarter against Michigan, while also adding six tackles ... Tied as the team[apos]s second-leading tackler vs. TCU with a then season-high seven stops, including six solos, to go with a pass breakup ... Made three tackles at Air Force ... Had a season-high eight tackles in his first start at Aztec against Wyoming ... Made five tackles in another start vs. New Mexico ... Had six tackles, including a career-high two for a loss, along with a forced fumble (first of his career) and an interception en route to earning MW co-Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors ... Four tackles, 0.5 TFLs and a PBU vs. Boise State ... Had six stops and 0.5 TFL at UNLV ... Contributed a pass breakup against Fresno State ... Career and team game-high 10 stops in the loss to Louisiana-Lafayette in New Orleans.

2010: Competed in 12 of the 13 games, earning a pair of starts ... Was seventh on the team in tackles with 39, including 26 solo efforts ... Played his first collegiate game on defense and special teams vs. Nicholls, finishing with one solo stop ... Seven tackles, one TFL and recovered a fumble on punt coverage setting up an Aztec touchdown at New Mexico State ... Made two tackles and logged his first career PBU vs. No. 25 Missouri ... First career interception in the victory over Utah State, returning it 10 yards and also contributing four tackles ... Career high nine tackles with seven of those coming in the first half alone at BYU ... First career start in the upset of No. 23 Air Force ... Missed the Wyoming contest due to injury ... Career-high two PBUs and a pair of tackles vs. Colorado State ... Had three tackles and a PBU at TCU ... Made three stops vs. Utah ... Had three tackles against UNLV ... Made two solo stops as a starter in the win over Navy.

2009: Did not play as a true freshman.

High School: Led the Colton High Yellow Jackets to four consecutive San Andreas League championships ... A team captain in 2008 ... A three-time first-team all-San Andreas League selection ... A two-time first-team Press-Enterprise selection ... All-CIF defensive team in 2008 ... A two-time all-county selection ... Had 47 tackles (14 assisted) on the season and one interception as a senior ... Recorded a season-high 11 stops, including eight unassisted tackles against Cajon High ... Also had 32 rushes for 182 yards in 2008 ... Rated the No. 47 cornerback nationally by Rivals and the No. 83 cornerback prospect in America by Scout.com ... A two-year letterwinner in track and field ... Member of the National Honor Society.

Personal: Born July 6, 1991, in Fontana, Calif. ... Parents are Judy Berhe and Berhe Asfaha ... Brother, Tam, played football at Redlands ... Received scholarship offers from Minnesota, New Mexico and UTEP ... Full name is Natneal Berhe ... Is a public administration major.

Career Highs: Tackles: 15 at Nevada (10/20/12); Tackles For Loss: 2.0 at Colorado State (11/12/11); Interceptions: 1, five times; Passes Broken Up: vs. Brigham Young (12/20/12), 2 vs. Colorado State (11/6/10); Forced Fumbles: 1 at Colorado State (11/12/11); Fumble Recoveries: 1 at Washington (9/1/12), at New Mexico State (9/11/10).