Kenan Christon Season 2022

HONORS
* 2023 All-Mountain West Honorable Mention
* 2023 SDSU Captain's Award
* 2022 Mountain West Fall All-Academic Team

Came to the Aztecs in 2022 after spending two-plus years at USC (2019-21) ... Is extremely fast with a quick step ... Has great hands out of the backfield ... Can also be used in the return game ... Enters his senior season atop of the depth chart at running back and kick returner.

SENIOR SEASON (2023)
Named an all-Mountain West Honorable Mention as a kick returner ... Was chosen as a team captain by his teammates ... Was named a preseason third-team all-Mountain West selection by Phil Steele Magazine and a fourth-team pick by Athlon Sports ... Played all 12 games, making 10 starts in the back field ... Rushed for 378 yards for the season on 96 carries (3.94 avg.) with a long run of 39 yards ... Recorded 29 catches for 201 yards (6.93 avg.) ... Led the team with 910 all-purpose yards ... Ranked tied for fourth in the Mountain West in total kick return yards (331, T-53rd in FBS), fifth in the Mountain West in kickoff returns (13, T-52nd in FBS) and sixth in combined kick return/punt return yards (331, T-74th in FBS) ... Earned his first career start as an Aztec against Ohio on Aug. 26, rushing for 45 yards on 11 carries (4.1 avg.) with a long of 22 yards ... Also caught three passes for 19 yards (6.3 avg.), playing 39 snaps ... Was the starter at kick returner as well but did not have a kick sent his way ... Started his second consecutive game at running back and kickoff returner ... Recorded 40 yards on the ground on seven carries along with two catches for a loss of a yard ... Recorded a then season-high 94 all-purpose yards against UCLA on Sept. 9 ... Ran for 27 yards on nine carries along with 26 yards on three receptions ... Returned two Bruin punts for a total of 41 yards, including a career-long 22 yard return ... Totaled a then season-high 112 all-purpose yards at No. 16/17 Oregon State on Sept. 16 ... Recorded a then career-high with four receptions on six targets ... Totaled a then season-best 34 yards in the air ... On the ground, rushed for 14 yards on seven carries ... Recorded a career-high in kick returns (three) totaling 64 return yards with a long return of 33 ... Recorded the best kick returning game of his collegiate career in the conference opener against Boise State on Sept. 22 ... Matched his career-high with three returns and set a new career-high with 104 return yards and a long of 71 ... His 71-yard return happened on the opening kickoff putting the Aztec offense on the BSU 29-yard line for their first drive ... Also had a  then season-high 12 carries for 44 yards on the ground ... Caught his lone target for a gain of four yards ... His 155 all-purpose yards was the most in a game by an Aztec this season ... Ran for a season-high 58 yards at Air Force on Sept. 30 ... Averaged 4.1 yards on his season-high 14 carries and matched his season-long with a 22-yard run in the final drive of the second half ... Also caught both his targets for 18 yards ... Handled a pair of kickoff returns for 26 total return yards ... Ended the game with 102 all-purpose yards, his third consecutive game wtih 100-plus AP yards ... Totaled five touches at Hawai’i on Oct. 14 ... Ran for six yards on four attempts (1.5 avg) ... Caught one of two targets for three yards ... Was the first game this season he was not the starting kick returner ... Had five carries for 23 yards (4.6 avg) against Nevada on Oct. 21 ... Recorded his fourth game of 100-plus all-purpose yards this season against Utah State on Nov. 4 ... Had a career-high eight catches on nine targets for a season-high 76 receiving yards, both of which led the team ... The eight catches were the most by an Aztec running back since Brandon Sullivan had nine against Cal Poly on Aug. 30, 2008 ... Scored his first touchdown of the season, and sixth receiving TD of his career, on a 10-yard catch in the fourth quarter ... Totaled three catches for 29 yards in the fourth quarter ... Also matched a season-long 16-yard reception in the second quarter ... On the ground, had 10 carries for 35 yards (3.5 avg) ... Posted a then season-long 25-yard run that led to the Aztecs’ game-tying field goal  with less than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter ... Ended the game with 111 all-purpose yards, his third most this season ... Led the team in all-purpose yards at Colorado State on Nov. 11 ... On the ground, had five carries for 44 yards ... The 8.8 average is his highest this season ... Recorded a season-long of 39 yards on the first Aztec play of the second half, leading to a field goal for the first SDSU score of the night ... Had one catch on two targets for minus-two yards ... Returned as the starting kick returner for the first time in three games ... Totaled 49 yards on two return attempts with a long return of 26 yards ... Finished the night with 91 all-purpose yards ... Had three carries and a catch at San Jose State on Nov. 18 ... Totaled 14 yards on his three rushes (4.7 avg) while his lone reception went for minus-one yards ... Also had a 13-yard kick return ... Totaled 87 all-purpose yards in the season finale against Fresno State on Nov. 25 ... Had nine carries for 28 yards (3.1 avg) with a long of 10 ... Caught all three of his targets for 25 yards ... Also recored two kickoff returns for 34 yards.

JUNIOR SEASON (2022)
Played in the team’s 13 games off the bench ... Rushed 71 times for 261 yards (3.7 avg.) with a touchdown and a long run of 49 yards ... Also had nine catches for 207 yards (23.0 avg.) with two touchdowns ... His 23.0-yard catch average ranked second in the country among running backs (min. 9 rec.) and eighth among all players (min. 9 rec.) ... The 23.0-yard average also is the highest by an Aztec running back since at least 1996 (min. 9 rec.) and the fourth highest regardless of position (min. 9 rec.) ... Returned three kickoffs for 36 yards (12.0 avg.) ... Played in 199 offensive snaps on the season ... Ran three times for one yard (0.3 avg.) in his first game as an Aztec against Arizona on Sept. 3 ... Also had two catches for 19 yards (9.5 avg.) ... Played in 12 offensive snaps overall ... Ran for 48 yards on eight carries (6.0 avg.) with a long run of 34 yards in 18 snaps against Idaho State on Sept. 10 ... Came off the bench to play 10 snaps at No. 14/15 Utah on Sept. 17, rushing five times for eight yards (1.6 avg.) with a long of six yards ... Carried five times for 27 yard (5.4 avg.) in 13 snaps against Toledo on Sept. 24 ... Ran twice in six snaps at Boise State on Sept. 30, running once for five yards and once for a 5-yard loss ... Ran for 14 yards on nine attempts (1.6 avg.) in 24 snaps against Hawai’i on Oct. 8 with a long run of nine yards ... Ran twice for two yards in five snaps at Nevada on Oct. 22 ... Had a breakup game in 28 snaps at Fresno State on Oct. 29, running for 34 yards on 12 carries (2.8 avg.) with a long of 10 yards, but excelling in the passing game with two catches for 75 yards and a 26-yard touchdown ... It was his first touchdown as an Aztec and first since Nov. 19, 2019 at Arizona State while playing for USC ... The touchdown put the Aztecs on top, 14-3, in the second quarter ... Ran seven times for 11 yards (1.6 avg.) with a long of seven yards in 26 snaps against UNLV on Nov. 5 ... Also added a 5-yard catch ... Ran for 28 yards on five attempts (5.6 avg.) with a long of 18 yards in 11 offensive snaps vs. San José State on Nov. 12 ... Also returned a pooched kickoff 13 yards ... Had a breakout game at New Mexico on Nov. 18, rushing for a season-high 102 yards on 10 carries (10.2 avg.) with a touchdown in just 21 offensive snaps ... It was his second career 100-yard rushing game and first since rushing for 103 in his first college game at USC against Arizona on Oct. 19, 2019 ... Became the first Aztec since Rashaad Penny against Army West Point on Dec. 23, 2017 and just the third Aztec overall since 2000 (has now happened eight times overall) to average at least 10 yards per carry on at least 10 attempts ... Scored his first rushing touchdown since the same Arizona game on Oct. 19, 2019 ... Now has three career rushing touchdowns (one this season) and seven overall scores (two this season) ... Ran twice for negative-14 yards (-7.0 avg.) in eight offensive snaps vs. Air Force on Nov. 26 ... Had a good game in just seven snaps vs. Middle Tennessee in the EasyPost Hawai‘i Bowl on Dec. 24, catching two passes for 111 yards (55.5 avg.) with a 73-yard touchdown ... Recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game (91st different Aztec in program history) ... Had his second receiving touchdown of the season and fifth of his career ... It was his third overall touchdown of the season and eighth of his career ... Also carried the ball once for no gain.

AT USC (2019-21)
Rushed for 443 yards and two touchdowns on 78 carries (5.5 avg.) in two seasons with USC, and added 13 catches for 126 yards (11.5 avg.) and another three scores ... Saw more action as the 2019 season wore on as a true freshman, rushing for 373 yards and two touchdowns on 68 attempts (5.5 avg.), and adding 11 receptions for 126 yards (11.5 avg.) and three touchdowns ... Made his collegiate debut against Arizona on Oct. 19, 2019 and ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries off the bench ... Followed his debut with 76 yards and a receiving touchdown at Colorado (Oct. 25), 79 against No. 8 Oregon (Nov. 2) and 62 along with 82 receiving yards and two touchdowns at Arizona State (Nov. 9) ... Was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for his play at ASU as his 82 receiving yards were the most by a USC freshman running back since Reggie Bush in 2003. ... Then played in five games in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, rushing for 70 yards on 10 carries (7.0 avg.) and adding two catches ... Also was a sprinter on USC's track and field team, running indoor bests of 6.84 seconds in the 60 meters and 21.55 in the 200 ... Also clocked a 10.39 in the 100 in his only outdoor meet and ran a leg of a 39.81 4x100-meter relay before the season was canceled because of COVID. 

HIGH SCHOOL
Prepped a nearby Madison High School in San Diego where he made 2018 PrepStar All-Western Region, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Cal-Hi Sports All-State second team and All-CIF San Diego third team as senior running back and cornerback ... According to MaxPreps, Christon ran for 3,042 yards and 36 touchdowns over his high school career on 338 attempts (9.0 avg.) ... Also added 18 receptions for 258 yards (14.3 avg.) and three touchdowns, and was used in the return game ... A four-star recruit by ESPN out of high school and three-star recruit by both 247sports and Rivals.

PERSONAL
Chose USC over offers from San Diego State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, Utah, Washington State, Nebraska, TCU, Northwestern, Boston College, Vanderbilt, Colorado State and Fresno State.

SINGLE-GAME BESTS
Carries: 20 at Arizona State (11/9/19)
Rushing Yards: 103 vs. Arizona (10/19/19)
Rushing Touchdowns: 2 vs. Arizona (10/19/19)
Long Rush: 55 vs. Arizona (10/19/19)
Receptions: 8 vs. Utah State (11/4/23)
Receiving Yards: 111 vs. Middle Tennessee (12/24/22)
Receiving Touchdowns: 2 at Arizona State (11/9/19)
Long Reception: 73 vs. Middle Tennessee (12/24/22)
Kick Returns: 3 vs. Boise State (9/22/23), at No.16/17 Oregon State (9/16/23)
Kick Return Yards: 104 vs. Boise State (9/22/23)
Long Kick Return: 71 vs. Boise State (9/22/23)
All-Purpose Yards: 152 vs. Boise State (9/22/23)
Total Touchdowns: 2 at Arizona State (11/9/19)