Jaylon Armstead Season 2024

Big, bruising running back ... Continues to work on his endurance ... Is often used late in games to grind out the clock ... Enters the season third on the depth chart ... Also plays on special teams.

JUNIOR SEASON (2023)
Played in all 12 games and made two starts ... Led the team with eight rushing touchdowns, ranking tenth in the Mountain West (75th in FBS) ... His 48 total points were second-most on the team for the season (Browning, 68) ... Finished with 484 all-purpose yards, fourth-most on the team ... Rushed for 448 yards, most among Aztec runnign backs, on 103 carries (4.34 avg) with a long of 48 yards ... Also recorded three catches for 16 yards (5.3 avg) ... Had one kick return go for 20 yards ...  Made the most of 11 snaps against Ohio in the opener on Aug. 26, rushing eight times for 78 yards (9.8 avg.) with a long of 48 yards ... Out of his 78 rushing yards, 69 came in the third quarter ... Had eight carries in the team’s win over Idaho State on Sept. 2, totaling 60 yards and his third career rushing touchdown ... Averaged 6.0 yards per carry with a long of 16 ... Totaled nine yards on nine carries against UCLA on Sept. 9 ... Rushed for his second touchdown of the season, and the fourth of his career at No. 16/17 Oregon State on Sept. 16 ... Totaled 48 yards on 11 carries with a long of 10 ... Also recorded his first career reception for a gain of seven yards ... Recorded the first multi-touchdown game of his career with two rushing touchdowns in the conference opener against Boise State on Sept. 22 ... His first touchdown came in the second quarter on a two-yard rush to give the Aztecs a 17-14 lead ... His second touchdown was a 10-yard rush to begin the fourth quarter ... Totaled 35 yards on 10 carries on the ground while adding a three-yard reception ... Totaled 18 yards on seven carries (2.6 avg) at Air Force on Sept. 30 ... Also caught his lone target for six yards ... Recorded his fifth rushing touchdown of the year at Hawai’i on Oct. 14 ... The one-yard rushing TD came with 2:11 left in the game and secured the Aztecs win over the Rainbow Warriors ... Totaled nine yards on five carries (1.8 avg) with a long of three ... Was on the field for just two snaps against Nevada on Oct. 21 and did not have a touch ... Had just one carry for three yards against Utah State on Nov. 4 ... Scored his sixth touchdown of the season at Colorado State on Nov. 11 ... Totaled 13 yards on six carries (2.2 avg) ... His TD was a one-yard rush with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter ... Made his first start of the season at San Jose State on Nov. 18 ... Totaled 134 rushing yards on 21 carries, both career-highs ... It was his first career 100-yard rushing game ... The 134 yards were the most by an Aztec during the season ... Also scored his seventh rushing touchdown of the season, and eighth of his career ...  Rushed for 57 yards, of 77 SDSU yards, on eight carries on their opening drive including a long of 39 yards ... Capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run ... Added 63 yards in the fourth quarter with two carries for 20-plus yards ... Ranked 11th in FBS in Pro Football Focus’ rushing grades for week 12 (min. 20 snaps) with a 73.8 rush grade ... Started for the second consecutive game in the season finale against Fresno State on Nov. 25 ... Ran for 41 yards on 15 carries and his eighth touchdown of the year ... The touchdown was a one-yard rush to cap off a 51-yard drive in the second quarter.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2022)
Played in 10 of the team’s 13 games, making two starts, making the most of his 81 offensive snaps ... Had 313 rushing yards on just 52 carries (6.0 avg.) and two touchdowns with a long run of 61 yards ... Also had a touchdown when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone ... Had a tackle on special teams as well ... Ranked fifth in the Mountain West in rushing yards per attempt (6.02, T-48th in FBS) ... Also tied for second in the Mountain West in punt return touchdowns (1) (off a blocked punt) ... Made the most of his six snaps in the opener against Arizona on Sept. 3, rushing five times for 33 yards (6.6 avg.) with a career-long run of 19 yards ... Also pounced on a blocked punt in the end zone for his first career touchdown in the third quarter ... Ran for a career-high 96 yards on just five attempts (19.2 avg.) in eight snaps against Idaho State on Sept. 10 ... The 19.2-yard average was the second highest by an Aztec since at least 1996 (min. 5 att.), only trailing Rashaad Penny’s 20.8 average at Nevada on Nov. 12, 2016 (10 att., 208 yds.) ... The 19.2 average was also the eighth-highest average in a FBS game in 2022 (min. 5 att.) ... Including in the 96 yards was a career-long 61-yarder ... Was named the team’s offensive player of the game ... Made his first career start at No. 14/15 Utah on Sept. 17, where he rushed five times for 31 yards (6.2 avg.) with a long of 14 yards across 11 snaps ... Made a tackle on special teams too ... Ran for 30 yards on three attempts (10.0 avg.) with a long run of 17 yards in just four snaps off the bench against Toledo on Sept. 24 ... Did not travel to Boise State on Sept. 30 because of an injury suffered the previous game ... Also did not dress for the Hawai’i game ... Came back to play statless time on special teams at Nevada on Oct. 22 ... Played once again on special teams at Fresno State on Oct. 29 ... Returned to the backfield against UNLV on Nov. 5, rushing a career-high 14 times for 72 yards (5.1 avg.) with a long run of 17 yards in just 18 snaps ... Excelled on the team’s final drive to run out the clock in the fourth quarter, carrying six times for 56 yards (9.3 avg.), including a 17-yard gain on a third-and-1 situation and a 14-yard rush on a third-and-4 ... Was named the team’s co-offensive player of the game ... Ran for 46 yards on a career-high 15 carries (3.1 avg.) and a touchdown in 27 snaps in his second career start vs. San José State ... The touchdown put the Aztecs up, 38-14, late in the third quarter, SDSU’s largest lead of the game ... Ran five times for five yards (1.0 avg.) with a touchdown at New Mexico on Nov. 18 in six snaps ... Only played special teams against Air Force on Nov. 26 ... Did not play against Middle Tennessee in the EasyPost Hawai‘i Bowl on Dec. 24.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2021)
Played in eight of the 14 games on the season ... Rushed 24 times for 75 yards (3.1 avg.) with a long of eight yards ... Was on the travel squad but did not play in the opener vs. New Mexico State on Sept. 4 ... Logged six snaps late at Arizona (Sept. 11), rushing three times for 13 yards (4.3 avg.) ... Set then career bests in rushing attempts (3), rushing yards (13) and long rush (8) ... Suited up but did not play against Utah on Sept. 18 ... Logged his most playing time of his career against Towson on Sept. 25 in 17 snaps, rushing a career-high 13 times for a career-best 38 yards (2.9 avg.) with a long run of seven yards ... Came on late to play five snaps against New Mexico on Oct. 9, rushing three times for 10 yards (3.3 avg.) with a long of seven ... Logged statless special teams snaps at San José State on Oct. 15, at Air Force on Oct. 23, vs. Fresno State on Oct. 30 and at Hawai’i on Nov. 6 ... Did not play against Nevada on Nov. 13, at UNLV on Nov. 19 or Boise State on Nov. 26 ... Played late (10 snaps) against Utah State on Dec. 4 in the Mountain West Championship game, rushing five times for 14 yards (2.8 avg.) with a long of four ... Did not play in the Tropical Smoothie Frisco Bowl against No. 24/25 UTSA.

TRUE FRESHMAN/REDSHIRT SEASON (2020)
Played in one game as a true freshman, recording a 5-yard rush ... Did not travel to each of the first five games ... Made the travel roster for the first time at Colorado on Nov. 28, but did not play ... Had his first collegiate appearance the following week at Colorado State (Dec. 5) where he ran once for five yards ... Traveled, but did not play in the season finale at No. 14/16 Brigham Young.

HIGH SCHOOL
Was a three-year letter winner at Serra High School in Los Angeles … According to MaxPreps, rushed for 1,230 yards and 17 touchdowns on 165 carries (7.5 avg.) over his career, while adding 22 catches for 237 yards (10.8 avg.) and three touchdowns … Also ran track and field at Serra High … A three-star recruit by both Rivals and 247sports … Received a scout grade of 83 by 247sports.

PERSONAL
Jaylon Ryan Armstead was born May 21, 2001, in Los Angeles ... Son of Dionne Dixon ... Ended up picking the Aztecs over offers from Arizona State, Nevada, UNLV and Northern Arizona ... Is undecided on a major.

SINGLE-GAME BESTS
Carries: 21 at San Jose State (11/18/23)
Rushing Yards: 134 at San Jose State (11/18/23)
Rushing Touchdowns: 2 vs. Boise State (9/22/23)
Long Rush: 61 vs. Idaho State (9/10/22)
Receptions: 1 at Air Force (9/30/23), vs. Boise State (9/22/23), at No. 16/17 Oregon State (9/16/23)
Kick Returns: 1 vs. Idaho State (9/2/23)
Kick Return Yards: 20 vs. Idaho State (9/2/23)
Long Kick Return: 20 vs. Idaho State (9/2/23)
Punt Return Touchdowns: 1 vs. Arizona (9/3/22)
Overall Touchdowns: 2 vs. Boise State (9/22/23)
Tackles: 1 at No. 14/15 Utah (9/17/22)