AZTECS FOOTBALL: SDSU'S DONNEL PUMPHREY AND TANNER BLAIN NAMED MW PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

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Pumphrey (offensive) and Blain (special teams) earn MW weekly accolades

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

September 19, 2016 (Colorado Springs, Co.) - San Diego State football players Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Tanner Blain (Lindenhurst, Ill.) have each been named Mountain West Players of the Week, the league announced Monday. Pumphrey was chosen as the MW Offensive Player of the Week, while Blain garnered MW Special Teams Player-of-the-Week accolades.

It is Pumphrey’s second straight MW weekly award and sixth of his career, while Blain picked up his first league nod. Rashaad Penny was also the MW Special Teams Player of the Week last week.

The duo helped the now 22nd-ranked Aztecs (3-0) defeat Northern Illinois, 42-28, on Saturday for their 13th consecutive victory.

Pumphrey had 220 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries (9.6 avg.) a week after breaking Marshall Faulk’s career SDSU rushing record with 281 yards in a San Diego State 45-40 win over California. The 220 yards moved him past Faulk for the school’s all-time all-purpose yard record (5,811). It was also his school-record 24th career 100-yard game (also passing Faulk) and fourth career 200-yard game, which ranks second in Aztec history.

Pumphrey, who also became the Mountain West’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (52), scored on runs of 33, 46 and 79 yards with the latter being a season-long run. In the fourth quarter alone he rushed two times for 112 yards and touchdowns. The 220 yards are tied for the fifth most in a game this season (he is also No. 1 at 281, set last week vs. Cal.).

On the season, Pumphrey has rushed 73 times for 599 yards (8.2 avg.) and seven touchdowns, while adding nine catches for 67 yards (7.4 avg.). He leads the nation in rushing yards and all-purpose yards (666), and is tied for third in rushing touchdowns (7), tied for fifth in points (42) and sixth in rushing yards per carry (8.21).

Blain, meanwhile, had a stellar game in front of his home state, punting five times for 212 yards, averaging 42.4 yards per boot with a career-high-tying four inside the 20. He ended up with four punts inside the 7-yard line, including three inside the 5 (2, 3 and 4) with the other landing on the 6. On his four punts inside the 7, the Huskies were held scoreless. His other punt was a season-long 52-yarder.


On the year, Blain has punted 18 times for 697 yards (38.7 avg.) with seven inside the 20 and five fair catches.

SDSU is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2011 and for just the second time in the last 35 seasons. San Diego State, which is coming off its first unbeaten September since the 1981 squad went 2-0, has won 13 consecutive games, outscoring the opposition, 482-189 (37.1-14.5) over the streak. It is the second-longest active win streak in the nation behind the defending national champion Alabama (15) and is the longest in school history since a 21-game streak from 1968-70. Eleven of the 13 Aztec wins during the streak have come by at least 14 points.

SDSU has a bye this week and returns to action Oct. 1 at South Alabama in Mobile, Ala.

 


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