SDSU FOOTBALL RELEASES 2016 TEAM AWARDS

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 13, 2016 (San Diego) - For the third straight season at the team’s annual banquet, San Diego State senior running back Donnel Pumphrey was honored with the John Simcox Memorial Trophy as the 2016 team’s Most Valuable Player and the Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy as the offensive player-of-the-year, becoming the only player in program history to accomplish the feat.

This season, Pumphrey picked up the seventh All-American accolade of his career, four of which came this year, after becoming the first San Diego State player to win two league offensive player-of-the-year awards in program history. A finalist for the Doak Walker Award (top running back), and semifinalist for the Maxwell Award (college Player-of-the-Year) and Walter Camp Player-of-the-Year award, he has compiled a school-record 2,018 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 330 carries (6.1 avg.) this season, while adding a team-high 26 catches for 205 yards (7.9 avg.). One of four players in FBS to lead his team in rushing yards and catches, Pumphrey is ranked second in the country in rushing yards (2,018), rushing yards per game (155.2) and all-purpose yards (2,229), despite not playing in the fourth quarter in four of the past seven games.

The Byron H. Chase Defensive Player-of-the-Year was bestowed upon senior cornerback Damontae Kazee. Kazee joined Kirk Morrison (2003-04) as the only multiple Aztec defensive player-of-the-year award winners in MW history. A three-time all-league pick over his career (also second team in 2014), Kazee has 60 tackles (41 solo), three tackles for loss, seven interceptions for 156 yards (22.3 avg.) and a touchdown, eight pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. He is first among all active FBS players with a school-record 17 interceptions and 47 passes defended, leading the MW in both interceptions per game (0.54, fourth nationally) and interception yards (156, seventh nationally).

Seniors Alex Barrett, Kazee, Calvin Munson, Pumphrey and Siragusa took home the Dr. R. Hardy/C.E. Peterson Memorial Trophy, awarded to the team’s captains. Munson was also named the team’s Most Inspirational Player, while Barrett was honored as the team’s Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Barrett, the first Aztec defensive lineman to earn first-team all-MW honors multiple times, has 49 tackles (26 solo), and team highs of 6.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hurries, along with four pass breakups in 13 starts. Barrett, who also was an honorable-mention all-MW pick as a sophomore in 2014, is ranked seventh in the MW in sacks per game (0.50) and ninth in tackles for loss per game (0.85).

Named a Pro Football Focus All-American, Munson earned first-team all-MW honors once again this year. He leads the San Diego State defense with 108 tackles (44 more than the next player) to go along with 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, a team-high 17 quarterback hurries and three pass breakups.

Siragusa, meanwhile, was named a second-team Associated Press All-American and a USA Today first-team All-American, becoming the first Aztec to earn first-team All-American distinction since Kirk Morrison was a College Football News first-team All-American in 2003 and the first offensive lineman honored since Mike Malano was a Football Writers Association of America first-team All-American in 1999. He was also the first USA Today first-team honoree in program history. Named a Pro Football Focus All-American for his efforts this season, Siragusa graded out as the nation's third-best guard and third-best run blocker. San Diego State's first offensive lineman to be named a first-team all-Mountain West selection twice after his 2016 honor, Siragusa has not allowed a sack in 846 snaps, according to the ProFootballFocus.com. He has helped SDSU rush for a school-record 3,553 rushing yards and 16 100-yard games by three different backs.

Daniel Brunskill and Arthur Flores shared the President’s Award for High Academic Achievement. Brunskill also picked up the Offensive Lineman of the Year award after switching from tight end to offensive lineman before the 2016 season. Brunskill earned second-team All-Mountain West honors at offensive right tackle after being named an honorable-mention pick as a tight end last year. Brunskill and Flores, who has started all 13 games at center, have blocked for a team that has produced 15 100-yard rushing games by three different backs this year and a school-record 3,553 yards with a game to go.

Earning Most Valuable Special Teams Player of the Year honors were Rashaad Penny and Quest Truxton. The Mountain West Special Teams Player-of-the-Year for the second straight season, Penny has returned 18 kicks for 575 yards (31.9 avg.), including two touchdowns (100 and 93 yards), while rushing 126 times for 995 yards (7.9 avg.) with 11 touchdowns, and adding 14 catches for 220 yards (15.7 avg.) and another three scores. Truxton was an All-MW honorable-mention pick in his first season at SDSU, returning 27 punt returns for 255 yards and a league-best 9.44 average (19th nationally). He also has 11 catches for 156 yards (14.2 avg.) with three touchdowns, two rushes for 44 yards (22.0 avg.) and four kick returns for 61 yards (15.3 avg.).

Parker Houston and Juwan Washington were both given the team’s Outstanding Freshman Award. Houston has played in each of the last nine games with four starts, making four catches for 27 yards (6.8 avg.) and a touchdown with a long of 14 yards, while handling short snapping duties on PATs and field goals. Washington was named “SDSU’s Top Newcomer” by Lindy’s Sports, playing in the team’s 13 games with one start, rushing 52 times for 433 yards (8.3 avg.) and five touchdowns, adding three catches for 72 yards (24.0 avg.) and a touchdown, and returning 10 kicks for 293 yards (29.3 avg.) and another score. He is one of only five freshmen players in the country with at least five rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown, and one of two with a kick return, as well.

Freshmen Elijah Preston, Dru Mathis and Brandon Fitzpatrick were named the respective Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Scout Players-of-the-Year.

The Aztecs (10-3) will square off against Houston (9-3) in the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 12:30 p.m. PT. The game will be played at Sam Boyd Stadium and will be broadcast nationally by ABC.

2016 SDSU Team Awards

John Simcox Memorial Trophy

Most Valuable Player

Donnel Pumphrey

Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy

Offensive Player-of-the-Year

Donnel Pumphrey

Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy

Defensive Player-of-the-Year

Damontae Kazee

Dr. R. Hardy/C.E. Peterson Memorial Trophy

Captain's Awards

Alex Barrett

Damontae Kazee

Calvin Munson

Donnel Pumphrey

Nico Siragusa

President's Award

High Academic Achievement

Daniel Brunskill and Arthur Flores

Most Inspirational Player

Calvin Munson

Most Valuable Special Teams Player

Rashaad Penny and Quest Truxton

Outstanding Freshman Award

Parker Houston and Juwan Washington

Offensive Lineman of the Year

Daniel Brunskill

Defensive Lineman of the Year

Alex Barrett

Offensive Scout Team Player-of-the-Year

Elijah Preston

Defensive Scout Team Player-of-the-Year

Dru Mathis

Special Teams Scout Team Player-of-the-Year

Brandon Fitzpatrick