Aug. 11, 2014
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State senior defensive back J.J. Whittaker will take over SDSU's official athletics Twitter account, @GoAztecs, on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at noon PT. The Oceanside native will answer tweets that utilize the hashtag #AztecFBLive.
Whittaker, who was named to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List (best defensive back) and preseason all-Mountain West team, is one of seven seniors on the defensive side of the ball on the preseason all-conference team. The Aztecs have now had a defensive back on the preseason all-MW team in four straight seasons (also Nat Berhe in 2013, Leon McFadden in 2011-12). Whittaker has also earned preseason first-team accolades from Athlon Sports, Lindy's, Phil Steele and Sporting News, and was named the "Best Cover Corner" and a "Player to Watch" by Lindy's.
Last season, Whittaker had 32 tackles (24 solo) along with 11 pass breakups, three interceptions, a forced fumble and two tackles for loss en route to all-MW honorable mention accolades. Whittaker missed the first three years (2010-12) of his collegiate career with various injuries.
SDSU returns 12 starters and 35 letterwinners from a team that finished 8-5 overall and 6-2 in Mountain West play a year ago, culminating with a victory over Buffalo, 49-24, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. With its bowl game appearance, San Diego State became one of only 29 teams in the nation, and one of just five non-BCS schools, to play in a bowl game in each of the last four seasons.
The Aztecs kick off the 2014 season on Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. PT, when they welcome Northern Arizona to Qualcomm Stadium.
Season tickets, mini-plans and all individual home football game tickets are currently on sale through GoAztecs.com, the SDSU athletic ticket office (619) 283-SDSU or Qualcomm Stadium, Window E (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).