June 2, 2015
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State football team had 15 players named to Phil Steele's College Football Magazine 2015 Preseason Mountain West Team, the publication announced yesterday.
The group of 15, which is the second most in the league and eight more than the Aztecs had in the 2014 edition of the magazine, includes five on the first team - junior running back Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas, Nev.), senior offensive lineman Darrell Greene (Oakley, Calif.), senior offensive lineman Pearce Slater (Los Angeles, Calif.), junior defensive lineman Alex Barrett (Mesa, Ariz.) and senior kicker Donny Hageman (Covina, Calif.) - and four on the second team - junior linebacker Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo.), junior cornerback Damontae Kazee (San Bernardino, Calif.), senior cornerback J.J. Whittaker (Oceanside, Calif.) and junior punt returner Lloyd Mills (Chandler, Ariz.).
SDSU also has two representatives on the third team - senior linebacker Jake Fely (Oceanside, Calif.) and junior safety Malik Smith (Compton, Calif.) - and four on the fourth team - junior offensive lineman Nico Siragusa (Chula Vista, Calif.), senior defensive lineman Jon Sanchez (Murrieta, Calif.), sophomore safety Trey Lomax (San Diego/Mira Mesa HS) and sophomore kick returner Rashaad Penny (Norwalk, Calif.).
Additionally, senior long snapper Jeff Overbaugh (Anchorage, Alaska) was named a fourth-team preseason All-American by the magazine yesterday.
Last year, Pumphrey set a San Diego State single-season record with 1,867 yards and 20 touchdowns on 276 carries, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt. He also caught 23 passes for 260 yards (12.3 avg.) en route to being named a first-team all-MW performer.
Greene and Slater, meanwhile, blocked for Pumphrey and helped the Aztecs rush for 2,809 yards on the season, averaging 216.1 yards per game, and 26 touchdowns. The 2,809 rushing yards were the second most in school history, while the 216.1 yards per game ranked 26th in the country. Green and Slater also backed an offensive line that ranked ninth in the nation in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.46) and tied for 42nd in sacks allowed per game (1.77). Greene was an honorable-mention all-MW pick last year.
Barrett had 39 tackles (21 solo), nine tackles for loss, three sacks, three PBUs, six quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a blocked kick, despite missing the final three games with a leg injury. Surprisingly, Barrett, who earned honorable-mention all-conference honors, was the only SDSU representative on the Phil Steele preseason defensive first team, despite the team finishing with national ranks of 10th in passing (178.5), 13th in scoring (19.8), 16th in total (332.5) and 19th in pass efficiency (112.10).
Hageman finished 20-for-25 on field goal attempts and a perfect 37-for-37 in PAT's last year as a junior. The 20 field goals ended up setting a San Diego State school record, while the field goal percentage (80.0) ranked fifth all-time.
Munson had a solid true sophomore season in 2014, recording 83 tackles (54 solo), along with team highs of 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, four interceptions (for 146 yards and a touchdown) and two forced fumbles (tied). He was also an honorable-mention all-MW pick.
Kazee and Whittaker, who were each named second-team all-MW selections, helped the Aztecs rank 10th in passing defense (178.5) and 19th in pass efficiency defense (112.10). Kazee totaled 58 tackles (40 solo), four tackles for loss, an interception, a fumble recovery and a team-high 13 pass breakups, while Whittaker accounted for 63 tackles (43 solo), two tackles for loss, two interceptions and six PBUs.
Mills, who also had 22 catches and a touchdown for 310 yards (14.1 avg.), returned 18 punts for 205 yards and a touchdown, averaging 11.4 yards per return. The 11.4 punt return average ranked 11th in the nation and got him second-team all-MW accolades.
Fely recorded 12 tackles (five solo) with a tackle for loss and a PBU in just three games, battling injuries for most of the past two seasons. He was a second-team all-conference pick in 2012.
Smith, competing last year as a true sophomore, had 55 tackles (29 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, seven pass breakups, a quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery. For his efforts, he received honorable-mention all-MW accolades.
Siragusa (started all 13 games at left guard), Sanchez (32 tackles (27 solo), 7.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 10 QBH), Lomax (63 tackles (38 solo), 3.0 TFL, 3 PBU, 2 FR) and Penny (20 KR, 500 KR yards (25.0 avg.)) also made the Phil Steele's preseason list as fourth-team selections.
SDSU, one of 27 schools to play in a bowl game each of the last five seasons and one of just three from the "Group of 5" conferences, finished 2014 with a 7-6 record and 5-3 in MW play.
San Diego State kicks off the season Sept. 5 vs. San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium.
Deposits for new season tickets are currently underway and can be secured by calling the Aztec Ticket Office at (619) 283-7378 or online at GoAztecs.com.
Phil Steele College Football Magazine
2015 Preseason Mountain West Team
(SDSU athletes listed only)
First Team
RB - Donnel Pumphrey, Jr.
OL - Darrell Greene, Sr.
OL - Pearce Slater, Sr.
DL - Alex Barrett, Jr.
K - Donny Hageman, Sr.
Second Team
LB - Calvin Munson, Jr.
CB - Damontae Kazee, Jr.
CB - J.J. Whittaker, Sr.
PR - Lloyd Mills, Jr.
Third Team
LB - Jake Fely, Sr.
S - Malik Smith, Jr.
Fourth Team
OL - Nico Siragusa, Jr.
DL - Jon Sanchez, Sr.
S - Trey Lomax, So.
KR - Rashaad Penny, So.