SAN DIEGO – San Diego State senior linebacker Kyahva Tezino was awarded the John Simcox Memorial Trophy as the 2019 team MVP at the team's annual banquet on Sunday. It is the second straight year that he won the team's MVP award.
Tezino joins Donnel Pumphrey (2014-16), Kirk Morrison (2003-04), Marshall Faulk (1992-93), Todd Santos (1986-87) and Gary Garrison (1964-65) as the only Aztecs in program history to win the team's MVP award multiple seasons.
Tezino, who also was an all-Mountain West first-team selection for a second straight year, led SDSU to a 10-3 record, culminating in a 48-11 win over Central Michigan in the 2019 New Mexico Bowl, where he was named the bowl's defensive MVP. San Diego State now has at least 10 victories in four of the past five years. On the season, Tezino recorded a team-high 99 tackles, including 10 ½ tackles for loss and 3 ½ sacks. Tezino also led the Aztecs in quarterback hurries (31) and forced fumbles (2, tied), while adding two interceptions and three pass breakups. Tezino captained a SDSU defense that finished the season ranked second in FBS play in both scoring (12.7) and rushing (75.4), fifth in total (287.8), and sixth in pass efficiency (110.3).
Tezino also was a recipient of Most Inspirational Player award with senior fullback Isaac Lessard.
Wide receiver Jesse Matthews, meanwhile, took home both the Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy (outstanding player) for the offense and the team's Outstanding Freshman Award on the offensive side of the ball. Matthews, who earned a scholarship in December after walking on to the Aztecs, totaled 48 catches for 633 yards (13.2 avg.) with two touchdowns, while adding 12 punt returns for 78 yards (6.5 avg.). His 48 receptions rank as the second most in a season among SDSU freshmen, while his 633 receiving yards are third. Matthews is the first San Diego State freshman to be named an offensive or defensive outstanding player since quarterback Ryan Lindley in 2008. He capped his freshman campaign with three catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the New Mexico Bowl en route to sharing the offensive MVP award with Jordan Byrd.
Senior cornerback Luq Barcoo was named the Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy (outstanding player) for the defense after recording nine interceptions, 16 pass breakups, 55 tackles (43 solo) and five tackles for loss. Barcoo's nine interceptions were tied for the most in the country, and were the most in a season by an Aztec in the program's Division I history (since 1969) and the second most overall. Barcoo, who was a semifinalist for the Paycomm Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back), was a second-team All-America selection by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Walter Camp and Phil Steele Magazine, and a third-team honoree by the Associated Press. An all-MW first-team selection, Barcoo also led the nation in passes defended per game (1.92) and total passes defended (25), tied for the FBS lead in interceptions per game (0.69) and tied for second in pass breakups (16).
Senior tight end Parker Houston and senior punter Brandon Heicklen each were winners of the President's Award for High Achievement, presented to the players who have achieved the highest standards of athletic and academic excellence. Heicklen was also the team's Most Valuable Special teams Player, the first Aztec punter to win the award since Brian Stahovich in 2010. Heicklen, a three-time MW Special Teams Player of the Week winner this year and an honorable-mention all-MW pick, punted 74 times for 3,347 yards, averaging 45.2 yards per punt (fourth in SDSU single-season history). A remarkable 35 of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line, including 17 inside the 10 and nine inside the 5.
Cameron Thomas shared the Outstanding Freshman Award with Matthews and also was named the team's Defensive Lineman of the Year. Thomas had 49 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and 5 ½ sacks, while posting 13 quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. Thomas was an all-MW first-team selection.
Keith Ismael was named the team's Offensive Lineman of the Year for a second straight season after garnering all-conference recognition for a third consecutive campaign (first team in 2018-19, second team in 2017).
A trio of true freshmen won the Scout Team awards in Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (offense), Nassir Sims (defense) and Garret Fountain (special teams).
2019 SDSU Team Awards
John Simcox Memorial Trophy
Most Valuable Player
Kyahva Tezino
Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy
Offensive Player of the Year
Jesse Matthews
Defensive Player of the Year
Luq Barcoo
President's Award
High Academic Achievement
Brandon Heicklen
Parker Houston
Most Inspirational Players
Isaac Lessard
Kyahva Tezino
Most Valuable Special Teams Player
Brandon Heicklen
Outstanding Freshman Award
Jesse Matthews
Cameron Thomas
Offensive Lineman of the Year
Keith Ismael
Defensive Lineman of the Year
Cameron Thomas
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year
Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year
Nassir Sims
Scout Team Player of the Year
Garret Fountain