SDSU Lands Four Players on 2019 MW Preseason Team

Four San Diego State University football players were named to the 2019 Mountain West Preseason All-Conference Team, the league announced during the Mountain West Football Media Summit in Las Vegas. The four preseason selections – offensive lineman Keith Ismael, linebacker Kyahva Tezino, warrior (safety) Tariq Thompson and running back Juwan Washington – are the third most in the league.

The all-conference team and preseason poll are voted on by media representatives who cover the conference. Ismael, who last week landed on the Rimington Trophy Watch List as the nation's outstanding center, is a two-time All-Mountain West selection, including a first-team pick last year as a sophomore and a second-team selection in 2017 as a freshman. Last season, Ismael started all 12 games he appeared in, including six games at center, five at right guard and once at left guard. He was also named the team's offensive lineman of the year and was on the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Offensive Team of the Year. Tezino, who has been named to the Bednarik Award Watch List (college defensive player of the year) and Butkus Award Watch List (nation's top linebacker), is coming off a fantastic junior season in 2018 when he had 127 tackles (70 solo), including 14.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries, en route to earning First-Team All-Mountain West honors. His 127 tackles were the eighth most in SDSU single-season history.

Thompson, a member of the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List for the top defensive back, recorded 60 tackles (38 solo) a year ago, including five tackles for loss, two interceptions for 41 yards, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Thompson, who has started all 26 games since arriving to campus as a true freshman in 2017, was a second-team All-MW pick for a second straight year in 2018 and also a member of the Pro Football Focus Mountain West Defensive Team of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Washington rushed 199 times for 999 yards (5.0 average) with 10 touchdowns last year, despite missing nearly five games with an injury. An honorable mention MW selection in 2018, Washington ranked second in the MW and 13th in FBS in rushing yards per game (111.0, min. 190 attempts), second in yards per carry (5.0) and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns (10). Washington made the Maxwell Award Watch List for the college player of the year.

Preseason poll

Additionally, SDSU was picked to finish second in the West Division with 106 points and seven first-place votes, just 16 points behind defending champion Fresno State's 122 points and 17 first-place votes. The Aztecs have been chosen to either finish first or second in the West Division all seven years of division play. SDSU has won two of the last four Mountain West titles (2015 and 2016) and three of the past seven (also 2012). Following Fresno State (122) and SDSU (106) in the West Division was Nevada (74), Hawai'i (67 and the other first-place vote), UNLV (51) and San José State (21). Boise State has been picked to win the Mountain Division for the seventh consecutive season after making the MW championship game last year for just the second time since 2014.

The Broncos lost to Fresno State, 19-16, in the 2018 MW Championship game at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Boise State picked up 15 first-place votes in the Mountain Division and 120 total, followed by Utah State (108 and six first-place votes), Air Force (73), Wyoming (66), Colorado State (52) and New Mexico (22). The Aztecs finished 2018 with a 7-6 record, including wins over No. 23/25 Arizona State and rv/No. 24 Boise State. SDSU is one of 14 teams to make a bowl game in nine consecutive seasons.

The Aztecs kick off their 2019 season at home on Saturday, Aug. 31 against Weber State at 6 p.m. PT, followed by the KGB SkyShow.

For more ticket information, visit GoAztecs.com, call 619-283-7378 or stop by SDCCU Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT.

2019 Mountain West Preseason Poll

West Division 1. Fresno State (17 first-place votes) - 122 2. San Diego State (3) - 106 3. Nevada - 74 4. Hawai'i (1) - 67 5. UNLV - 51 6. San José State - 21 Mountain Division 1. Boise State (15) - 120 2. Utah State (6) - 108 3. Air Force - 73 4. Wyoming - 66 5. Colorado State - 52 6. New Mexico - 22

2019 Mountain West Football Preseason All-Conference Team

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Jordan Love, Jr., QB, Utah State Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Curtis Weaver, Jr., DL, Boise State Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year: Cooper Rothe, Sr., PK, Wyoming

Offense QB Jordan Love, Jr., Utah State WR John Hightower, Sr., Boise State WR Cedric Byrd II, Sr., Hawai'i RB Juwan Washington, Sr., San Diego State RB Toa Taua, So., Nevada OL Ezra Cleveland, Jr., Boise State OL John Molchon, Sr.,Boise State OL Jake Nelson, Sr., Nevada OL Keith Ismael, Jr., San Diego State OL Justin Polu, Sr., UNLV TE Jared Rice, Sr., Fresno State Defense DL Jordan Jackson, Jr., Air Force DL David Moa, Sr., Boise State DL Curtis Weaver, Jr., Boise State DL Tipa Galeai, Sr., Utah State LB Mykal Walker, Sr., Fresno State LB Kyahva Tezino, Sr., San Diego State LB David Woodward, Jr., Utah State DB Jeremy Fejedelem, Sr., Air Force DB Juju Hughes, Sr., Fresno State DB Tariq Thompson, Jr.,San Diego State DB DJ Williams, So., Utah State Specialists P Ryan Stonehouse, Jr., Colorado State PK Cooper Rothe, Sr., Wyoming KR/PR Savon Scarver, Jr., Utah State