SDSU Football Announces 2022 Team Awards

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State senior quarterback Jalen Mayden was awarded the John Simcox Memorial Trophy as the 2022 team MVP at the team's annual banquet on Sunday. Mayden is the first quarterback to win the prestigious award since current Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell in 2007.  

Mayden has completed 122 of 194 passes (62.9 pct.) for 1,721 yards and 10 touchdowns, owning a 147.2 pass efficiency rating, while rushing for 205 yards with three touchdowns on 57 carries (3.6 avg.). Mayden earned all-Mountain West honorable mention accolades last month at quarterback, despite playing the first five games at safety. He is the first Aztec quarterback to make an all-conference team since Ryan Lindley in 2010 (second team). Mayden, who is 5-2 as the team's starting quarterback, leads the MW in yards per completion (14.11, 7th in FBS), yards per attempt (8.87, 12th in FBS) and total offense yards per play (7.67, 19th in FBS), and ranks second in pass efficiency rating (147.20, 37th in FBS), third in completion percentage (62.89, 55th in FBS), tied for sixth in passing touchdowns (10), and seventh in passing yards (1,721), passing yards per game (143.42) and total offense per game (160.50). Mayden was also the recipient for the Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy (outstanding player) for the offense.  

Senior defensive end Jonah Tavai, meanwhile, took home the Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy (outstanding player) for the defense and the team's defensive lineman of the year. Tavai has 57 tackles (30 solo) on the season, including 12.5 tackles for loss (for 65 yards), nine sacks (for 62 yards), a forced fumble and 13 quarterback hurries. He is ranked second in the Mountain West in sack yards (62, 14th in FBS), tied for second in sacks (9.0, T-14th in FBS), third in sacks per game (0.75, T-16th in FBS), fifth in total tackle for loss yards (65, T-34th in FBS), seventh in total tackles for loss (12.5, T-46th in FBS) and tied for ninth in tackles for loss per game (1.04, T-52nd in FBS). According to?Pro Football Focus, Tavai has third-highest pass rush grade in FBS (92.0, min. 200 pass opportunities) and the fifth-highest defensive grade (92.1, min. 500 snaps). Additionally, he has the second-most quarterback pressures (62) in the country, the fourth-most hurries (40), and tied for the 14th-most QB hits (12). Tavai has been named a first-team Pro Football Focus All-American and an honorable mention College Football Network All-American, while garnering first-team all-MW accolades by the league's media and head coaches.  

Senior linebacker Michael Shawcroft was named the winner of the President's Award for High Achievement, presented to the player who has achieved the highest standards of athletic and academic excellence.  

Mekhi Shaw took home the team's most inspirational player and the offensive outstanding freshman. Shaw has 29 catches for 349 yards (12.0 avg.) and three touchdowns. Chris Johnson was named the defensive outstanding freshman, playing the most defensive snaps (72) among any SDSU true freshman.  

Senior punter/kicker Jack Browning was selected as the team's most valuable special teams player. Browning, an All-America selection by both Pro Football Focus (second team) and College Football Network (honorable mention), and the 2022 MW Special Teams Player of the Year, has punted 63 times for 2,898 yards (46.0 avg.) with a net average of 42.7 and a long of 63 yards. Out of his 63 punts, 28 have landed inside the 20-yard line, including 14 inside the 10 and six inside the 5. According to Pro Football Focus, Browning has the best punt grade (87.2) in the country. Browning, who ranks third in SDSU single-season history in punt average (46.00), is tied for fourth FBS play in punts inside the 20-yard line (28, 1st in MW), sixth in net punt average (42.67, 1st in MW) and eighth in punt average (46.00, 1st in MW). He's also made 17 of his 21 field goal attempts and all 28 PATs, leading the Aztecs with 79 points, more than the next three players combined, and has kicked off 53 times for 3,394 yards (64.0 avg.) with 31 touchbacks.  

Senior center Alama Uluave was named the team's offensive lineman of the year after garnering first-team all-conference recognition.

The scout team awards went to DJ Ralph (offense), DJ Herman (defense) and Trey White (special teams).  

San Diego State (7-5) will play Middle Tennessee (7-5) in the 2022 EasyPost Hawai`i Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 3 p.m. HST (5 p.m. PST). The Aztecs are in a bowl game for the 12th time in the last 13 seasons after withdrawing from consideration in the shortened 2020 COVID season.