Seven Aztecs Named to MW 25th Season Football Team

SDSU's seven players named to the team include Donnel Pumphrey and Rashaad Penny, who was the only player to make the team at two positions

By GoAztecs

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Seven San Diego State players were named to the Mountain West 25th Season Football Team, the league announced Thursday. The eight Aztecs, which include two offensive players, four defensive players and two special teamers, are tied with Boise State for the most selections in the league.

The team was comprised of 25 on the offensive side of the ball, 25 on defense and 10 on special teams, and was voted on by members of the MW 25th Season committee for the league, which began in 1999.

SDSU's seven players named to the MW 25th Season Team include Donnel Pumphrey, Rashaad Penny (who was the only player to make the team at two positions, running back and kick returner), Damontae Kazee, Leon McFadden, Kirk Morrison, Cameron Thomas and Matt Araiza.

Pumphrey (2013-16) finished as the NCAA's all-time leading rusher with 6,405 yards, while also ranking fifth in all-purpose yards (7,515), tied for eighth in overall touchdowns (67) and ninth in rushing touchdowns (62). Pumphrey was a two-time MW Offensive Player of the Year (2015-16), three-time MW first-team selection (2014-16) and six-time MW Offensive Player of the Week. As a senior in 2016, Pumphrey was a Doak Walker Award finalist, finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy voting and was an All-America selection by six publications, including first-team honors by both Walter Camp and Sports Illustrated, leading the nation with 2,133 rushing yards.

Penny (2014-17) finished his career tied for the most career kick return touchdowns (7) and return (KR/PR) touchdowns (8) in NCAA FBS history. Penny was a three-time MW Special Teams Player of the Year (2015-17), the 2017 MW Offensive Player of the Year (first and only time a player has won both awards in a season), five-time MW Offensive Player of the Week (all in 2017) and four-time MW Special Teams Player of the Week. Penny shattered the record books as a senior in 2017, ranking fifth in NCAA FBS history in rushing yards (2,248) and all-purpose yards (2,974), and setting a NCAA record with a 7.78 rush average (min. 280 att.). The 2,248 yards were a school record and more than 78 other FBS teams (he would have ranked 52nd as a "team"). For his efforts, he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting, while being named a consensus first-team All-American.

A cornerback, Kazee (2013-16) finished his career at SDSU ranked first in interceptions (17), sixth in pass breakups (30), tied for sixth in forced fumbles (6) and seventh in interception yards (214). Kazee was the back-to-back MW Defensive Player of the Year (2015-16), becoming the first cornerback in MW history to win the defensive player-of-the-year award twice and the fifth player overall, joining Tank Carder (2010-11 at TCU), Jerry Hughes (2008-09 at TCU), Eric Weddle (2005-06 at Utah) and Morrison (2003-04 at San Diego State).

McFadden (2009-12) had 186 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight interceptions and a school-record 39 pass breakups with the Aztecs. McFadden, a cornerback, was a three-time first-team all-MW selection (2010-12), then the fifth player in program history to earn first-team all-conference honors in three straight seasons. McFadden played every game since arriving on campus as a true freshman in 2009.

Morrison (2001-04) was a two-time MW Defensive Player of the Year (2003-04), the first Aztec to win a conference player-of-the-year award twice, a three-time all-MW first-team selection (2002-04) and a three-time MW Defensive Player of the Week honoree. A linebacker, Morrison is currently San Diego State's career leader in solo tackles (241) and fumble recoveries (10), and ranks second in total tackles (396), third in assisted tackles (155) and fifth in forced fumbles (7). He was a two-time All-American at SDSU, garnering first-team accolades as a senior in 2004 by College Football News.

Cameron Thomas (2019-21) made the most of his time on The Mesa, being named the MW Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and a three-time first-team pick (2019-21). Thomas ranks fourth all-time at SDSU with 21 sacks, despite only playing on the defense line for three seasons (he played one game on special teams as a true freshman in 2018). Thomas was an All-America selection by 11 publications as a junior in 2021, including first-team honors by both The Athletic and Sports Info Solutions (SIS), and was the first semifinalist for the Bednarik Award (outstanding defensive player of the year) in program history.

Finally, Araiza (2019-21) was the 2021 MW Special Teams Player of the Year, a first-team all-MW selection as a punter in 2021 and a three-time all-conference pick as a kicker (second team in 2021, honorable mention in 2019-20), while being named the MW Special Teams Player of the Week on five occasions. Araiza broke out his junior season in 2021, winning the Ray Guy Award for the most outstanding punter, the first Aztec to win a major postseason award in program history. In 2021, Araiza set NCAA FBS records in punt average (51.19), 60-yard punts (18) and 50-yard punts (39) in a season, and likely 70-yard punts (6). For his efforts, he became SDSU's second unanimous All-American (Faulk in 1992 and 1993), earning first-team honors by Walter Camp, FWAA, Associated Press, Sporting News, AFCA, The Athletic, USA Today, ESPN, Pro Football Focus, Pro Football Network, CBS Sports, College Football Focus, Bleacher Report, The Action Network and Sports Info Solutions (SIS).