Fresno State blanked on All-Mountain West football first team
Fresno State didn’t have any football players named to the All-Mountain West first team while seniors Alex Fifita and Ejiro Ederaine were selected to the second team Tuesday by the conference’s 12 coaches and a select media panel.
It’s the first time since 1951 that no Bulldogs landed on an all-conference first team, according to the 2015 media guide.
Fresno State went 2-6 in conference play this season and 3-9 overall – the program’s fewest wins total 1978.
Fifita, a 2015 preseason all-conference selection on the offensive line, was an honorable mention pick a year ago. This season, he was not called for a holding penalty and was flagged for a false start twice. Fifita wrapped up his career starting in 26 straight games and 36 overall.
Ederaine, a two-time second-team pick at linebacker, finishes his Fresno State career with the second-most tackles for loss in Mountain West history at 45.5.
Bulldogs senior defensive end Claudell Louis earned honorable mention.
San Diego State, which ended Fresno State’s three-year reign as West Division champion, earned four of the top five individual honors heading into a showdown with Mountain Division champ Utah State in the conference championship game Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium.
Aztecs junior running back Donnel Pumphrey was chosen Offensive Player of the Year and junior defensive back Damontae Kazee as the Defensive Player of the Year. San Diego State sophomore return specialist Rashaad Penny is the Special Teams Player of the Year and Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien the Freshman of the Year.
Rocky Long of San Diego State was selected as Coach of the Year.
Pumphrey is the first San Diego State player to earn the MW Offensive Player of the Year award.
Rypien is the first freshman quarterback in league history to be named first-team all-conference.
2015 All-Mountain West Football Team
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Donnel Pumphrey, Jr., RB, San Diego State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Damontae Kazee, Jr., DB, San Diego State
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rashaad Penny, So., KR/PR, San Diego State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Brett Rypien, QB, Boise State
COACH OF THE YEAR
Rocky Long, San Diego State
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Position, Player, Class, Team
QB Brett Rypien, Fr., Boise State
WR Thomas Sperbeck, Jr., Boise State
WR Rashard Higgins*, Jr., Colorado State
RB Donnel Pumphrey*, Jr., San Diego State
RB Tyler Ervin, Sr., San Jose State
TE Billy Freeman, Jr., San Jose State
OL Sevrin Remmo, Sr., Air Force
OL Marcus Henry, Sr., Boise State
OL Rees Odhiambo, Sr., Boise State
OL Nico Siragusa, Jr., San Diego State
OL Pearce Slater, Sr., San Diego State
PK Tyler Rausa, Jr., Boise State
PR/KR Rashaad Penny, So., San Diego State
DEFENSE
Position, Player, Class, Team
DL Alex Hansen, Sr., Air Force
DL Kennedy Tulimasealii, Jr., Hawaii
DL Ian Seau, Sr., Nevada
DL Alex Barrett, Jr., San Diego State
LB Calvin Munson, Jr., San Diego State
LB Kyler Fackrell, Sr., Utah State
LB Nick Vigil*, Jr., Utah State
DB Roland Ladipo, Jr., Air Force
DB Weston Steelhammer*, Jr., Air Force
DB Darian Thompson*, Sr., Boise State
DB Damontae Kazee, Jr., San Diego State
P Michael Carrizosa, So., San Jose State
* Two-time first-team selection
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Position, Player, Class, Team
QB Nick Stevens, So., Colorado State
WR Devonte Boyd*, So., UNLV
WR Hunter Sharp, Sr., Utah State
RB Jeremy McNichols, So., Boise State
RB Brian Hill, So., Wyoming
TE Jake Roh, So., Boise State
OL A.J. Ruechel, Sr., Air Force
OL Fred Zerblis, Jr., Colorado State
OL Alex Fifita, Sr., Fresno State
OL Wes Schweitzer, Sr., San Jose State
OL Chase Roullier, Jr., Wyoming
PK Brent Zuzo, Jr., Nevada
PR/KR Carlos Wiggins, Sr., New Mexico
DEFENSE
Position, Player, Class, Team
DL Kamalei Correa, Jr., Boise State
DL Cory James, Sr., Colorado State
DL Lenny Jones, Sr., Nevada
DL Eddie Yarbrough, Sr., Wyoming
LB Ejiro Ederaine*, Sr., Fresno State
LB Jake Fely*, Sr., San Diego State
LB Christian Tago, Jr., San Jose State
DB Donte Deayon**, Sr., Boise State
DB Dameon Baber, Fr., Nevada
DB J.J. Whittaker*, Sr., San Diego State
DB Andrew Wingard, Fr., Wyoming
P Hayden Hunt, Jr., Colorado State
*Two-time second-team selection
** Three-time second-team selection
HONORABLE MENTION
Air Force: Jacobi Owens, Jr., RB; Jalen Robinette, Jr., WR.
Boise State: Tyler Horn, Sr., DL; Tanner Vallejo, Jr., LB; Mario Yakoo, Jr., OL.
Colorado State: Sam Carlson, Sr., OL; Kivon Cartwright, Sr., TE; Kevin Davis, Jr., LB; Trent Matthews, Sr., DB.
Fresno State: Claudell Louis, Sr., DL.
Hawaii: Dejon Allen, So., OL; Ben Clarke, Sr., OL; Julian Gener, Sr., LB; Nick Nelson, So., DB; Rigoberto Sanchez, Jr., P.
Nevada: James Butler, So., RB; Austin Corbett, So., OL; Jarred Gipson, Jr., TE.
New Mexico: Dakota Cox, Jr., LB; Nik D'Avanzo, Jr., DL; Eden Mahina, Sr., OL.
San Diego State: Daniel Brunskill, Jr., TE; Donny Hageman, Sr., PK; Christian Heyward, Sr., DL; Jon Sanchez, Sr., DL; Malik Smith, So., DB.
San Jose State: Jeremiah Kolone, So., OL; Maurice McKnight, So., DB; Kenny Potter, Jr., QB; Jimmy Pruitt, Sr., DB; Nate Velichko, So., OL; Cleveland Wallace, Jr., DB.
UNLV: Will Kreitler, Jr., OL; Tau Lotulelei, Jr., LB.
Utah State: Austin Albrecht, Jr., OL; Jalen Davis, So., DB; David Moala, Sr., DL; Tyshon Mosley, So., OL; Kent Myers, So., QB; Jordan Nielsen, Sr., DL; Andrew Rodriguez, Jr., KR/PR; Jake Simonich, So, OL; Austin Stephens, So., OL.
This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 2:47 PM with the headline "Fresno State blanked on All-Mountain West football first team."