COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.----- There are two "firsts" for San Jose State University among the 2021 Mountain West individual football award winners based on a vote by the conference's 12 head coaches and selected media members that cover the conference regularly.
• A team record 12 players were named either as a first-team, second-team, or honorable mention All-Mountain West award recipient. The previous San Jose State football high mark was 11 players in 2020.
• For the first time since joining the Mountain West in 2013, two Spartans, defensive end Viliami Fehoko and linebacker Kyle Harmon, are repeat first-team all-conference selections in football.
BIG NUMBERS TRANSLATE TO TOP HONORS
Fehoko led San Jose State (5-7, 3-5 MW) in tackles for loss at 10.5, quarterback sacks at 7.0, and in forced fumbles with three. He also blocked a kick scoring attempt. Among conference players in games played through November 27th, Fehoko is tied for seventh for sacks per game, tied for 12th in tackles for loss per game, and tied for sixth in forced fumbles.
A 2020 first-team All-Mountain West choice like Fehoko, Harmon leads the conference and is third nationally in tackles per game with 11.1 figure and 133 total tackles. His 6.0 tackles for loss ranks second on the squad and his one quarterback sack on the season clinched the Spartans' 27-20 win at UNLV.
Offensive tackle Jack Snyder was named to the All-Mountain West second team – his third all-conference award in the last three seasons. Snyder, the school career record-setter for games played (57) and starting assignments (52), was a first-team choice in 2020 and an honorable mention honoree in 2019. He joins former punter Michael Carrizosa to earn an All-Mountain West honor in three consecutive seasons (2015, 2016, 2017).
NOTABLE HONORABLE MENTION SPARTANS
Nine San Jose State players, five on defense, three on offense, and punter Will Hart were named as honorable mention award winners. Hart averaged 44.4 yards per punt and as a team, San Jose State's net punting figure of 41.78 yards per punt ranks 22nd nationally. Opponents averaged only 3.4 yards per punt return.
Tight end Derrick Deese, Jr., running back Tyler Nevens, and offensive guard Tyler Stevens were the players on offense receiving honorable mention all-conference recognition. Deese, Jr., was the Spartans' leading receiver with personal single-season bests of 47 receptions for 730 yards and a team-high four touchdown catches earning honorable mention All-Mountain West honors for the second year in a row. Nevens led San Jose State in rushing with 766 yards and seven touchdowns for his first Mountain West recognition. Stevens started at right guard in 11 of the team's 12 games.
On defense, lineman Cade Hall, second on the Spartans with 4.0 quarterback sacks and two forced fumbles, and safeties Jay Lenard and Tre Jenkins, were named All-Mountain West for the second time in their careers as honorable mention choices. Hall was the 2020 Mountain West Defensive Player of the year; Jenkins, a 2020 second-team pick; and Lenard, a 2019 honorable mention recipient.
Lenard and Jenkins each finished with 72 tackles tying for second most on the Spartans. Lenard also was credited with 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, forcing a fumble, recovering two opponent fumbles, blocking a kick scoring try and intercepting a pass.
Cornerback Nehemiah Shelton, the team leader with two interceptions and tied for fifth nationally with 14 passes defended, and linebacker Alii Matau, who had personal single season bests of 51 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 quarterbacks sacks were All-Mountain West honorable mention selections for the first time.
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