Aztecsforlife

Aztec Stat of the Week: Kickoff Return Records

/ Hunter O. Hewitt / 1 Comment

In San Diego State’s 21-19 win over Boise State, wide receiver Colin Lockett returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

In San Diego State’s monumental victory over conference-foe Boise State on Saturday, Aztec wide receiver Colin Lockett set the tone from the start when he returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

It was Lockett’s second kickoff return touchdown of the season, and third of his career. No other Aztec player has ever returned more than one kickoff for a touchdown.

On top of holding the records for kickoff return touchdowns, Lockett is now chasing two other kickoff return records: career yardage and single-season yardage.

In the game, Lockett had 141 yards on three returns, and moved to third all-time in school history for most career kickoff return yards. He also moved to third all-time for most kickoff return yards in a season.

Most Kickoff Return Yards, Career

Following Saturday’s game, Lockett has 1,385 kickoff return yards in his career, the third-highest total in Aztec history.

He sits behind Darnay Scott and Monty Gilbreath, two former Aztec wide receivers who also served as returners on kickoffs.

In second place is Scott, who played at SDSU from 1991-1993. In just three seasons, he recorded 1,397 return yards on 64 returns. Arguably one of the best wide receivers in school history, he also ranks second in career receiving yards with 3,139 yards and seventh in career receptions with 178.

Following his time at SDSU, Scott was selected in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and had an impressive professional career. In eight seasons, he tallied 408 receptions for 6,193 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Gilbreath, who played at SDSU from 1986-1989, holds the school record for most kickoff return yards. In his four seasons with the Aztecs, he had 1,505 yards on 74 returns.

Gilbreath wasn’t just a kickoff return specialist, however, as he also ranks fifth in school history in career receptions (187) and tenth in career receiving yards (2,241). He also returned punts, and ranks second in school history with 835 punt return yards.

Assuming a bowl game is imminent, Lockett needs 121 kickoff return yards in the final three games to surpass Gilbreath. He would need to average just over 40 yards per game to break the record, a very reachable number considering he is averaging over 70 yards per game this season.

Most Kickoff Return Yards, Season

Not only is Lockett nearing the record for most career kickoff return yards, but he is also close to breaking the single-season record. Through 10 games, Lockett now has 707 yards on 27 returns this season, which currently ranks him third all-time at SDSU.

Gilbreath, the career yards leader, also holds the record for most kickoff return yards in a season, as he notched 880 yards on 40 returns in 1987.

Patrick Rowe, a wide receiver at SDSU from 1987-1991, ranks second with his mark of 799 yards in 1988. Like Scott and Gilbreath, Rowe is also amongst the school leaders in career receiving yards and career receptions. He ranks eighth and sixth all-time, respectively, with 155 receptions for 2,678 yards.

Lockett needs 174 kickoff return yards in the final three games to break Gilbreath’s single-season record.

Former Aztec wide receiver Darnay Scott, who played in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals, is amongst the school leaders in kickoff return yardage (Associated Press)

 

Did you miss last week’s “Stat of the Week” post about tight end records? Check it out here!

LINKS:
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Hunter Hewitt: GoAztecs.com Player Profile – http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/hewitt_hunter00.html

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

Throwback Thursday: Art Preston

/ Hunter O. Hewitt / 4 Comments

Art Preston has a name plate in the Aztec football locker room so no one forgets about the legacy he left at SDSU

These days, it’s no secret that there is an abundance of money in professional sports. Each year, athletes rake in millions of dollars to compete in their sport.

Because of these potential earnings, dual-sport athletes are scarce. Athletes often focus on one sport, because devoting time and energy to more than one sport can hinder chances of playing professionally.

When Art Preston was in college, however, things were different.

Salaries in professional sports were mere chump change compared to figures today, and athletes played sports for a different reason: the love of the game.

From 1949-1951, Preston was a star on the gridiron at San Diego State College (now San Diego State University).

In his three seasons on the football team, he rushed for 1,664 yards and 34 touchdowns. Even after 71 years, his touchdown total still ties for third on the all-time list of career touchdowns at SDSU.

He was also a part of one of just four undefeated teams (1966, 1968, 1969) in the history of SDSU football. In 1951, Preston helped lead his team to a 10-0-1 record and the school’s first-ever bowl victory over the University of Hawaii in the Pineapple Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii.

After each football season, Preston’s routine was different than that of the average football player. He did not take time off to rest his body, focus on school, or start training for the next season.

Instead, he started gearing up for baseball season. And as if his success on the football field wasn’t enough, Preston was just as impressive, if not more, on the baseball diamond.

In 1951 and 1952, he led the team in batting average, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, and stolen bases. His career batting average of .431 is the highest by any player in SDSU history.

Preston passed away in 1985, but it is clear that he left an unforgettable and incomparable legacy at SDSU. He was a member of the first-ever Aztec Hall of Fame class when he was inducted in 1988, and his name will likely remain in the record books for years to come.

Although Preston was no longer around to see the phrase come to life, he is undoubtedly an Aztec for life.

 

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

Feature Friday: Josh Wade

/ Hunter O. Hewitt / 1 Comment

Josh Wade defends a pass in the endzone vs. Fresno State (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

The third in a series of Feature Friday video interviews

Josh Wade is a 6-foot, 190-pound senior cornerback from San Diego, Calif. He is physical corner who can cover in the secondary and also make plays in the running game.

I sat down with Wade to learn more about him both on and off the football field. Here is the video interview:

Special thanks to Sean Scarborough for filming and producing the video content

Did you miss the last Feature Friday interview with fullback Chad Young? See it here!

LINKS:
Hunter Hewitt: WordPress – http://hunterhewitt.wordpress.com
Hunter Hewitt: Blogger – http://hunterhewitt.blogspot.com
Hunter Hewitt: LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterhewitt
Hunter Hewitt: Twitter – http://twitter.com/hunterhewitt89
Hunter Hewitt: Facebook – http://facebook.com/hunterhewittSDSU
Hunter Hewitt About.me – http://about.me/hunterhewitt
Hunter Hewitt: BrandYourself – http://hunterhewitt.brandyourself.com/
Hunter Hewitt: GoAztecs.com Player Profile – http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/hewitt_hunter00.html
Hunter Hewitt: SDSU News Team Story: http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news.aspx?s=73846

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS