Mountain West Notes - CUBuffs.com

MW FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK
FAJARDO AND SMITH AMONG NATION’S BEST
Nevada junior Cody Fajardo and Wyoming junior Brett Smith are two of seven active
quarterbacks to have three or more games in their careers with at least three passing
touchdowns and one rushing TD, making the MW one of two FBS leagues (SEC) with
multiple active quarterbacks to accomplish the feat:
GAMES WITH AT LEAST THREE PASSING TDS, ONE RUSHING TD (MIN. 3)
Rk. Player, Team No.
1. Tahj Boyd, Clemson 8
2. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M 7
3. Kolton Browning, ULM 4
4. Cody Fajardo, Nevada 3
Brett Smith, Wyoming 3
Nathan Scheelhasee, Illinois 3
Connor Shaw, South Carolina 3
BURSE-T OF POWER
Fresno State senior Isaiah Burse returned punts of 61 and 58 yards for touchdowns
in Saturday’s win over Cal Poly. Burse, who recorded the first two punt return TDs
of his career, tied the MW single-game record of two punt return TDs, originally set
by Colorado State’s Dallas Davis (Oct. 28, 1999) and later matched by Utah’s Steve
Smith (Nov. 13, 1999 vs. New Mexico).
Burse is one of six MW players to record multiple punt return TDs in a single season
and one of seven to do so in a career:
MULTIPLE PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWNS - SEASON
No. Player, Cl., Team Season
3 Steve Smith, Jr., Utah 1999
2 Isaiah Burse, Sr., Fresno State 2013
2 Shaky Smithson, Sr., Utah 2010
2 Jeremy Kerley, Jr., TCU 2009
2 Dallas Davis, Jr., Colorado State 1999
2 Steve Persley, Jr., New Mexico 2000
MULTIPLE PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWNS - CAREER
No. Player, Team Career
4 Steve Smith, Utah 1999-00
2 Isaiah Burse, Fresno State 2012-Present
2 Shaky Smithson, Utah 2009-10
2 Jeremy Kerley, TCU 2007-10
2 Derrick Martin, Wyoming 2003-05
2 Billy Strother, New Mexico 2002-03
2 Dallas Davis, Colorado State 1999-01
Burse also tied the Bulldog record for punt return touchdowns in a single game,
joining Clifton Smith who had two against Weber State on Sept. 10, 2005. This
marks the third straight season that Fresno State has returned a punt for a TD.
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE...
• Hawai‘i junior Julian Gener returned an interception 23 yards for a touchdown in
the second quarter of action at Oregon State, giving the Rainbow Warriors their
first defensive touchdown of the season and first pick-six since John Hardy-Tuliau
had one vs. UNLV on Nov. 24, 2012.
• Boise State junior Bryan Douglas intercepted two Tennessee-Martin passes,
returning one for a 33-yard touchdown to mark the Broncos’ first pick six since
Mike Atkinson’s 36-yarder vs. BYU on Sept. 20, 2012. Douglas’s two picks
mark the first multiple-interception game by a Bronco since Jerrell Gavins
hauled in two against Tulsa on Sept. 24, 2011. Fellow BSU players Dustin
Kamper and Darian Thompson also recorded interceptions vs. the Skyhawks,
giving Boise State four on the day, which are the most since also recording four
in that 2011 contest vs. Tulsa.
100-YARD RUSHERS - WEEK 2
Three MW players ran for at least 100 yards in Week 2, led by New Mexico junior
Kasey Carrier, who collected 291 yards and four touchdowns on 41 attempts at UTEP.
Carrier’s 291 yards lead the FBS this season and mark the second-highest total in
Lobo history, behind his 338-yard effort at Air Force on Oct. 20, 2012. For the first
time in his career, Nevada junior Kendall Brock topped the 100-yard mark, tallying
116 yards and two TDs on 27 carries against UC Davis. Wyoming sophomore Shaun
Wick compiled 110 yards on 15 carries vs. Idaho to become the first Cowboy rusher
with back-to-back 100-yard games since Devin Moore in 2008.
100-YARD RECEIVERS - WEEK 2
Two MW players recorded 100-yard receiving efforts in Week 2. Nevada junior Richy
Turner totaled 136 yards and a touchdown on six receptions vs. UC Davis to mark the
second 100-yard game of his career (150 yards against Wyoming on Oct. 6, 2012).
Wyoming senior Robert Herron recorded 123 yards on five catches against Idaho,
marking the fourth 100-yard outing of his career.
RED-ZONE PERFECTION
Four MW offenses, including Nevada (9-9), Utah State (9-9), Air Force (8-8) and
Hawai‘i (1-1) are perfect in the red zone so far this season. The Wolf Pack, Aggies and
Falcons are three of just 16 FBS programs to convert on all eight or more red-zone
attempts through the first two weeks of the 2013 season. The Mountain West is one
of two FBS leagues (Big Ten) with at least three teams in this category.
PACK’S POLIAN RECORDS FIRST CAREER WIN
Nevada head coach Brian Polian recorded the first victory of his career after the Wolf
Pack defeated UC Davis, 36-7. Polian is the fifth Nevada coach of the last six to win
his home debut, joining Jerry Scattini (1969), Chris Ault (1976), Jeff Horton (1993)
and Jeff Tisdel (1996).
AGGIES CAPTURE FIRST CONFERENCE VICTORY IN MW
With a 52-20 win at Air Force on Sat., Sept. 7, Utah State secured its first-ever
Mountain West victory and improved to 29-25-3 all-time in conference openers,
including a 12-13-3 road record. The Aggies became the ninth team in MW history
to win its Conference debut (BYU, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming in 1999, TCU in
2005, Boise State in 2011, Fresno State and Nevada in 2012).
UTAH STATE: IN THE WIN COLUMN
USU is now 17-4 in its last 21 games, with the four losses by a combined 10 points
(24-23 loss to Ohio in 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; 16-14 loss at then-No. 22
Wisconsin on Sept. 15, 2012; 6-3 loss at BYU on Oct. 5, 2011; 30-26 loss at Utah
on Aug. 29, 2013).
SJSU’S LOPEZ KICKING IT WITH THE NCAA’S ELITE
San José State sophomore Austin Lopez is one of three active placekickers to hold a
streak of at least 20 consecutive made field goals, joining Tulane’s Cairo Santos and
Toledo’s Jeremiah Detmer. Lopez is also one of 13 kickers in NCAA history to connect
on at least 20 straight field goals:
NCAA LEADERS IN CONSECUTIVE FIELD GOALS MADE
Rk. Player, Team No. Dates
1. Chuck Nelson, Washington 30 1981-82
2. Cairo Santos, Tulane 24 2012-13*
Kendall Trainor, Arkansas 24 1988
Mike Nugent, Ohio State 24 2001-02
5. Alex Steigerwald, Toledo 23 2007-08
6. Jeremiah Detmer, Toledo 22 2012-13*
John Lee, UCLA 22 1984-85
Nate Kaeding, Iowa 22 2001-02
Brandon Pace, Virginia Tech 22 2005-06
Jeff Wolfert, Missouri 22 2007-08
11. Austin Lopez, San José State 20 2012-13*
Jason Elam, Hawai‘i 20 1989
Chandler Catanzaro, Clemson 20 2011-12
*current streak
THEMW.COM • TWITTER.COM/MOUNTAINWEST 2013 MW FOOTBALL WEEKLY NOTES: SEPT. 9 • PAGE 5