Colorado State University Athletics
CSU Football Picked By MWC To Finish Fourth
7/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 17, 2006
In a poll by Mountain West Conference media members, the Colorado State football team has been picked to finish fourth in the conference. The Rams received one first-place vote and 130 points. TCU, the defending champion, was picked to repeat with 16 first-place nods and 213 points, while BYU got five first-place votes and 192 points and Utah was third with the final three nods and 188 points.
Both junior running back Kyle Bell and junior wide receiver Johnny Walker were named to the Preseason Offensive Team, while junior defensive lineman Jesse Nading was named to the Defensive Team and junior Jimmie Kaylor was named the preseason punter of the year.
Bell was a second-team All-Conference selection in 2005, ranking second in the Mountain West Conference and 22nd nationally with 1,288 yards gained and he also scored 10 touchdowns. The junior from Keenesburg, Colo., had six 100-yard rushing games in 2005 and his season total was the fourth-highest in school history.
Walker finished second on the team last year with 43 receptions for 663 yards and two touchdowns. Has also been named to the preseason all-MWC first team by Athlon Sports and The Sporting News and was ranked as the nation's 17th-best return man.
Nading was an honorable mention All-MWC selection last year after finishing the season with 56 tackles, the most by a defensive lineman. He was also named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team last season and has been named to the preseason all-conference teams by Athlon Sports and Lindy's and is on the Ronnie Lott Award watch list.
Kaylor was a first-team all-conference pick a year ago after leading the league in punting, averaging 45.3 yards per kick on 53 tries. He also had 12 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line. He is a third-team preseason All-American by Athlon Sports and was named to the preseason all-conference teams by both Athlon Sports, Lindy's and Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook as well as the 10th best punter in the nation by Lindy's.
John Beck of BYU was named the Mountain West Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Eric Weddle of Utah was the Defensive Player of the Year, Sergio Aguayo of UNLV was tabbed the Special Teams Player of the Year and BYU's McKay Jacobson earned Preseason Freshman of the Year honors.
The Colorado State football season begins on September 2 when the Rams host Weber State of the Big Sky Conference. Season tickets and single-game tickets are now on sale by either going to the Colorado State website at csurams.com or calling 800.491.RAMS.
