Utah State Has Three Named To All-WAC List

Dec. 1, 2008 

Utah State had three players earn all-Western Athletic Conference honors, as voted on by the league’s nine coaches and announced Monday by the league office. The linebacking duo of senior Jake Hutton and junior Paul Igboeli, along with junior offensive lineman Brennan McFadden were all tabbed to the second-team list.

The three all-WAC honorees is one less than the Aggies’ best of four from both last year and 2005 in USU's four seasons in the WAC.

 

Hutton, a native of Pocatello, Idaho (Highland HS), was second in the WAC and 26th in the NCAA in tackles with 110 total (9.2 per game). His 110 stops led USU as well as ranking second on the team with eight tackles for loss and tying for the team lead with two forced fumbles.

“It’s a really cool honor. It is nice for Paul and me because we play out there every snap together. It is a lot of fun. He is a high energy player and makes a lot of big plays,” Hutton said. “Brennan and I are really good friends and he definitely deserves it.”

 

Igboeli, a Grand Prairie, Texas (South Grand Prairie HS) native, tallied 78 tackles, ranking second on the team behind Hutton, as well as 12th in the WAC. He also had six tackles for loss, four pass break-ups, two fumble recoveries, an interception and a blocked field goal.

“It feels pretty good. I am just excited for what is ahead in the offseason and hoping to continue getting better. I am excited about the way most of our team played, especially toward the end and how we played at home,” Igboeli said. “I am really excited. I’m also excited for McFadden because he got in there and really got better as the season went on. Jake and I have been around so we were expected to do our jobs well this year and I thought we did as best as we could.”

 

McFadden, native of Grass Valley, Calif. (Nevada Union HS), started the first seven games of the season at right guard, before filling in at center in the ninth game of the year after the Aggies’ top two centers went down with injuries. McFadden helped anchor a USU offense that posted 4,011 yards of total offense, the most since 4,204 in 2003. The Aggies also had 1,653 rushing yards, the most since 1,941 in 1999 while USU's 2,358 passing yards were the most since 2003's 2,904 yards.

 

“I think it is a big honor,” McFadden said. “There are a lot of good guys in the league on defense. Everyone that gets nominated for this deserves it and it shows all the hard work they do. Guys like Paul and Jake work very hard and it shows on the football field. I am just happy all the hard work paid off. I am just really honored. Jake and Paul are too. Jake was like third in the league in tackles and almost top 25 in the nation and he got second-team. I don't really know what more he could have done to make first-team.”

 

This is Hutton’s second career all-WAC honor as he garnered second-team recognition last season, while it is Igboeli's second career WAC award as he was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2006. This is McFadden's first career WAC honor.

Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while Hawai’i’s Solomon Elimimian and San Jose State’s Jarron Gilbert shared Defensive Player of the Year honors, and Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore was named the Freshman of the Year. Boise State’s Chris Petersen was voted the WAC’s Coach of the Year.

Utah State finished the season with a 3-9 overall and 3-5 WAC record, marking the first time since 2005 that the Aggies have three wins in a season. USU won three WAC games in a season for the first time in the Aggies’ four seasons in the league. It is also the first time since 2003 that USU won three conference games and just the third time in the 2000’s.

 

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics homepage Web site.