Colorado Springs, Colorado - For the second time in three weeks (SDSU was idle in between), San Diego State football’s Darren Hall and John Baron II have been named Mountain West players of the week. Hall was chosen as the MW Defensive Player of the Week for the second time of his career, while Baron picked up his third MW Special Teams Player of the Week accolade this season (all over his last three games) and fourth of his career.
The duo helped the Aztecs (4-1, 1-0 MW) defeat Boise State, 19-13, Saturday in Boise, Idaho. It was just the Broncos’ eighth home loss since 2000 (SDSU is 2-1 at Boise State).
Hall (Pasadena, Calif.) recorded a game- and career-high nine tackles, leading San Diego State for the first time of his career. He also had an interception, while recording his first career sack, tackle for loss and forced fumble. The interception came in the first quarter on his first defensive snap of the game (Boise State’s second drive), making it two straight defensive snaps for him with an interception (five SDSU defensive snaps total dating back to the EMU game). The interception led to a field goal, which put SDSU on the scoreboard. His forced fumble, sack and TFL also put Boise State out of field goal range late in the second quarter. According to Pro Football Focus, Hall played a career-high 71 snaps after entering the game with just 44 for the season and 65 for his career. Hall became the first Aztec to win multiple MW Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors in the same season since Jake Fely in 2012
On the season, the cornerback has played in four games, making 14 tackles (12 solo), two interceptions, a forced fumble, sack and tackle for loss. He ranks in a tie for second in the Mountain West in both interceptions per game (0.50, T-17th in FBS) and interceptions (2, T-25th in FBS), and is tied for eighth in forced fumbles per game (0.25).
Baron, meanwhile, won his third straight special teams honor (SDSU was idle last week) after making both of his field goal attempts (36 and 41 yards) and his lone PAT. Baron became the first player to win the special teams award three times in a season since Utah’s Shaky Smithson in 2010 and the first to win it three times in four weeks since Utah’s Louie Sakoda won it three straight weeks from Oct. 8-22, 2007. Baron also recorded a perfect 65.0 kickoff average on five kickoffs, posting four touchbacks.
Baron is almost perfect on the season, going 10-for-11 on field goal attempts (.909) and 8-for-8 on PATs. Among the FBS leaders, Baron ranks in a tie for first in PAT percentage (1.000, T-1st in MW), a tie for third in field goals per game (2.00), 1st in MW), 11th in field goal percentage (.909, 3rd in MW), 26th in touchback percentage (.692, 2nd in MW) and a tie for 48th in touchbacks (18, 5th in MW). His long field goal of 54 yards ranks in a tie for second in school history and a tie for fourth in FBS. Additionally, Baron is one of five FBS kickers this season with three field goals of at least 50 yards and one of three who has made all three of his attempts from at least 50 yards. Baron, who leads the team with 38 points, has kicked off 26 times for 1,604 yards (61.7 avg.) with 18 going for touchbacks. If you take away his two squib kicks for 51 yards, he is averaging 64.7 yards per kickoff (24 KO for 1,553 yards) with a 75.0 touchback percentage (18 TB in 24 KO).
For his career, Baron has made 43 of 49 field goal attempts. Among active FBS kickers, Baron ranks first in field goal percentage (.878, min. 20 FG), tied for 12th in field goals (43), 14th in points (245) and tied for 14th in field goals per game (1.34). Among all-time SDSU kickers, he ranks first in field goal percentage (.878), tied for third in PATs (116), fourth in points (245), and fifth in field goals (43) and PAT percentage (.983), while ranking seventh overall at SDSU in scoring (245 points).
SDSU, which is receiving votes in both the AP Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll, play host to Air Force (2-3, 0-2 MW) at 6 p.m. PT Friday.
Tickets are still available for Friday’s game. The Aztec Ticket Office, located at SDCCU Stadium Window E, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid long lines on game day.
Student tickets for Aztec football games are now mobile and can be accessed at SDSUStudentTix.com, starting the Monday before each home game at 9 a.m. Current enrolled students receive free admission to each regular-season home game. To access the mobile tickets, students should simply visit SDSUStudentTix.com on their iPhone or Android device, and log in with their preferred email address on file with the Registrar's Office for their tickets to be automatically delivered to their phone prior to each home game. Students are also able to purchase up to two (2) student guest tickets directly from SDSUStudentTix.com.