June 2, 2009

LOGAN, Utah -

Complete Phil Steele's College Football Preview All-WAC List in PDF Format

Six Utah State football players were selected to Phil Steele's College Football Preview All-Western Athletic Conference list, released Tuesday by the publication.

Senior linebacker Paul Igboeli was selected to the first-team while the second-team included senior tight end Jeremy Mitchell and junior Peter Caldwell as a placekicker. Caldwell was also on the third-team as a punter, and was joined on the third-team list by senior center Brennan McFadden. Senior wide receiver Nnamdi Gwacham and sophomore linebacker Bobby Wagner were on the fourth-team to round out the list of USU honorees.

Caldwell, McFadden and Igboeli were all on the Phil Steele's all-WAC postseason awards list last season with Caldwell selected to the second-team as a placekicker while McFadden and Igboeli were tabbed to the third-team list.

Igboeli, a Grand Prairie, Texas (South Grand Prairie HS) native, tallied 78 tackles (42 solo, 36 assists) in 2008, ranking second on the team, 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. Igboeli is closing in on the USU and WAC career tackles top 10 lists, as he enters his senior season with 242 stops. He needs 85 tackles to tie Al Smith (1984-86) for No. 10 on the Aggies' career list, as well as needing 63 stops to tie Bryce McGill (1999-2003) from Fresno State.

Mitchell, a native of Benicia, Calif. (Benicia HS/Laney JC), amassed 66 yards on six catches (11.0 ypc) in nine games of action with one TD. His lone score of the season was against Idaho on Sept. 20, while his season-long reception of 20 yards came against Hawai'i on Nov. 1.

Caldwell, a Kaysville, Utah (Davis HS) native, was 10-of-12 (.833) on field goals, leading the WAC in field goal percentage as well as sixth in the league in field goals per game (0.83). Caldwell was also 32-of-33 (.970) on extra points last season, missing his final attempt of the year in USU's 47-2 season-finale win on Nov. 29. That was also the first miss of his career, after making all of his previous 57 others. He is seventh on USU's career field goals made list with 23 and eighth on the career field goals attempted list with 33, ranking fifth in the career field goal percentage list (.700).

Caldwell also had 65 punts for a 41.9 ypp average with a long of 60 yards as part of 15 punts over 15 yards. Eleven of his punts were pinned inside the 20-yard line with two touchbacks.

McFadden, native of Grass Valley, Calif. (Nevada Union HS), started the first seven games of the 2008 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.

Gwacham is a Chino Hills, Calif. (Ayala HS), native, who was second in the WAC with an 18.5 yards per catch average last year, with a total of 20 receptions for 370 yards. He had two TD catches, a 6-yard snag at UNLV in the season-opener on Aug. 30 and an 62-yard strike vs. Hawai'i on Nov. 1. That was one of Gwacham's two catches of over 50 yards, adding a 52-yard reception vs. Fresno State on Oct. 25.

Wagner, a native of Ontario, Calif. (Colony HS), was sixth overall on the team in tackles with 51 total stops (20 solo, 31 assists), ranking third among returners. He added two tackles for loss as well as two pass break-ups and one QB hurry. Wagner's best game was his career-high 10 stops at Louisiana Tech on Nov. 15, while adding three different outings with at least six tackles.

These four Aggies, who are part of 21 starters returning (10 offense, seven defense and four special teams), are a portion of USU's 46 returning lettermen. Utah State will open fall camp in early August.

Utah State opens the 2009 season at Utah on Thursday, Sept. 3. After a bye and a road game at Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 19, USU hosts in-state foe Southern Utah in the Aggies' home opener on Saturday, Sept. 26, which is USU's Homecoming and Ag Day.

Utah State football reserved season tickets and general admission season tickets are now on sale. For more ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, or by phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or (435) 797-0305.

-USU-