For the second time in three seasons, a San Jose State defensive end was named the Mountain West’s defensive player of the year as Viliami Fehoko earned the honor for his play this fall.
Fehoko also led a group of four Spartans (7-4, 5-3 Mountain West) named to the all-Mountain West first team, with seven more among the second-team and honorable-mention honorees.
The junior recorded career highs in tackles (65) and sacks (9, second in MW) during the regular season and is the conference’s leader with 18.5 tackles for loss (fourth nationally).
Joining Fehoko on the first team were defensive end Cade Hall — the 2020 MW defensive player of the year — wide receiver Elijah Cooks and linebacker Kyle Harmon.
Hall, a graduate student, is sixth in the conference with 7.5 sacks and eighth with 12 tackles for loss, while Cooks, a graduate transfer from Nevada, leads the Mountain West with a career-high 10 touchdown catches (11th nationally). Harmon, a graduate student, is the Spartans’ leading tackler
This is the third consecutive first-team all-conference selection for Fehoko and Harmon, and Hall was on the 2020 first team. The trio of defenders are all Bay Area products: Fehoko is from East Palo Alto and attended St. Francis, Hall is a Bellarmine Prep product from Morgan Hill and Harmon is a Freedom graduate out of Antioch.
Quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, a junior transfer from Hawaii, was the Spartans’ lone representative on the second team after scoring career highs in passing touchdowns (28) and rushing scores (8) while throwing only four interceptions.
The Spartans who earned honorable mention are senior safety Tre Jenkins, sophomore receiver Justin Lockhart, junior tight end Dominick Mazotti, graduate cornerback Nehemiah Shelton and redshirt junior safety Chase Williams.
Only San Diego State had more first-teamers than San Jose State, while West Division champion Fresno State matched the Spartans with four. Undefeated Mountain Division champion Boise State only had two players named to the first team.
Fresno State and Boise State will meet Saturday for the conference title game, while San Jose State is awaiting an invite to a bowl game.
