P/K Jack Browning leads SDSU in preseason all-MW honors

San Diego State’s Jack Bowning wasn’t on anyone’s radar a year ago, unless it was to question how someone was going to approach the unprecedented success of SDSU punter/kicker Matt Araiza.
Browning went out and made a name in his own right, earning 2022 Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year.
Now he’s expected to do it again.
The conference’s media members picked Browning to repeat the honor while also voting him the conference’s top punter on the preseason all-MW team revealed Wednesday morning. Browning was joined on the 27-man team by SDSU junior offensive lineman Cade Bennett, senior tight end Mark Redman and junior linebacker Cody Moon.
Wyoming led the way with five selections, though the Cowboys were picked to finish just sixth in the conference. Boise State, picked to win the conference, had only three selections, one fewer than Air Force, Colorado State and SDSU.
San Jose State quarterback Chad Cordeiro was picked preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Wyoming linebacker Easton Gibbs the preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The poll is not exactly a good predicator of success. SDSU had a school-record eight preseason picks on last year’s team, then finished 7-6.
A year early, the Aztecs had only three players on the preseason team, then set a school record for victories in a 12-2 campaign that included a visit to the Mountain West Championship Game.
Browning is a West Hills High School graduate who spent two years at Grossmont College before joining the Aztecs in 2021, when he served primarily as the team’s holder. Browning assumed all three kicking specialties last season.
He earned 2022 MW Special Teams Player of the Year mostly for his punting prowess, averaging 46.1 yards per punt with 21 of 50 yards or more and 28 downed inside the 20-yard line. In addition, Browning was 20-for-25 in field goal attempts, with a long of 52 yards.
Bennett was a second-team all-Mountain West selection last season after transferring from Oklahoma State. He is expected to be a leader on the SDSU offensive line as the team’s starting left guard.
Redman, a Washington transfer, has an eye on improving his offensive numbers after catching 20 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns a year ago.
Moon, a New Mexico transfer, was the only SDSU defender recognized in the poll, though he has yet to play a down for the Aztecs. Moon led the Lobos with 105 tackles last season.
SDSU, which opens the season Aug. 26 against Ohio at Snapdragon Stadium, was picked for fourth place in the preseason Mountain West poll. The Aztecs begin preseason camp on July 28. They will host Fan Fest, which includes a team scrimmage, on Aug. 12 at Snapdragon.