Friday Flashback: Aztecs’ 2016 team set standard for rushing and defense

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San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey holds the Mountain West Conference trophy after San Diego State defeated Wyoming 27-24 in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, in Laramie, Wyo.

It was 10 years ago now, but stories involving former San Diego State football coach Rocky Long are timeless. Like one early-season exchange from SDSU’s historic 2016 season. A reporter’s smart-aleck comment about how well the Aztecs did stretching during a practice got Long stirred up.

“I’m glad our warm-up looked good,” Long said. “People, scientifically, have told me need to stretch. I do not believe they need to stretch.

“The fastest animals in the world, have you ever seen them stretch? I’m a cheetah and an antelope goes running by there and I’m hungry? I jump up and chase the antelope down so I can eat. They never stretch.

” When it was pointed out that cats stretch after they wake up from a nap, Long said, “Yeah, but if they were chasing a mouse, they wouldn’t waste any time stretching. ”“They tell me scientifically that it prevents injuries to stretch,” Long said.

“So we stretch and warm up because scientifically that’s the way you’re supposed to do it. ” It’s no stretch to say SDSU’s 2016 team ranks among the greatest in program history. That Aztecs team went 11-3, which then matched the school record for victories. It won the Mountain West title for the second straight season, capped the year with a Las Vegas Bowl victory and was ranked No. 25 in the final national polls.

SDSU running back DJ Pumphrey rushed for a school-record 2,133 yards, giving him an NCAA career rushing-record 6,405 yards. Running mate Rashaad Penny gained 1,018 yards, making the Aztecs the only team in NCAA history with 2,000- and 1,000-yard running backs in the same backfield in the same season. SDSU had an NCAA-best 26 interceptions, with a nation-leading seven by cornerback Damontae Kazee and five by safety Kameron Kelly.

Linebacker Calvin Munson’s 116 tackles led a unit that ranked 11th in the nation in total defense and 17th in scoring defense. Pumphrey , Kazee and Penny earned Mountain West Player of the Year honors for the second straight season. Pumphrey and offensive guard Nico Siragusa earned first-team All-American honors. SDSU is recognizing the 2016 Aztecs during next week’s Pac-12 season opener against Texas State at Snapdragon Stadium.

Dozens and dozens of players and coaches from the team are expected to attend. Penny will serve as Honor Warrior for SDSU’s Pac-12 debut. Among the highlights was a 45-40 win over Cal in Week 2. It included more than 1,000 yards in combined offense.

Pumphrey gained 281 yards to move ahead of Marshall Faulk’s 4,589 career yards and become SDSU all-time rushing leader. SDSU’s defense allowed only nine passing yards in a conference-opening victory over UNLV. The offense included a couple of the school’s top 10 single-game rushing performances, with 400 yards at Utah State 474 yards two weeks later at Nevada.

Two weeks after a 34-33 road loss to Wyoming and future NFL quarterback Josh Allen, SDSU returned to Laramie for the Mountain West championship game. It was 18 degrees at kickoff, but SDSU warmed to the occasion. The Aztecs won their second straight conference title, but the 27-24 victory over Wyoming didn’t come easy.

SDSU had to survive two fourth-quarter touchdowns by Wyoming and an Aztecs fumble that put the ball in the Cowboys’ hands with a chance to win in the game’s final four minutes. SDSU’s defense denied that with a fourth-and-2 stop at Wyoming’s 22, then stopped the Cowboys on one last-gasp drive in the final minute to secure the victory. Pumphrey rushed for 110 yards, going over 2,000 yards for the year.

Penny was selected offensive MVP of the game after rushing for 117 yards and two touchdowns and making two big kickoff returns — the second one a 75-yarder with 6:12 to play that helped seal the outcome. Kazee was defensive MVP with two interceptions.

“Both teams probably deserved to win, but only one could, and it was us,” Long said. “They won the last game and we won this one, so we should probably play next week to find out for sure. ”A win seemed improbable after the first quarter, when Houston jumped out to a 10-0 lead. The Cougars limited the Aztecs to just three yards in total offense in the opening period, with Pumphrey carrying seven times for minus-1 yard.

SDSU’s comeback was fueled in the third quarter when the Aztecs intercepted Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. on three straight possessions — the third one returned 54 yards for a touchdown by cornerback Ron Smith.

“We were told for the last two weeks how good Houston was,” said Long, his voice rising. “‘They beat No. 3 Oklahoma! They beat No. 4 Louisville! ’ I mean, that’s a big-time football team, and it was like we didn’t belong here.

But I guess that was wrong. ” Pumphrey became the NCAA’s all-time rushing leader three minutes into the fourth quarter when he took a handoff from quarterback Christian Chapman and ran 15 yards around the right side. The run moved Pumphrey past Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne atop the NCAA’s rushing chart. Pumphrey finished the game with 19 carries for 115 yards, giving him 6,405 yards for his career.

The record still stands 10 years later. They were tough yards against Houston. SDSU rushed for a season-low 127 yards on 37 carries. Still, the Aztecs finished the season with a school-record 3,680 yards.

The last time the Aztecs were ranked following the season was 30 years earlier, when they were also No. 25. The highest SDSU has ever been ranked at the end of the season was No. 16 by AP after the 1977 season.

“It’s a pat on the back to all the players in our program that they’ve got to a point that everybody else knows who they are,” Long said, adding, “Even though there’s a lot of good football teams out there — guess what? — we’re one of the top 25 teams in the country. And we will be all the way up until the next football season. ”

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