Lindy’s Sports named five Nevada football players to its Preseason All-Mountain West team, the publication announced recently.
Junior running back James Butler, junior left tackle Austin Corbett, senior kicker Brent Zuzo, senior defensive tackle Salesa Faraimo and sophomore free safety Dameon Baber were each named to Lindy’s preseason All-MW second team.
Butler, the 5-foot-9 bruising back out of Bloomington, Ill., tallies his second preseason all-league honor. Butler rushed for 1,342 yards last season with 10 touchdowns while earning All-MW honorable mention honors. Corbett helped pave the way, starting at left tackle in all 13 games while blocking for two 1,000-yard backs last season. Corbett also tallies his second preseason all-league honor.
Zuzo enters his senior season as a Lou Groza Award candidate after making 17-of-19 field goal attempts last season to rank fourth in the nation in field goal accuracy. Zuzo ranks fifth in program history in career field goals made and kicker scoring.
Faraimo and Baber also were named to Lindy’s Sports preseason All-MW second team defense. Faraimo is poised to anchor the Wolf Pack’s defensive line this season as the lone returning starter. Faraimo posted 22 tackles and 4.0 tackles for a loss last season. Baber returns from a tremendous freshman season, posting six interceptions and 65 tackles in 10 games.
Lindy’s Sports also named senior quarterback Tyler Stewart as the Mountain West’s “Coolest in the Clutch” player. Stewart led the Pack to an overtime victory against San Jose State last season and also engineered an eight-play, 72-yard touchdown drive as Nevada scored a game-winning touchdown to win the Arizona Bowl.
Lindy’s Sports also named Nevada’s home game against San Diego State as one of the top games in the conference this season. The Wolf Pack hosts the Aztecs on Nov. 12 at Mackay Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
The 2016 season will kick off on Sept. 2 at a newly renovated Mackay Stadium as Nevada hosts Cal Poly at 6:30 p.m. The Wolf Pack returns 15 starters from last year’s team that posted a winning record and won the inaugural Arizona Bowl. Season tickets for the upcoming season recently went on sale and can be purchased by calling (775) 348-PACK or visiting NevadaWolfPack.com/tickets/.