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Diego Pavia named CUSA Offensive Player of the Year; Jerry Kill shares conference Coach of the Year award
New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass during the first half of a Nov. 18 game against Auburn in Auburn, Ala.
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After leading the Aggies to a 10-4 record, New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year on Wednesday.
NMSU head coach Jerry Kill was named CUSA Co-Coach of the Year, sharing the honor with Liberty’s Jamey Chadwell, while kicker Ethan Albertson was named CUSA Special Teams Player of the Year.
The award-winners were selected through a poll of the league’s nine head coaches.
An Albuquerque native and Volcano Vista High School graduate, Pavia completed 210 of 341 passes for 2,915 yards, 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions. With 851 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground, he is one of just eight players in college football to lead his team in rushing and passing.
Pavia, who started his post-high school career as a walk-on at New Mexico Military Institute, now ranks ninth all-time in NMSU program history with 4,365 passing yards. He’ll likely be able to improve that mark on Dec. 16 with the Aggies set to play Fresno State in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl. Kickoff is 3:45 p.m. at University Stadium in Albuquerque.
Earlier this week, Kill said he’s “cautiously optimistic” Pavia — who’s been battling a shoulder injury — will play in the bowl.
Overlooked no more, NMSU quarterback Diego Pavia is NMSU's football leader
Kill was named CUSA Co-Coach of the Year after leading NMSU to just its second-ever double-digit-win season, back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since 1959-60 and a historic 31-10 upset of Auburn on Nov. 18. He shares the honor with another first-year CUSA coach in Chadwell, who led Liberty to a 13-0 record, including a 49-35 win over NMSU in the conference title game.
Albertson earned CUSA Special Teams Player of the Year honors by missing just one extra point (48-for-49) and converting 18 of 23 attempted field goals (78.3%). He finished the regular season 5-for-7 on kicks of 40 yards or longer, including a 52-yard field goal.
Rounding out the league honorees, Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter was selected as the CUSA Most Valuable Player while linebacker Tyren Dupree was named CUSA Defensive Player of the Year.
Flames running back Quinton Cooley earned Newcomer of the Year marks and Louisiana Tech defensive back Michael Richard was tabbed as the league’s Freshman of the Year.
