COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - As the Mountain West celebrates its 25th season of football in 2023, the conference office announced its 25th Season Football Team on Thursday. The team is composed of the top football student-athletes who competed at member institutions during the tenure.
The Fresno State football program earned four spots on the team with quarterback Derek Carr (2009-13), wide receiver Davante Adams (2011-13), and safeties Derron Smith (2010-14) and Phillip Thomas (2008-12).
The four Bulldogs represent All-Americans, All-Conference selections, and national award finalists and winners. They were all teammates at one point (2012), and three of the four were teammates for a pair of seasons in 2012 and 2013. In 2012, the season they all played together and Fresno State's first season as a member of the Mountain West, Fresno State earned its first MW title. The Bulldogs saw a three-way tie with Boise State and San Diego State that season. The Bulldogs won the inaugural MW Championship Game in 2013 behind Carr, Adams and Smith.
In their time with the Mountain West, Carr was a two-time MW Offensive Player of the Year (2012, 2013). Thomas was the MW Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 while Adams was the conference Freshman of the Year that same season.
Derek Carr (Bakersfield, Calif.)
Two-time All-America selection as a junior and a senior.
Two-time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the third player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons. Is one of only two players in Fresno State history to be named a conference offensive player of the year in back-to-back seasons, joining Kevin Sweeney (1985 & 1986 Big West).
Winner of the 2013 Sammy Baugh Award, which goes to the nation's top passer.
Is one of 19 quarterbacks in FBS history to throw for over 10,000 career yards and 100 touchdowns, as he threw for 12,842 yards and 113 touchdowns in his career. His 12,842 career passing yardage ranks 13th in FBS history.
His 113-to-24 career touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.71) is the second highest in FBS history for all quarterbacks that have thrown over 100 career touchdown passes. Only Boise State's Kellen Moore (2008-11) had a higher ratio at 5.07 (142-to-28).
As a senior in 2013, he became the fourth quarterback in FBS history to throw for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdown passes in a season.
2013 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete, becoming just the third player in school history to receive the high academic distinction.
Named to the 2013 Capital One Academic All-America second team, becoming the fifth Academic All-American in school history.
Established 27 new school records and 41 Mountain West records in his career at Fresno State.
Had 20 300-yard passing games, 11 400-yard passing games, 14 games with four or more touchdown passes and seven games with five or more touchdown passes in his career.
Led the nation in 2013 in total offense (5,199), total passing yards (5,082), passing yards per game (390.9), passing touchdowns (50) completions per game (34.85), touchdowns responsible for (52), total points responsible for (302) and points responsible for per game (24.2).
His 50 touchdown passes in 2013 tied for the fourth-most in FBS single-season history.
Appeared in the 2013 Senior Bowl, starting at quarterback for the South team.
Davante Adams (Palo Alto, Calif.)
Two-time All-America selection in 2012 and 2013.
Winner of the 2013 Paul Warfield Award.
2012 Mountain West Freshman of the Year.
Two-time first-team All-Mountain West
Caught a touchdown pass in 22-of-26 career games. Had streaks of 11 (school & MW record) and nine-straight games catching a touchdown pass in his career.
His 38 career touchdown catches set a new school and Mountain West record.
Ranks in a tie for 16th in FBS history in career touchdown catches.
Set a new school record with 233 career receptions, averaging 9.0 receptions per game.
Averaged 116.5 receiving yards per game in his career.
Set 14 new Mountain West records in his career and 11 Fresno State records.
Derron Smith (Banning, Calif.)
Three-time, first-team All-Mountain West selection, becoming the 11th player in school history to be named first-team all-conference three times in a career.
Intercepted 15 passes in his career, which was the second most among all active FBS players at the time of his career ending.
His 15 career interceptions tied for the fifth-most in school history, and the most by a Bulldog since 1987.
Made 44 career starts at free safety, including 40 consecutive to close out his career.
Was voted as the 2013 and 2014 Mountain West Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Is one of only six players in school history to record over 300 career tackles.
Was invited to the 2015 Senior Bowl, but did not play due to injury.
Had seven career games with 10 or more tackles, including a high of 18 against USC in the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl.
Phillip Thomas (Bakersfield, Calif.)
Became the first player in Fresno State history to be an unanimous All-American - named a first-team All-American by the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation
2012 Jim Thorpe Award finalist
His eight interceptions led the nation and set a new MW single-season record. It is also the most picks by a Bulldog in 27 years.
He individually had more interceptions than 29 FBS teams had in the 2012 season, including four Mountain West teams
Returned three interceptions for touchdowns, which set a new school single-season record, tied the Mountain West record, tied for the national lead and is one off the NCAA record
Thomas is one of six players in Fresno State history to have three interceptions in a game.
Thomas has the fourth-most career interceptions in Fresno State history with 13