LOGAN — Personal accolades go against everything Utah State's Ben Calderwood stands for.
He's all about team.
Calderwood, who was a second-team all-WAC performer last season, was named to the conference's preseason first team by multiple publications and was added to the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year watch list.
"I appreciate them," Calderwood said. "It's really nice. For me, I try to just put them aside for now. They're preseason (honors), and it's a great honor but nothing is set in stone."
Utah State defensive line coach Danilo Robinson agreed.
"He doesn't enjoy the individual spotlight," Robinson said. "He'd rather have it be a team accolade with wins and team goals."
Although Calderwood doesn't like the spotlight, he's certainly deserving. In 10 games last year (he missed two due to injury), the sophomore recorded 44 tackles, 6 1/2 tackles for loss and two sacks.
"He's a guy that we are building the defense around as far as his work ethic, character and leadership abilities," Robinson said. "We can definitely build a team around the way he approaches practice and games. He practices and plays with such passion for the game. You want a team with a bunch of guys like that."
That praise is not bad for a guy who didn't think he would be in the position he is now.
"I looked up and saw people around me, and I thought I was one of them (when he was in high school)," he said of the Romney Stadium crowd at last Thursday's 121-play scrimmage.
"I wanted to (play college football), but I didn't know where I would go or what would happen. Things worked out for the best, and I got the shot to play here and I'll try to be the best I can to help the Aggies."
Calderwood was an All-Stater at neighboring Sky View High and didn't enroll in school before serving an LDS Church mission to Brazil. His first action in an Aggie uniform came in 2005, just months after returning, and he was some 50 pounds lighter than when he left. He played in six games and recorded 15 tackles.
"Coming back and being a little over 200 pounds was a difficult task going against the big guys," he said. "I had two left feet when I got back. I was stumbling all over myself."
Now he's at 268 and is gearing up for the 2007 season, which begins Thursday when the Aggies host UNLV.
Utah State, which returns all 11 starters on defense, will anchor the squad around the 6-foot-2, 268-pounder.
"For Ben the sky is the limit," Robinson said. "He just has to come out and have a good season."
Calderwood knows the success of his season will come down to how he can develop his game — especially getting deep into the backfield.
"I'm not the strongest guy or fastest guy, but I come out and try to outwork everybody," he said. " ... I need to get better on getting more pressure on the quarterback."
Said Robinson: "Right now he's a run-stopping machine. We hope that he can force 2-on-1 blocks and free up Jake Hutton, Paul Igboeli and Devon Hall and let them fly around and make plays."
The Aggie defense allowed 38.5 points and more than 400 yards per game in going 1-11 in 2006.
Don't take Calderwood wrong. He'll take all the accolades that come his way, but he knows if his team does well, everything else will fall into place.
"Personally, if we have a better record it will mean more to me than the accolades," he said. " ... I try to put it behind me for now and try not to think about it. You have to take it one day at a time and work hard and get better and try to help my teammates get better and me get better."
E-mail: jhinton@desnews.com