Kyle Shotwell (2024) - Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame

Kyle Shotwell

Induction:
2024

Shotwell followed Jordan Beck and Chris Gocong as Buck Buchanan Award winners, earning the honor in 2006 after notching 122 total tackles, including seven sacks. He broke the school record for tackles in a season with 158 in 2005, a mark that was broken by Nick Dzubnar in 2014.

Shotwell earned 4.0 sacks against San Diego State in 2006, No. 2 in the record book for a single game. His 158 tackles in 2005 is No. 2 and his 122 stops in 2006 is No. 6. Shotwell’s 392 career tackles are No. 3. He notched 20 tackles against Texas State in 2005, No. 3 in the record book, and recorded double-digit tackles in 24 of his 46 career games.

Shotwell earned first-team All-Great West Football Conference honors in both 2005 and 2006 and was named GWFC Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. He also was named first- and second-team All-American in both 2005 and 2006.

Shotwell played in the 2007 East-West Shrine Game in Houston and was the game’s leading tackler with seven, earning the Pat Tillman Award. Undrafted in 2007, he was signed as a free agent by the Oakland Raiders in 2007 and Indianapolis Colts in 2008 and also served on practice squads for the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs, but never played a game in the regular season.

Shotwell appeared in all 46 games the Mustangs played in his Cal Poly career, including 35 consecutive starts in his final three seasons. He scored his only touchdown as a Mustang in the final game of his career in 2006, returning a lateraled interception 65 yards. Shotwell finished in the top 25 in the nation in numerous statistical categories and led the Great West Football Conference with 1.91 tackles for lost yardage per game and 11.09 total tackles per contest in 2006.