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By Josh Frojelin
San Diego State University’s football team dropped its third consecutive game, losing 41-16 to the University of Toledo last Saturday. After another disappointing performance, the Aztecs again replaced starting quarterback Jayden Denegal with backup Draiden Trudeau in garbage time.
The Aztecs took an early 3-0 lead, but allowed 34 unanswered points. SDSU’s starting running back Lucky Sutton and backup Javion Kinnard both left the game with injury. SDSU is a run-heavy offense that needed to use its third-string backs or rely heavily on Denegal and the pass game.
“I thought his decision making, besides the one interception, he was putting the ball where it needed to be,” head coach Sean Lewis said of Denegal. “He was playing confidently. I thought his footwork was good. I thought his mechanics were tight … We were able to do some things in the (passing) game that we hadn’t in the past.”
Unfortunately, that’s a low bar. Excluding the Aztecs’ game against FCS opponent Portland State University, Denegal has played three games. He has 460 yards passing, is 43-of-81 on passes, has three touchdowns, and thrown four interceptions. Against Toledo, he went 19-of-31 with 206 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
Trudeau entered the game late with the Aztecs’ second-strings and faced the Toledo backups. He still performed well, going 4-of-5 on passing attempts with 53 yards and a touchdown. Lewis emphasized that overall the unit did well.
“(Trudeau) and his crew (went) in and (maximized) the reps that they got,” Lewis said. “Anytime that you can get game reps is invaluable. I thought (that) on those plays, all 11 of those guys did their jobs … Pretty efficient. Good clean drive.”
Lewis didn’t make any comments on a quarterback controversy postgame or at Monday’s on-campus press conference. The Aztecs are 1-3 with no wins against FBS opponents.
Defensively, the Aztecs held Toledo to 10 points up until the two-minute warning of the first half. They didn’t register a sack in the game. But, the offense kept putting the defense on the field. After the early field goal, the Aztecs punted or turned the ball over every possession until late in the third quarter.
Still, no sacks or turnovers forced is a tough showing for the defense, which was solid in SDSU’s first three games.
“When you go through adversity, this is your time to learn from everything,” senior safety Jalen Thomeson said.” You aren’t going to get better if you don’t learn, and we’re all in this learning process. It’s all about the process, so we’re just going to learn and just stay positive.”
The Aztecs kick off conference play Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium against Texas State University (7:30 p.m.). Running backs Sutton and Kinnard are both “questionable” according to Lewis.
“It’s pretty simple, the games are going to mean a little bit more; can’t lose them,” Thomeson said of Pac-12 play. “Every game’s going to mean something. We’re going to have to attack every game. Same thing as other weeks, we just have to prepare the best we can.”
Pac-12 At A Glance
Non-Conference Records
Boise State: 3-1
Fresno State: 3-1
Texas State: 2-2
Colorado State: 2-2
Oregon State: 2-2
SDSU: 1-3
Utah State: 1-3
Washington State: 1-3
Photo/Paul Martinez
SDSU quarterback Jayden Denegal hands off the ball to teammate Javion Kinnard.
SDSU STATISTICAL LEADERS
PASSING
Jyden Denegal 19-31-1, 206 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 41 long, 3 sack
Draiden Trudeau 4-5-0, 53 yards, 1 TD, 24 long, 0 sack
Jordan Napie 1-1-0, -11 yards
RUSHING
Jayden Denegal 8-24 yards (2 net, 22 loss), 18 long
Josiah Lucas 9-19 (18 net, 1 loss), 6 long
Lucky Sutton 8-11 yards, 4 long
Jordin Thomas 1-8 yards
Javion Kinnard 3-5 (4 net, 1 loss) 4 long
Jordan Napier 1-3
Draiden Trudeau 1-2
Team 31-72 yards (48 net yards, 24 loss)
RECEIVING
Jacob Bostick3-69 yards, 8 YAC, 41 long
Donovan Brown 4-51 yards, 37 YAC, 38 long
Jackson Ford 5-35 yards, 13 YAC, 11 long
Jaylon Hawkins 3-25, 2 YAC, 14 long (TD)
Daishaun Davis 1-24
Nathan Acevedo 1-11
Tyan Wolfer 1-11 (TD)
Jack Lua 1-10, 9 YAC
Javion Kinnard 1-9
Will Cianfini 1-7
Team 24-248, 78 YAC, 41 long, 2 TD
PUNTING
Tashi Dorje 6-257, 42.8 average, 53 long
FIELD GOALS
Cooper DiLiva 1-25
PUNT RETURNS
Jayon Hawkins 4-119, 42 longALL-PURPOSE YARDS
Jaylon Hawkins 144
DEFENSE
Josh Hunter 8 tackles
Sione Hala 8 tackles
Tano Letuli 7 tackles
Jalen Thomeson 6 tackles
Jelani McLaughlin 6 tackles
Josiah Cox 5 tackles
