AZTECS SCRIMMAGE AT THEIR NEW DIGS

It was an important step with the first game in two weeks

The San Diego State football team got its first glimpse of Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday afternoon, busing up for a scrimmage two weeks before the Aztecs open the 2020 season against UNLV at the Carson facility.

“We tried to make it as much Aztec nation as we could,” SDSU head coach Brady Hoke said by phone following the 21⁄2-hour workout. “There’s no doubt that it was important to get a glimpse of it, to get a feel for the locker room, the tunnel, our sideline and all those things. That was really good for us.”

It has been just a week now since county and campus health officials approved SDSU conducting full-contact, 11-on-11 drills. It is now just two weeks before the Aztecs’ first game.

“We should be ready,” Hoke said. “Now, we’ve got to make sure we’re not making mistakes and those kind of things. As we go, I thought the timing in some areas was really good.”

Hoke said the Aztecs scrimmaged for nearly 50 plays and worked on all facets of the game, including fourthdown situations, two-minute drill, onside kicks, field goals and punts.

“You could hear football,” he said. “The guys were out there. They were blocking each other. We had good gang tackling. Obviously, you find out a little bit more when you watch the film.”

Some takeaways from the scrimmage:

• Hoke said they tried to get equal reps for quarterbacks Carson Baker and Lucas Johnson working with both the first and second units.

No statistics were kept during the scrimmage (at least none for public consumption), which was closed to fans and media.

“Both of them had their good points and also some mistakes,” Hoke said. “It’s a matter of us cleaning some things up now and see who comes out ahead.”

Baker, a Helix High graduate who got his first collegiate start in last year’s home win over BYU, is in his third year with the program. Johnson, who prepped locally at Mt. Carmel High, is a graduate transfer from Georgia Tech.

Asked if Baker’s familiarity gives him an edge in the competition, Hoke said, “There’s no question that his experience he’s had here and how he played and all that kind of stuff (helps). I think they’re 1a and 1b.”

Hoke said he expects to name a starting QB on Wednesday.

• Reps for the running backs primarily went to juniors Jordan Byrd, Chance Bell and Kaegun Williams and senior Greg Bell.

“Byrd did some really good things, particularly in the kicking game,” Hoke said. “Kaegun and Chance were good. Greg Bell was very good.

“We’ve got some depth there, which is good to have because it is a physical position.”

• Did any wide receivers or tight ends stand out?

“I thought (tight end) Daniel Bellinger had a very good day,” Hoke said.

• The biggest vacancy on defense was left by linebacker Kyahva Tezino, who graduated after being last season’s team MVP.

Junior Seyddrick Lakalaka appears most likely to succeed Tezino there.

“He’s got a good feel for what the defense is all about,” Hoke said. “He’s got a feel for the position.”

• One interesting development is in the kicking game, where Hoke said the plan right now is to have sophomore Matt Araiza handle both the kicking and punting chores.

Araiza (Rancho Bernardo High) is solid in both areas, but he focused on kicking last season when he set a school record with 22 field goals. SDSU needs a new punter this season with the graduation of Brandon Heicklen.

Tanner Kuljian, a senior transfer from USD, and David Delgado, a redshirt freshman walk-on from Hilltop High, have been competing with Araiza.

“I do like some of the progress from Kuljian and Delgado,” Hoke said. “Delgado’s really come on. He’s had a really good camp, if you would call it that.”

• Asked if there have been any injuries to speak of, Hoke said, “We’re going to all get on the bus and go back.”

Practice observers have seen senior center Dominic Gudino sidelined with a wrap around his right hand that extends to the forearm.

Asked if Gudino will be OK, Hoke said, “Yeah.”

• According to Hoke, the most uncertainty remains at quarterback, on the offensive line, linebacker and defensive line, where auditions continue to find another player to line up alongside starters Cam Thomas and Keshawn Banks.

• Hoke said the staff will evaluate every position today as it reviews every play from the scrimmage.

“Then we’ll make decisions as we move forward,” he said.