SDSU PLANING TO SCOUT FIELD IN CARSON AHEAD OF TIME
When San Diego State opens the 2020 football season against UNLV on Oct. 24 at Carson’s Dignity Health Sports Park, SDSU head coach Brady Hoke doesn’t want the Aztecs’ f irst glimpse of the place to come as they take the field against the Rebels.
Hoke said SDSU is planning to visit the stadium soon “to do some sort of scrimmaging or practicing up there. It would be real beneficial for us to get a lay of the land.”
While the Aztecs would rather visit the facility sooner rather than later, they likely will wait until they have started doing fullcontact, 11-on-11 drills so the visit can be more productive.
Such activities appear imminent. They were cleared last week at the state level, with cohorts of up to 25 players now allowed in close proximity to one another and a total of 75 people allowed on the field.
The Aztecs have been progressing toward 11-on-11 work in recent practices — practicing last week in helmets and shoulder pads — while awaiting approval from county and campus health officials.
Dignity Health Sports Park was home to the Chargers the past three seasons after they relocated to Los
Angeles. The facility seats 27,000, although at this point fans are not allowed at games.
The UNLV contest is one of four “home” games for the Aztecs. They also are scheduled to play San Jose State (Nov. 7), Hawaii (Nov. 14) and Colorado State (Dec. 5) there.
Hoke had considered busing the team the 115 miles from campus to Dignity Health Spots Park on the day of games, but has decided to go up the night before they play.
The Aztecs are scouting hotel locations in both Los Angeles County and Orange County, Hoke said.
Staying in a hotel the night before a home game has been part of the team’s routine for years. The only difference now is the bus ride to the hotel would be 11⁄ to 21⁄ hours instead of 10
2 minutes.
QB competition
Hoke said he hopes to have a starting quarterback determined within a week.
Such a timeline would leave two weeks before the opener.
The QB competition to replace the graduated Ryan Agnew has included redshirt sophomore Carson Baker, redshirt juniors Jordon Brookshire and Mark Salazar and Lucas Johnson, a graduate transfer from Georgia Tech.
“Those four guys are really competing and doing a great job,” Hoke said. “We’re trying to give more reps at certain times for certain quarterbacks. Once we get in a little more situational football, get in 11on-11, then we’ll know a little bit more about each one of them. ...
“You look pretty good throwing the ball with no rush. We’re just trying to wait until we get a little more of that 11-on-11 and put a little more pressure on them.”
Baker, Brookshire and Salazar all have been with the program two seasons or more and new offensive coordinator Jeff Hecklinski was able to familiarize himself with them during spring ball (for six practices, anyway).
Johnson, a Mt. Carmel graduate, is the newcomer who couldn’t make an inperson impression until recent weeks.
Practice observers give the edge to Baker and Johnson, who had gotten most of the work with the first- and second-string offenses.
The sense is that it is Baker’s job, unless Johnson can take it from him. Baker made his collegiate debut in last year’s regular-season finale, guiding the Aztecs to a 13-3 home win over BYU.
RB competition
SDSU also is looking for a starting running back following the graduation of Juwan Washing ton.
The Aztecs’ reliance on the run, coupled with injuries to Washing ton the past two years, provided plenty of opportunities for others to get a running start in the competition.
Juniors Chance Bell (89 carries, 384 yards, 2 TDs), Jordan Byrd (78-355, 3 TDs) and Kaegun Williams (30110) and senior Chase Jasmin (79-366, 4 TDs) all have experience.
“We’ve got a lot of really good backs,” Hoke said. “Some of them do things differently than other guys. Byrd is a guy you can put in the slot. You can motion him. Run f ly sweeps with him.
“All of them have a great place here for us.”
Senior Greg Bell is the wild card in the group.
The 6-foot, 205-pound
Bell is a Bonita Vista High graduate who joined the team a year ago after transferring from Nebraska, but he missed the 2019 season following a freak eye injury suffered during a preseason, off-campus workout.
“He will be an impact,” Hoke said. “His work ethic during this whole COVID pandemic, he would send me video of himself working out all the time.”