BAKER GETS NOD
Redshirt soph QB ‘excited’ after winning starting job
Carson Baker’s parents and grandparents have been season ticket holders for San Diego State athletics for years.
They just got another reason to cheer for the Aztecs.
SDSU officially named Baker its starting quarterback on Thursday, nine days before the Aztecs are scheduled to open the 2020 season against UNLV at Carson’s Dignity Health Sports Park.
When he was informed of the decision, Baker said SDSU head coach Brady Hoke told him, “You earned the job. We expect a lot out of you.”
“I expect a lot out of myself,” Baker said. “I’ve got to lead this team. I’m excited.”
The 6-foot-3 quarterback, a redshirt sophomore out of Helix High, beat out three others for the starting spot.
“He had a good camp,” Hoke said. “He picked up the nuances to the offense. He’s highly competitive. Did a lot of good things, obviously.
“The other guys all had things they did real well also. We just felt that he was the guy to lead us.”
Lucas Johnson, a graduate transfer from Georgia Tech who prepped at Mt. Carmel High, is the backup quarterback. He has been slowed by a hamstring injury, but is expected to be full go by the opener.
Baker got a glimpse of life as a starting quarterback in last season’s regular season finale, stepping in when starter Ryan Agnew was injured.
Baker guided the Aztecs to a 13-3 home win over BYU, completing 19of-24 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown on the evening.
“Any game experience, live game reps is always helpful,” Baker said, “just to get the first one out of the way and get a feel for the game, especially against a great opponent like BYU. Feel the speed, feel the contact and all that stuff was really helpful.”
Baker was viewed as the leader throughout the QB competition. He didn’t take winning the job for granted. Asked if he approached it
“I’m just going to be a distributor this year and get the ball in our playmakers’ hands that can make plays in space.”
Carson Baker • Aztecs QB
with “athletic arrogance,” Baker judged it more as confidence.
“I wouldn’t call it arrogance,” he said. “You definitely as a quarterback have to have a great amount of confidence in yourself that you can make any throw on the field, but when you’re competing for a spot you’re just really focused on yourself.
“You’re focused on what you can do and how you can get better each day. You put the blinders on and focus on how I can be the best version of myself today in practice.”
Baker said he will avoid trying to do too much in an offense with plenty of talent at the skill positions. It is under the direction of new offensive coordinator Jeff Hecklinski.
“I’m just going to be a distributor this year and get the ball in our playmakers’ hands that can make plays in space,” Baker said. “We have a great offensive staff that is going to put us in all the right positions to make plays. We’ve just got to go out there and make them.”
Asked how he expects the team to respond to Baker, Hoke said, “I think this team has always had a really good feeling about Carson.
“He came in the BYU game, started the game and did a real good job last year. I think he earned a ton of respect.
“I think his mannerisms and his leadership, which you always look for from that position, I think he has shown that. The other thing that you look at is his command of where he is right now, and it’s been really good.”