AZTECS ADD FIVE PLAYERS, BUT NO QBS
The five transfers coming to Mesa not named Burmeister
It sounds like the first act in a modern-day Shakespearean drama. Or comedy.
QB, or not to QB? That is the question.
With spring classes commencing on Wednesday at San Diego State, NCAA restrictions were lifted regarding naming incoming transfers.
SDSU head coach Brady Hoke announced the addition of five transfers in a midday media release.
Former Virginia Tech quarterback Braxton
Burmeister was not among them.
Burmeister went into the NCAA transfer portal on Dec. 20, looking for another opportunity to conclude his collegiate career.
Multiple sources have said the 6-foot-1 quarterback, who starred at La Jolla Country Day and started every regular-season game last season for the Hokies, was coming to SDSU.
On Monday, Burmeister took umbrage with the reports, saying only that “there’s mutual interest” in him coming to SDSU.
While NCAA rules forbid him from naming a player who is not officially in school, Hoke said SDSU was targeting and expecting to get an experienced transfer quarterback.
“I think so,” he said. “I hope so.”
Hoke made it clear that the Aztecs want an experienced transfer quarterback
to be here in time for spring football, which begins Feb. 28. The coach also made it clear he’s not going to allow this to drag out.
“We’re not going to wait around a whole lot,” Hoke said. “That’s not who we are. We want guys who want to be here. We want guys who believe in San Diego State. Those are the guys we want. We want guys who understand the toughness we have as a football team.
“We’ll give a little bit of lead, but I’m not going to get into some sort of bidding war.”
While students can enroll up to two weeks after classes have started, Hoke said, “We’re going to wait maybe another day.”
The five transfers joining SDSU’s program — offensive lineman Cade Bennett (from Oklahoma State), defensive lineman Deven Lamp (Tulsa), linebacker
Cooper McDonald (Washington), tight end Mark Redman (Washington) and defensive lineman Justus Tavai (Hawaii) — all announced their commitments within the past two weeks
Burmeister has not done that and, in fact, has been quiet on social media since entering the portal one month ago.
Is Burmeister holding out hope for an offer from another Power Five school? Is there some other reason preventing him from enrolling? He declined to discuss the situation during a phone conversation on Monday.
Burmeister did not respond Wednesday afternoon to requests for comment.
Asked if he feels like SDSU is being played (perhaps as a fallback option),