“Aztecs Football–Prove Yourself”

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A tough football season is now at a crossroads.

San Diego State is (4-3) as they head to Fresno State.

They are now what they never used to be, a mediocre mid-level team, trapped in a Group of 5-conference, no one cares about.

More importantly, as they play the Bulldogs, that can set sail on a strong finish, maybe even get to another mid-level bowl, or they can lose, and fall off the radar screen for the rest of the season.

They have shown only minimal flashes of being what they used to be, a fierce defensive unit creating chaos, and a violent run dominated offense that mashed people.

The defense has not stood out on a Saturday by Saturday basis. The offense has been ranked between 115th and 131st in many NCAA categories, shocking in that there are just 131-teams in Division i football.

The QB crisis has yet to stabilize, using their 5th QB of the season. The run game is pedestrian. The pass receivers are not difference makers. And the offensive line, in 3-road games, has been flagged 18-times for false starts at Nevada- Utah and Boise State. Wonder what happens Saturday in Fresno?

Brady Hoke remains adamant, almost defiant, this team will get better. They haven’t beaten anybody of note. Hawaii is awful, Nevada has no quarterback. Toledo is down and Idaho State is a 1-AA school.

They got mashed by Arizona, Utah and Boise State.

Hoke had plenty to say this week. The real statement about the rest of the season will be what they do against the Bulldogs.
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Brady Hoke:

..Really proud of SDSU effort at Nevada
..Played well on road is important
..Fresno is hostile environment
..We played with Aztecs toughness-controlled what we could control
..Defense played with alot passion…front six stopped the run
..Created negative plays-that is us..sacks-TFL..tackled better
..Forcing turnvoers-scoring oin defense-jacked team up
..Holding Wolfpack under 100-yards rushiing was a goal
..We are playing alot better on first and second downs on defense
..Winning time of possession is always a plus
..Hit 43% on 3d down plays best of the season
..If we get to 200-yards rushing-we win alot of games
..Offensive line…6-false starts bothers me
..We must stay after the O-line improvement
..Fresno environment-will be toughest yet
..Oil Can Trophy-want to bring back to our offices-Fresno rivalry
..QB-Logan Fife done a really good job replacing Jake Haener
..RB-Jordan Mims strong running back-need to get him on the ground
..Dogs have big physical offensive line
..Our penalties….seven games in..we should be better on false starts.
..Young OL need get more comfortable in their own skin
..Young guys trying to fire off the ball
..Want my cadence as a weapon-when kids are false-st
..Do practice moving our center over to guard-but not yet in game
..Do need to get into end zone-too many penalties
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..Season not go off the rails after QB-crisis
..We have good staff-good leadership-played together thru tough times
..Coach Mattix loves ‘trophy games’
..Jalen Maden-things he needs to improve on..we had to use 2-timeouts
..He’s doe a really good job-composure-going thru progressions
..Maden has another year-covid year if he wants to stay-play
..Maden so unselfish
..No olive branch to Wil Haskell-see if he wants to return

..Jeff Tedford-enjoy being with..so much experience
..Offensive guy has called every type of offense..
..Tremendous with personnel groupings
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(Chance Bell)-Running Back

..Finally healthy with elbow-feel pretty good
..Workload-up to coach
..Oil Can Trophy game..means alot..but we need just to go win
..We want to walk into that building and see the Oil Can every day
..When I first saw it-don’t know what it represents
..It has become a great rivalry
..Young offensive line-alot of credit to Alame work with young group
..Young guys working hard to get better-their job is hard to get better
..Gone thru 5-QBs…next guy up..Coaches do good job
..Jalen Mayden-brings leadership-confidence-makes plays with his legs
..Jeff Horton-fired up to take over as Off Coord..passionate guy
..We all trust him based on experiences

(Keishawn Banks)-Defensive End

..Playing strong defense is contagious
..Last year-Fresno had (485Y)…but missing QB this year
..They have huge offensive line
..They get ball out quick
..WB-Logan Fife-run same offense….Haener was a great QB
..Offset big size Off Line…speed-quickness-move alot..make them move
..Big lineman-takes lots to get them move..they cannot move
..We can run twists-stunts
..Jalen Mayden-got acclimated at QB-changed position
..Cool thing would be if he came from 5th string to run us to the table
..We have it in us to ‘own the games’ on defense..do it for 4-quarters
..Something clicked on defense in Nevada-turned the game for us
..Now do it again at Fresno

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