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“AZTECS FOOTBALL–FALL FROM GRACE”
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No one expected this, this (3-6) San Diego State football season.

The season feels gone.  The fans are definitely gone.  The bowl hopes shot.

SDSU football, a bump in the road, air turbulence, off the rails, pot holes.

They haven’t beaten anyone this season, and now they have lost to the worst team in the league (New Mexico) and get to face one of the hotter teams in the league (UNLV) this coming weekend.

Coach Sean Lewis brought a pretty good resume to Montezuma Mesa, on offense, based on what he did as a head coach (Kent) and what he did as an Offensive Coordinator (Colorado-Syracuse-Bowling Green).

We have not seen much of that this season, and the stats bear everything out.

A defense now giving up (405YPG)…gashed for (1,016Y) the last two weeks
A red zone defense that has given uip 22TDs in 28-trips inside the 20
A defense that has allowed 32-TDs in 9-games

The Aztecs fast offense has slowed down too.
A 3rd down conversion rate of 35%.
An offense that has just 8-TDs in 27-trips into the red zone

A battered offensive line that has allowed 28-sacks.  Has allowed the running backs to gain just (3.6YPC).  And a wide receiver group averaging just 10-yards per catch.

It has been a disappointment of a season, and the fact that just (12,773) fans show up last week in the awful loss to New Mexico, a Lobos team, that was ranked 130th in the nation in defense.

Sean Lewis believes what he is preaching to the players, community, and the media.  It just has not shown up on the field yet.

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Sean Lewis-Monday press conference:

Missed opportunities last weekend.
Had chances to make explosive plays-we did not
The red zone struggles continue
Four quarter fights and we have 3-weeks to get it back together

New Mexico was a good offensive team
We have to do a better job on explosive plays
We need to get off the field and get the ball back
Boise aside-we did not put our best foot forward.
We have played better-need to play better

Not where we want to be right now
Need to close the gap to get better
A few close plays could make the different situation overall record
Not satisfied right now.
We have to get better

No one’s expectation higher than mine
Fun challenge with unique system
Fun is to match 105-players with our system
We will connect this team together-players-coaches
They know and see the vision-excites them still

I appreciate the fans enthusiasm-support
It takes the community support to grow the program
Show up and pack Snapdragon to help us win
We want support to help retain our talent
Today’s college football-we need resources to

UNLV has really good athletes on their special teams
They have 5-punt blocks
They have dynamic kick returns-punt returns
They flip the games weekly with their special teams

Hajj-Malik Williams is in tier one of QBs we face
Run-throw..have not missed a beat
True dual threat QB-he forces you to contain him well

UNLV-very opportunistic defensive secondary..
They have 17-takeways  this year
Get their hands on the ball alot
They play multiple fronts-
They have 2-transfer LBs from Arkansas
High motor-

Marquez Cooper-upset-yes..has high standards
We have alot of guys who think that way
He has 3-games left in his college career
Sand is running thru the hour glass
He owns what he controls and he gets results.

Rushing for 1,000-4 years in a row..amazing production
Great consistency to that individual
OL injuries have hindered him
I take for granted what he does-what he has done-he is amazing

Offense-we are loyal to winning..we have a brand that helps us win
We can go super fast but we can also grind
Playing at tempo gives us an advantage
We need to finish drives with TDs…not settle for FGs

If we go back, I only talk about putting good days together
No one is more frustrated than I am one
We have a journey-close the gap
The record will be the record..we will grow and get better

UNLV staff fixed decades of struggling football
They acquired players in the new era with new coaching staff.
 

 

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Busy weekend in Football..What I saw-What you should know

CHARGERS…Justin Herbert makes plays down the field.  The defense has been stout.  They are (6-3). Now they go play real people starting next Sunday.  Joe Burrow-Bengals..Lamar Jackson-Ravens..Kirk Cousins-Atlanta..Patrick Mahomes-Chiefs…Baker Mayfield-Bucs.  Worried about the continued injury issues with Joey Bosa-Khalil Mack.

RAMS..Great matchup on Monday Night with the Miami Dolphins.  Big key, all the injured offensive lineman are now back off the injured reserve list.  Sean McVay has this young defense playing on the emotional edge.

DALLAS COWBOYS…Sure looks like the end of the world at Jerry’s World.  Dak Prescott is facing hamstring surgery.  The defense has been destroyed by injuries.  They don’t have a running game.  This is a messy season.

WASHINGTON…The kid QB-Jayden Daniels held up against the Steelers defense even in a loss.  They are still (7-3).  Anybody miss Daniel Snyder’s ownership?

STEELERS..Can you believe this team, this defense, the re-emergence of Russell Wilson and the arrival WR-Mike Williams adds zip to the offense.

TENNESSEE…Boy the Titans play hard on defense but that offense is way behind the power curve.

RAIDERS…Great weekend..they didn’t lose, because they did not play.  Still have the QB issues though, a talent level roster problem, and a mouthy head coach..

CHIEFS..Unbeaten because of the Mahomes factor.  Defense plays hard.  But not as explosive on offense yet, so they could be had still.  8-of those 9-wins, come from behind efforts.

RAVENS..A complete team, so dangerous with Lamar Jackson, the WRs, the TEs and Derrick Henry, even if last Thursday’s win was tainted by blown officials calls.

BENGALS…Joe Burrow is having a spectacular season but does not have enough help around him, aside from his WR-group.

CLEVELAND..Just awful, the QB situation, the roster, the waste of a good defense, and the ownership.

GIANTS..Housecleaning coming and might include overwhelmed QB-Daniel Jones.  Cannot get much worse, can it?

JETS..Speaking of bad in the Big Apple, can you believe a (3-7) record with Aaron Rodgers as QB?  The more I watch this, the more I think how it ended so badly for another ex-Packer QB-Brett Favre, at the Meadowlands with the same team.

BILLS..Josh Allen doing it all and the defense is getting better and better.

COLTS..Looks like the world has caught up QB-Joe Flacco finally.  Bunch of turnovers two weeks in a row, and Anthony Richardson looks lost at QB but they may have to go back to him.

BEARS…Caleb Williams-runs hot then cold.  Now 3-losses in a row and no TDs in their last 23-possessions.  Offensive front battered by injuries is the reason why.

49ers..Toughing it out with all the injuries, but what a statistical season for QB-Brock Purdy.

MINNESOTA..Votes of confidence for QB-Sam Darnold, but he now has 13-turnovers on the season and they are mounting up.

TAMPA..Baker Mayfield has lost his WRs and this will get harder week by week.

EAGLES..This is what we thought they could be, this tandem of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley and a vibrant offense.  Now the defense is playing better.

ARIZONA..What a job building the defense by 2nd year coach Jonathon Gannon and Kyler Murray has quit scrambling so much, is healthy and the offense is dangerous.

MIAMI..Who knows how long Tua Tagovailoa can stay on the field.  The big play offense has yet to return.

CAROLINA…A couple of wins in a row, but QB-Bryce Young looks undersized.

PATRIOTS..A 9-sack outing from the defense.  QB-Drake Maye is big and fiesty and doing alot by himself.

SAINTS..Injuries wrecked the season, but they pull off this upset over Atlanta.

FALCONS..Still think Kirk Cousins and that big play offense will be something to deal with heading towards the postseason.

BRONCOS..What a job Sean Payton is doing fixing the Broncos.  Defense plays really hard, and now it looks like the WR-group is becoming dangerous around do-everything QB-Bob Nix.

JAGUARS..Now (2-8) and Trevor Lawrence now gone for the rest of the season.  The coaching staff could be gone too.

LIONS..On everyone’s hit list, but Jared Goff is playing best of his career with a (114-rating)..Then came a 5-interception night in Houston only to be saved by his field goal kicker…they are (8-1) and for real.

HOUSTON…Can they survive the injury barrage at WR.  Joe Mixon at running back may have to save the season and his QB-CJ Stroud.  The Texans defense is taking on water too with injuries.  Gut wrenching loss.

PACKERS..A week off helps Jordan Love get back to 100-percent health.

SEATTLE..A week off does not make things better for Geno Smith-he still does not have enough around him in pass protection or on defense.

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“AZTECS-NEW MEXICO…IN NEED OF A WIN

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San Diego State comes home after last Friday’s blowout loss at Boise State.
They get an interesting Friday night matchup with lowly New Mexico.
Not the Lobos of the last couple of years, but a New Mexico team, coached by Bronco Mendenhall that is gettting better and bettter

The Lobos are (3-6).  SDSU is a troubled (3-5)

This could be a shootout, but then again maybe not.
UNM is explosive, led by super sophomore QB-Devon Dampier (2900-APY-23TD)
But the Aztecs are primed for a big offensive night against a leaky defense.
And Dampier will face a really rugged SDSU defensive unit

What do the players think?

Comments from two Aztecs heading into the Friday night game.
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Michael Harrison-TE….Bryce Phillips-CB

Challenge is stopping Devin Dampier-New Mexico..makes things happen with legs

Coach teaching us how to respond to bad loss at Boise
Continue to develop and how to bounce back

Ambushed so bad-never coped early
We did not show up on defense
Not lined up correctly
Gave up big runs in pass plays because we did not communicate

New offense-young QB in our QB
We have a differently learning curve
For the team..we are no longer in learning mode
Feel good where we are with the offense

Danny O’Neill-first time against grown men
Handled it wonderfully..he is a leader
He does not act like he is a freshman
We need to pick him up when bad things happen
He is not the entire offense

Snapdragon is very challenging for us with the turf
Getting traction on the field has been big issue for weeks
Switch to different cleats has helped

Our key vs Lobos-stop run-force Dampier to pass

Defense this spring-we showed mindset to work hard
Everybody on same page..we are on point-and communicate

Coach Lewis is great motivator..run thru a wall for him
Speaks to something new each time
As a leader he knows what buttons to push
His speeches to us are so very different..Boise speech different that WSU speech
Team responds to him.

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Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast..1pm

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“NFL Halfway Point”
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The push for the playoffs now begins, not so much everyone chasing the (8-0) unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs..but everyone else fighting for first place and wildcard spots

A quick look at who is hot..who is not.

CHARGERS..Their best football may still be ahead of them, in that we have not seen a totally healthy offense or defense.  They have a (5-3) record but a week from now, they start playing real people, so a playoff berth is not a lock.  But for Justin Herbert, ‘let it rip’.

CHIEFS..Not vintage Patrick Mahomes nor the explosive offenses they have shown in the past, but the front office has made the key deals to get guys who can play and replace injured players.

RAVENS..For the first time ever, Lamar Jackson has a loaded offensive roster around him.  Not just Derrick Henry at running back, but two tight ends and 3-wide receivers.  Just think, the defensive minded Ravens are averaging (425YPG) on offense.

EAGLES..They are coming together, this offense led by Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown and Davonte Smith.  Now a very young defense is jelling too.

WASHINGTON..Yes, Jayden Daniels has been superb and Dan Quinn’s defense is doing things.  But we still have half a season to keep an eye on.

BUFFALO..Josh Allen continues to carry the Bills, but they are dominating a weak AFC-East and now look more balanced on offense to go with a tougher than expected defense.

HOUSTON..They were rolling but with the losses of WRs Nico Collins-Stephon Diggs, I don’t know if CJ Stroud can carry the load even with RB-Joe Mixon.

DETROIT..They have built this team methodically.  Jared Goff is running a bullet-proof offense, run and throw.  The defense has survived the loss of 3-defensive lineman and they have added  talent in deals.  They look ready for a Super Bowl run.

ARIZONA..They play well at home-have to see if they can do it on the road especially if they make the playoffs.  Kyler Murray looks so much better with talent around him.

ATLANTA..Kirk Cousins has been such a big difference maker to that offense and they rented talent on defense.  An explosive team, but have to prove they can go a round or two in the playoffs,especially on the road.

VIKINGS..Sam Darnold was hot, but some mistakes are catching up to him.  Can they win in the postseason?  He has to prove himself

RAMS..Some coaching job with a young defense, some leadership skills of Matthew Stafford on display each Sunday.  Sean McVay-some kind of coach.

TAMPA BAY..Can Baker Mayfield continue to put big passing numbers up without his skill receivers on the field?  Maybe it all catches up with them.

JETS..Aaron Rodgers now has firepower and half a season to dig out of this hole.  They could be dangerous because the defense is so rugged.

GREEN BAY..Very explosive on offense but got their doors blown off at home last week at Lambeau Field.  Have to keep Jordan Love healthy and upright.

49ers..Injuries have wrecked the season, so we wait to see what Christian McCaffrey is like post-achilles injury.  No Brandon Aiyuk.  Deebo Samuel always seems to be hurt.  Might be a non playoff season, despite the heroics of Brock Purdy.

MIAMI..Half a season  to rally this offense, but one hit away from Tua Tagovailoa going down again.  Big problems on Biscayne Bay with health and his longterm future.

PITTSBURGH…The QB carousel has not proven to be fatal yet, and the defense is healthy and vibrant.  In a weak division, they are still in first.

CINCINNATI…Joe Burrows to JaMarr Chase.  Do they have anything else on offense?

DENVER…Bo Nix running and throwing for his life.  No one expected the Broncos to be over .500-in a rebuild season.  Coach Sean Payton-coaching his shoes off.

SEATTLE..In last place even with big passing days from Geno Smith.  Says alot about what is not around the QB.

BEARS..Caleb Williams, some good games, some rookie type games.  It’s a growing process-maybe next year.

DALLAS..Hopeless injuries now have taken out Dak Prescott after sidelining Micah Parsons.  The entire defense has been ripped apart.  A bad season.

CLEVELAND..Will be haunted by the Deshaun Watson contract and injuries.
TITANS..Long road back on offense-wasting a number 1-ranked defense
CAROLINA..The Bryce Young draft pick looks like a mistake
NY GIANTS..Front office housecleaning might be coming-poor Daniel Jones
JAGUARS..A bad underachieving season and a coach in trouble
RAIDERS..A disaster at QB-WR-RB and a possible mistake at head coach
SAINTS..Fired coach Dennis Allen and roster needs overhaul
COLTS..Is Anthony Richardson the QB of the future
PATRIOTS..Life after Belichick without alot of skill is hard-but Drake Maye shows alot

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AZTECS HOOPS-NEW YEAR-DIFFERENT TEAM
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San Diego State, with lots of new faces, is opening its basketball season, with a bunch of winnable non-conference games over the next two weeks.

Playing UCSD-Occidental-USD and more, is to get SDSU ready for the big time teams they will play starting before Thanksgiving.

The new look roster will face Gonzaga…Oregon…Tennessee and make a statement as to who they are in the Player’s Festival Tourney in Las Vegas.

All that before the rugged start to the Mountain West Conference Tourney.

Brian Dutcher has a (177-58) record as head coach with this 8th season at the helm, but he has never had this type of challenge, rebuidling the roster with young recruits, blending in transfers, and waiting for veteran guard Reese Waters to recover from a broken foot.

Dutcher spoke about all things Aztecs basketball, right before the opening game with UCSD:
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Excited to get season started..
UCSD returns great guard play
They had 14 point lead on us with 9-minutes left
They transferred in two bigs from St Mary’s
They hit alot of 3’s

We scrimmaged UCLA-we were gritty..despite 24-turnovers
That was a good dress rehearsal for this team
First time for most of them on the Viejas floor

Nick Boyd is finally back after a summer long foot issue
Wayne McKinnie finally back after a long off season of rehab
Finally getting pieces of team on floor together the past two weeks

McKinnie wanted to be here-had to wait to move in.
I wanted people who wanted to be here
Timing for him to transfer was not right with all the guards we had
Excited to get him on the floor from USD

Biggest transition I have ever had on roster
We had 3-guys leave who could have given us minutes
Saunders-Butler-Trammel could have come back
Have to see how new pieces fit
We are on a learning mission together-
Learn lessons when you win..but will learn even if we lose

We haven’t played freshman a whole lot over the years
We started Nathan Mensah and Matt Mitchell
Pharaoh Compton is a very good freshman
Magoon Gwath will start

College game is so much more physical
Compton is a physical play-exception to the rule type kid
Point guard is so hard to play as first year player though

Magoon-like to play him on perimeter on defense
Such good shot blocker want-need him to play inside in paint
He can impact game inside and will
7-foot is no good out on perimier-has to play like he is 6’6
He can play 7-footer inside with rim protection-his reach changes offenses

We will protect the rim really good
Teams nowadays want to pressure the rim
Our shot blockers can take the penetration away with this roster
College basketball is driving to the rim and shooting 3’s…we can defend that

NBA is hard league to make-our 3-ex Aztecs will be given a chance.
LeDee will play his way into the NBA-starting G League in Iowa
Malachi Flynn will start in G-League after being in NBA
Mensah was hurt and come back from G-League and get to San Antonio
Alot of guys have to decide to play for small money in G League vs Europe and payday
Jamal Franklin is prime example..made millions in China

Matt Bradley retired-played a bit-decided to get into workforce in career
Matt always talked about career outside basketball
He seems at peace with his decision

Putting banner up for Sweet 16 team is special
Remember losing to U-Conn twice
Lose to the best shows how good we really are

Nervous as a head coach..it is a journey
I am wired for this
Each of 25 years I have been here has had a different feel

This roster-these guys all wanted to be here..settled for less NIL money
These players are chasing their dreams not money

Questions need to be answered..Quick window to be good
This is a hard schedule ahead of us
Wish I had Nick Boyd for all of camp
Want to see BJ Davis progress after his big run game vs UCLA
Let the learning curve begin

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