San Diego State football head coach Sean Lewis announced this past Monday that true freshman Danny O’Neil will be the starting quarterback for the Aztecs as the team draws closer to opening gameday. He will be the 49th quarterback to start for the Scarlet and Black since the program was in Division 1 placement in 1969.
“Danny was the most accurate and the most productive all through camp,” Lewis said.
“He went about his business day-to-day the right way. We were excited to see the team respond and rally around him while we continue to build the identity of this club in all three phases.”
Coach Lewis also expressed the foundations needed to assist the new field general.
“It’s not just (Danny),” Lewis said. “I know we all want to talk about him, but there are a lot more pieces that need to improve and compete at a really high level so that everything doesn’t fall on his shoulders. He needs to do his piece and it’s (the coach’s) job to put him in the best position to be successful as we move forward into week one here.”
O’Neil enters the season as the first Aztec quarterback in the program’s D1 history to be opening the season as a starting quarterback. The only other SDSU true freshmen to start a game at quarterback during San Diego State’s D1 history include Spencer Brinton in 1997 and Nick Bawden in 2014.
O’Neil, who joined the Aztecs earlier this past spring, spoke on the advantage of picking up the offense early on.
“Getting through the install one time before spring ball, getting all the 15 practices during spring ball and getting in all the repetitions over the summer and then all, all the way through (fall) camp has been super beneficial,” O’Neil said.
“(We’re) just continuing to get reps and reps, knowing where the guys are gonna be. Just making sure we’re all making the right decisions, making sure I’m seeing the right coverage. I’m just trying to make everyone around me better.”
The true freshman quarterback joined San Diego State early after deciding to graduate from Cathedral High School early and became the first quarterback to do so in the program’s history. There, he threw for 7.786 yards and 98 touchdowns, adding 1,326 yards and 27 touchdowns rushing. Rivals had him ranked as the 12th-best quarterback out of the 2024 recruiting class. The term true freshman stems from a college athlete who competes in games beginning in their freshman year.
O’Neil would beat out redshirt sophomore Florida State transfer AJ Duffy and redshirt freshman Javance Tuopou’ata-Johnson for the position.
“I wouldn’t say I expected (to be named the starting quarterback). The whole room has been working really hard for that spot,” O’Neil said. “All five guys in there push each other and we are competing every day.”
“(Coach Lewis) told me I’m the starter for week one. There’s no promise for week two or anything like that, so as long as everyone is competing and working hard it’s going to be a competition all year. (I’m) just competing with myself and the other guys in the room.”
The Aztecs open their 2024 season against Texas A&M-Commerce at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31 at SnapDragon Stadium.
