For the vast majority of this season, the San Diego State Aztecs (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West) have looked like a completely different team from last year. The team’s ability to play as a cohesive unit with a high motor has paid dividends through the first five games of the young season.
However, the Nevada Wolf Pack (1-4, 0-1 Mountain West) has the opportunity to put a halt to the Aztecs’ hot start to the year.
The Wolf Pack opened its season with a hard-fought defeat to a talented Penn State team and logged narrow losses to Middle Tennessee and Fresno State.
As for the Aztecs, the team understands that nothing comes easy in college football; their hunt for the fifth win of the year is no different. SDSU head coach Sean Lewis made sure to remind his players of that, mentioning in a press conference Monday that “the record does not indicate or show how talented they [Nevada] are.”
Throwing records out the window, it is clear that the Aztecs are respecting the challenge. Senior edge rusher Niles King made sure to clarify Nevada’s talent as well, stating that “they’re a hard-nosed team, they play really hard.”
Finish in all phases
Coach Lewis and the Aztecs also made it a focal point to put up what they call a “complete game.” In Lewis’s own words, he described the dream game as the team showing out in “all three phases, for four relentless quarters,” a bold challenge, and one that is yet to be achieved on the road.
SDSU is an even 1-1 when playing away from the Mesa this season. When discussing the Aztecs’ lone road victory, a 6-3 battle over Northern Illinois University, Lewis himself stated, “there was probably 1.5 phases of the program that were ready to go.”
Senior offensive lineman Christian Jones agreed, stating, “We can’t have a strong three quarters then fall off in the fourth.”
In order to merge all phases together, the Aztecs must lean on their culture and their momentum.
They enter the matchup hot, riding a three-game win streak: the longest in coach Lewis’ tenure at SDSU. In order to keep the ball rolling, they must keep the passing game firing.
With great power comes great responsibility
SDSU has stacked wins this season and, with that, comes a lot of positive buzz surrounding the program. Coach Lewis appreciates the contagious energy encompassing his team, but he also understands that it can be easy to lose focus on what is right in front of you: the next opponent.
“We can be very honest; the bonds and the relationships in our building are strong enough to withstand the truth,” Lewis said, referring to his team’s focus on accountability and ownership. “We have created that bond and an environment and a culture that everyone is accountable for. [The team] shows up each and every single day just trying to leave it a little bit better than the way that they found it.”
Coach Lewis’ emphasis on honesty has kept his team grounded up to this point in the season. Despite a dominant performance last Friday over the Colorado State Rams, Lewis does not want his team to become overconfident.
“We talk a lot about being humble and being hungry,” Lewis said. “You take 24 hours after a big win to celebrate [the victory] and have pictures up and tell your story, but again, have the competitive maturity, have the humility to still have the hunger; we have to go do it again.”
The message of humility and hunger has made its way to the players, like Christian Jones.
“People are seeing the work we are putting in,” Jones said when asked what he likes about the team’s recent success. “It is good to have the buzz, it’s awesome to bring pride back into the program, but also, [we must] remember that, no matter what, it is about us; it is about all of the teammates that are in that [locker] room.”
A stonewall presence
While winning is a team effort, the Aztecs’ defense has done a lot of the heavy lifting to this point in the season. SDSU’s defensive unit leads the Mountain West in a plethora of categories and ranks in the top 20 nationally in a few, as well.
Most notably, the Scarlet and Black’s defense is ranked 14th nationally in total defense, at 260.8 yards given up per game, and 10th nationally in scoring defense, at 12.6 points allowed per game.
“We go against a very talented offense every day in the spring and the fall,” King said. “Our offense and offensive line, they’re a pretty good unit, and they prepared us to play against anyone in the country.”
Nevada made a quarterback change during their last game against Fresno State, opting for freshman Carter Jones to take a majority of the snaps. Lewis cited the challenge that a team with a relatively new quarterback with limited college tape presents.
“[We] have another new quarterback we are going to prepare for,” coach Lewis said. “[Jones] has done a great job and gave [Nevada] new life. If you turn on the second half of [the last game], they won it. He is a twitched-up kid who can throw from the pocket and has athletic ability to hurt you with his legs; he is most likely going to be the guy, I assume.”
Leadership and longballs from Denegal
Starting quarterback Jayden Denegal tossed for a career high 256 yards last time out, a mark that inspires confidence against Nevada’s mediocre defense, which is allowing an average of 27.8 points per game. Denegal also added his first multi-passing-touchdown performance with two touchdown throws. Christian Jones sang high praises for the improving Denegal.
“He’s a good leader, everyone really, on the offense clicks with him, everyone you know, likes him,” Jones stated.
Well-liked and well-prepared is a great way to enter a game; however, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. on Nevada’s home turf will test the Aztecs’ high hopes.
