College football fans in the region can rejoice as the San Diego State University Aztecs kick off their 2020 season, though in belated fashion, on Saturday, Oct. 24, against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Rebels.
Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson. The game, which is closed to fans due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, will be telecast on the CBS Sports Network.
Along for the ride this year are four East County prep alumni. They are among 28 San Diego region products on the SDSU roster that features a staggering 86 Californians overall.
The Aztecs’ homegrown contingent appears to rank among the team leaders this season.
Helix Charter High School alumnus Carson Baker was recently named as the team’s starting quarterback. The redshirt sophomore appeared in two games last season. He won his only start, 13-3, over BYU in the teams’ regular season finale and later took the final kneel down in SDSU’s 48-11 win over Central Michigan in the New Mexico Bowl.
Christian High School alum Jesse Matthews occupies the top spot on the depth chart at both the wide receiver and punt returner positions while Helix graduate Michael Shawcroft is rated second at his middle linebacker position. Former Highlander teammate Rashad Scott is third on the depth chart at his safety position.
Other San Diego locals expect to contribute heavily in pursuit of a berth in December’s Mountain West Conference championship game.
It could add up to a very productive season for the Aztecs, who are coming off a 10-3 season in 2019.
Baker, for one, is proud to be an Aztec.
“Growing up in San Diego, my grandparents, parents both had season tickets to Aztecs sports, particularly Kawhi Leonard and the basketball team,” said Baker, who passed for 5,544 yards and 62 touchdowns during three varsity seasons with the Highlanders. “We always watched football, too. I went to Helix High School down the street. It’s awesome that I get to lead my hometown team. I’m extremely thankful and honored to be put into this position.”
Make no mistake, this group carries some credentials.
Baker, Shawcroft and Scott all helped guide Helix to the Division I-AA state championship game in 2017 as the Scotties finished 13-2 overall following a 49-42 loss to undefeated Folsom (16-0).
Indeed, there is much optimism for this year’s Aztec squad. SDSU returns the bulk of its offense this season, including three of five starting offensive linemen. Braced by so many returners, the offense is expected to move forward this season.
The Aztecs may have the best assemblage of offensive talent over the past decade. But putting all that together will be key to the team’s success. SDSU seems sound defensively.
Baker said success is based on execution, which means following the game plan under head coach Brady Hoke and his assistants.
“We got a great offensive staff and a good offense that’s going to put us in all the right positions to make plays,” Baker said. “We just got to go out there and make them.
“We’re going to try to get the balls to the guys in space, get the ball to our play-makers, whether it’s through the run or the pass. We got a lot of good guys. We got a good offensive line. We do it any way.
“The amount of reps I have been getting in practice, the amount of team reps we’ve been getting in practice, I feel really confident. I feel like we had a lot of time in this system to get really comfortable with it. I have the utmost confidence in myself and the guys around me.”
The Aztecs possess a train of quality running backs and wide receivers despite the graduation of standout Juwan Washington.
Matthews is one of the team’s more experienced wideouts after ranking second on the team last season with 48 catches for 633 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior Jordan Byrd (Albuquerque, N.M.), senior Chase Jasmin (Westlake) and senior transfer Greg Bell (Bonita Vista) rank 1-2-3 on the team’s depth chart at the running back position.
Jasmin appeared in all 13 games last season, rushing 79 times for 366 yards with four touchdowns while Byrd rushed 78 times for 355 yards with three touchdowns in 12 games.
Bell, who played previously at the University of Nebraska (2018) and Arizona Western Community College (2016-17), rushed for 2,632 yards and 34 touchdowns in 15 games as a senior as the Barons reached the Division IV-AA state bowl championship game in 2015.
St. Augustine grad Tariq Thompson will help anchor the SDSU defense after logging 55 tackles, three tackles for a loss, one sack, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries last season.
The Aztecs had the best defense in the conference last season, and one of the best in the nation, in fact, by allowing an average of 12.7 points per game. SDSU led the MW with 18 interceptions and tied for second most in the conference with 31 sacks.
For the moment, the Aztecs are the only game in town.
How far will this year’s SDSU football team advance? It will not take long to find out.
