The San Diego State University football team finished 4-8 last season, 2-6 in Mountain West Conference play. The Aztecs are picked to finish in eighth place based on the 2024 MW preseason poll. There are 12 teams in the conference.
Early season media jockeys place SDSU somewhere in the middle of the pack this season.
Defending MW champion Boise State topped this season’s preseason poll with 543 points — more than double the 251 points generated by the Aztecs.
SDSU’s first season under new head coach Sean Lewis starts Aug. 31 when the Aztecs host Texas A&M-Commerce at Snapdragon Stadium (5 p.m. kickoff).
SDSU will play six of its 12 games in 2024 at Snapdragon Stadium. Seven of SDSU’s 11 FBS opponents qualified for a bowl game last season.
The upcoming season doesn’t rate as a pushover; anything the Aztecs carve out for themselves will have to be earned.
Fans got a sneak preview of just what the 2024 SDSU football team might have to offer at Saturday’s annual FanFest scrimmage.
The intra-squad scrimmage featured a defensive first half with two interceptions and two sacks while the offense stepped up in the second half with three touchdowns
“We’re excited to get the guys back to campus … to get refreshed and recharged … and get this team unified and connected so that we can get ready to rock and roll here with the season,” Lewis said.
“It’s a fun time of year, excited about where we’re at, excited about the work that the guys have done during the summertime, and really eager to get going, see where we’re at, what we got, and how close knit we can get this team, and trained up.”
With about half of the Aztec roster virtually new, it’s been a learning process for Lewis as well. He said the focus of camp has been on establishing physicality and identity.
“Obviously, a ton of conversation about the quarterback play, but it doesn’t matter who’s back there if we can’t protect them,” Lewis said.
Red and Black
The SDSU offense rolled up an impressive 560 yards during the FanFest scrimmage. Five Aztec quarterbacks combined for 337 yards on 25-of-43 passing (58.1 percent completions) with one touchdown and two interceptions. The run game featured 223 yards on 58 carries and two touchdowns.
However, points were scarce to start off the warm afternoon.
Junior kicker Gabe Plascencia (Oakland) opened scoring with a 20-yard field goal and senior kicker Nick Lopez (Huntington Beach) followed by splitting the uprights from 29 yards out.
There were some big plays in the opening half, but defense stole the show. Plascencia was forced to go for three points after an eight-play, 94-yard field march stalled. Sophomore signal-caller A.J. Duffy (Inland Empire) connected with sophomore receiver Baylin Brooks (Pasadena) on a 58-yard gain to the two-yard line before the SDSU defense pushed back by stuffing the short run game.
True freshman Danny O’Neill (Indianapolis) guided the Aztecs on an 11-play, 63-yard march that led to another field goal. Clutch plays include a 31-yard pass to freshman receiver Jordan Napier (Fontana) on fourth-and-six, followed by a seven-yard run by junior running back Cam Davis (Dallas, Tex.).
Junior cornerback Chris Johnson (Eastvale) intercepted sophomore Kyle Crum (Norco) to kill SDSU’s opening possession while junior cornerback Jelani Whitmore (Rialto) picked off a pass from Duffy late in the second quarter.
The scoring was quick to start the second half. Senior running back Jaylon Armstead (Los Angeles) scored on a 49-yard breakaway run up the middle and freshman receiver Jerry McClure (Mater Dei Catholic) hauled in a 26-yard offering from freshman Javance
Tupou’ata Johnson to cap a six-play, 53-yard series.
Sophomore running back Lucky Sutton (Cathedral Catholic) scored SDSU’s third TD of the half on a seven-yard burst.
Lopez concluded scoring on a 38-yard field goal.
Duffey led with 144 passing yards while Tupou-ata Johnson logged 82 yards. O’Neill had 79 yards while Crum had 32 yards.
The Aztecs will host Hawaii to kick off conference play on Oct. 5. The Aztecs close out regular season play by hosting Air Force Academy on Nov. 30.
