A unique week for San Diego State athletics.

Topics include a football program ignored by the community.

A basketball team facing a different type of rebuild against a very rugged schedule.

Sean Lewis’ Aztecs football program is (4-5) heading towards a very disappointing finish to what was expected to be a good season.  They have a quarterback in the future.  They don’t have fans in the stands.

SDSU drew its all time worst turnout on Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium (8,352) and season attendance is now down to just a shade over (15,500), a bottom out figure in a new Stadium.

The Aztecs have the QB of the future here now in Stone Saunders, the transfer from Kentucky, as they head to a late season bye.

A fall of failure at quarterback and on defense (451YPG). A team done in by lack of continuity and the transfer portal, plus 3-different injuries to then starting QB-Jayden Denegal.

Records of (3-9)..(9-4)..(4-5)..not what was expected from this coach.  The Rocky Long-Brady Hoke era is a distance away.  The Marshall Faulk era is yesteryear.  Con Coryell and Company was 50-years back in time.l

Coach Sean Lewis:

Proud of heart felt-tough win vs Washington State.

Really complete game-knew it would be a 4-quarter battle

Bye week-let guys recharge

Stone Saunders-we take a test between each series what he sees

Not overloading him with playbook

A level of maturity-shown confidence-not surprised it

He does like to sling it-trusts location-receivers-back

He gives us good feedback

He throws on time-trust abilities-trust receivers

Coaches like QBs who are aggressive

Off Coord-Matt Johnson talks with him alot

Stone receives all of our information

Defense causing havoc-hits on QBs take a toll

Margins are so slight..Rush-hits-tips-

Great value in applying pressure all night long

Bye week-extra prep for Utah State

Coaches will recruit on bye week

Biggest change is roster continuity from 4-years ago

Look at roster now-they are all free agents

Alot more volatility in player movement

Transfer portal 10-day window will make it different

1-time transfer rule will make a difference

We have candid conversations with our players all year

I want transparency with everyone on the roster

I don’t expect last minute surprises-defections

Think total number of transfers will be down

We look for humility and what kind of teammate you have been

We obsess about personality of this roster

We want players with growth mindset

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Aztecs basketball debuts Tuesday night against Fullerton, in a very different year for highly successful coach Brian Dutcher.  A rebuild of major proportions, with 9-new players, a load of transfers, and the arrival of 3-Europeans.

The SDSU basketball schedule is always challenging, more so this year, considering the core of recent year’s successes have gone other places (Providence-Virginia Tech) in the transfer portal.

As good as they have been, is this roster ready for this schedule: Iowa State-Tennessee-BYU-UCLA-Louisville-St John’s plus the two league games with Gonzaga?

Coach Brian Dutcher:

Exhibition games have game-feel now infront of crowds..helpful

Rubik’s Cuibe Roster…9-new players-never had that before

Taking more time to teach things to so many new players

Challenge to get everyone on the same page

Hardest to find is the guy who knows how to play-instinct every facet

We want to play like we practice-transition-attack

We are work in progress with high ceiling..we have the talent to get there

3-Euros adjustment..having to adjust

Not officiated same…not same style

They have great basketball experience

Alot more physical here than Europe..go to basket-get fouled pushed-shoved

It is a physical game and defense has to make a stand..they have had less contact

Torresani-has 3 years to play-tremendous upside

Scoric-Vecini..both 23-played more high level basketball in Europe

Vincini-knows how to move the ball-does good job reliable

Scoric can be t true stretch floor and score..has room to grow-he will push for job

We need to develop enormous human beings to match Florida-Michigan

Deeper you go in tourney…the better the big men are.

Fullerton shoots alot of 3’s…13-16-17 last 3-games in exhibition-good test for us

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Aztecs Players:

Bear Cherry:

impressed how we played against two best teams in the country

I had never worked as hard as I have at SDSU

When I was at UNLV..we knew they were strong defensive team

Nothing has changed-I knew what to expect

Playing against 7-footers..do what I do..use my strength to advantage

College game changed..alot athletic dudes and fast pace

Elzie Harrington:

We have alot of good guys

Expectation of a different role-I like this role

I think people can lean on me

3-Euro..tell them basketball is basketball

It is a different game for them…it is faster over here

Expect they will arrive here sooner than later

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