So now that we’re all healed up from Sunday’s hangover of San Diego State’s 22-21 loss to Central Michigan on Saturday, it’s time to call a spade a spade. This Aztecs team is not very good right now.
Right now.
If games were won by playing only two quarters the Aztecs might be okay. But they’re not. On Saturday the Aztecs weren’t playing with quarters, they were playing with dimes. Danny Dimes that is.
Despite an early Chippewa lead 10-7, the game’s momentum was all Red & Black early as true freshman QB Danny O’Neil (14-23, 246 yds, 2TDs 0 INT) made a solid return to the starting lineup. Twice he connected with tight end Jude Wolf in the end zone and for the first time in a while the Aztecs scored 21 points in one half.
The Improvements
If there were any bright spots offensively to this matchup it was Danny. He looked composed and both he and the Aztecs for one half looked improved. Witness below on a bad snap O’Neil secured the ball, had time from the O-line to climb a well secured pocket, and then he placed an absolute dime to where only his big tight end could catch it.
Now that is what we’ve been hoping to see more of.
Unfortunately a well secured pocket wasn’t always the case, as Danny was sacked 4 times on the day. Other times he was scurried out of the pocket sent to improvise, where he showed some athletic ability but clearly not 100% mobile on his injured leg.
Other items improved were the obvious point of correction—the penalties. The Aztecs committed a season low 4 infractions costing them only 36 yards. It was one less flag than their opponent, which was a first this year.
Perhaps the bye week of preparation cut down the amount to where it will likely be moving forward. Or maybe it was the sentence of up downs as punishment this week that got the teams attention. There was also a substitution on the offensive line sitting guard Myles Murao who had been the culprit for many of the flags in recent weeks. Either way something worked.
Along those lines was an Aztecs offense that actually manipulated the snap count to draw in the Chippewa defenders off sides. Certainly a tactic we hadn’t seen up to this point.
Bottom line for the improvement on offense, it was coherent—not great, but it was effective at times.
A Puncher’s Chance
Though the defense wasn’t without it’s own struggles, we are not talking about defensive back Deshawn McCuine’s right cross. The Aztec defender connected with a Chippewa offensive lineman towards the end of the first half and appeared to be gone for the game. (Still don’t understand how the officials brought him back in within the same breath of ejecting him. Whatever it was, we’re glad he returned and was explosive all game long.
This Aztecs defense has played lights out all season. Leading the Mountain West in quarterback sacks was not a stat we were prepared to see coming into their fourth game of the season.
Trey White continues to be the best player on the field for the Aztecs. His 8 total tackles, 3 sacks and numerous hustle plays sets the tone for a defense that always keeps the Aztecs in the game.
When White was sidelined with a brief injury for a couple snaps, Dom Oliver jumped in his place and promptly got a tackle for a six yard loss.
Bottom line this defense is playing with a chip on their shoulder and are opportunistic as ever. But as the scores remain closer and the game’s go deeper into the 4th quarter they just cannot buy a break.
Early in the 4th quarter with Central Michigan within two points and backed up inside their own 20 yard line, the relentless pressure on the edge by Trey White finally paid off when he stripped QB Labas of the ball.
Eric Butler II scooped it up and zig-zagged his way outstretching to the 1 yard line. And then the yellow handkerchief came out. A phantom facemask call brought the ball back to the Chippewas and gone was a golden opportunity to put the game in further distance.
Similarly, even later in the 4th after a missed SDSU field goal, CMU QB Labas threw an ill-advised pass that Aztec defender #0 Bryce Phillips read perfectly and picked off right in front of the receiver. Phillips rumbled down inside the 10 yard line being tackled only by QB Labas himself.
It was two weeks ago in CAL-Berkeley that the exact same pick six scenario took place. Except instead of a pick six and an Aztec score, a penalty was thrown for a block in the back as the CAL player turned his back on the Aztec blocker.
In just this same manner, Labas in pursuit got flipped around and Aztecs defender Dom Oliver was caught wether to keep blocking him or to take his hands off the twisting Labas. Oliver learned from two weeks ago and didnt’ block in the back.
The result was Labas able to tackle Phillips and stop the for sure game clinching score.
What ensued takes us to our final takeaway. The offense in the red zone to close out the game.
Not the Alpha
We know the Aztecs’ Nick Lopez missed two field goals to likely secure the win. There are consistency issues there for some reason, as both were his first misses of any attempt so far this season. Season starter Gabriel Plascencia was demoted after a pair of misses earlier in the season.
But it’s the plays leading up to those missed chances that grinds Aztec Nation’s gears.
After Phillips interception return and needing the Chippewas to burn their timeouts, Sean Lewis elected to run the ball three straight times and set up for another field goal opportunity.
Surely this was the safe approach right?
But is that Alpha bro?
Is playing to kick field goals that still keep you at a one score lead really Alpha?
With the aggressive nature of the offense and the ‘Be The Alpha’ motto the program has adorned, at least one shot at the end zone was surely going to put the nail in the coffin if converted, right?
With an offensive ground game that averaged 3.3 yards per carry against a stacked defensive box all day, this was the perfect opportunity to take a gamble and put the ball in the hands of your big tight end again perhaps.
Now, now … I can hear what you’re thinking … aggressive doesn’t always mean passing.
And you’r right. The ground & pound days of Jeff Horton’s offense played mean, and nasty, and aggressive, all while jamming the ball down opponents throats on their way to the end zone to finish games.
No doubt Lewis intended for that result at the end of these three straight runs, right? But this offense is not that. They are not the Alpha.
Coming into this season the depth at running back was seen as a luxury and point of excitement. Though the stats back up Marquez Cooper’s ability to run and score TDs, in that red zone situation (and other pass blocking situations) there are bigger and just as capable running backs on the sideline that have shown their ability to perform effectively.
Neither Jaylon Armstead or Lucky Sutton were given one opportunity to touch the ball all game long.
That is not Alpha bro.
Unfortunately after the next Lopez miss, the Chippewas held all the momentum. Drove the ball down into Aztec territory against a deflated defense that had punched all they could. Then a kicker named Tristan with a du-rag on under his helmet booted a game winning field goal with just 5 seconds left. And that is all she wrote.
With just one more out of conference matchup remaining on schedule—a home contest against future PAC-12 mate Washington State—that game won’t be played until the end of October.
While we’re all waiting for Sean Lewis’ team to keep acceleration for a full game’s worth—got time is now.
This Saturday the games that will count towards earning a Mountain West championship will begin—Ready or not.
So what kind of team will we see against the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors? What momentum will they be bringing to a football starved Snapdragon Stadium crowd?
One thing’s for certain, we will see a team that just doesn’t know how to win.
Yet.
Trust the process.
And hey, at least we have sick punts like this one.
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