We here at Sons of Montezuma are putting into focus our top San Diego State Aztecs football players for you to to know in the upcoming 2025 season. Next up is Quarterback, Bert Emanuel Jr.
Position: Quarterback
Class: Junior
Height/Weight: 6’3” / 210 lbs
Hometown: Missouri City, Texas
Previous Schools: Central Michigan → San Diego State University
The addition of Bert Emanuel Jr. to San Diego State’s quarterback room we have to admit wasn’t something we were expecting at all. Yes the move brought a jolt of athleticism and dual-threat potential to a position that has struggled with consistency in recent years.
Transferring in from Central Michigan, Emanuel arrives with raw but intriguing tools, and enters the 2025 season as a dynamic option in the AztecFast offense.
Whether in a starting or rotational role, Emanuel Jr.’s skill set gives offensive coordinator Matt Johnson and head coach Sean Lewis a versatile chess piece capable of changing the tempo of a game.
At least that’s what the SDSU coaches will likely tell you and you should believe them. They got to see it in person when Emaneul Jr.’s Chippewas topped the Aztecs last year.
As mentioned, Emanuel has elite athleticism. Some would say he is a natural runner, capable of turning broken plays into explosive gains. His acceleration and agility in open space almost looks like a receiver gaining yards after the catch. His background at Central Michigan was mostly as a rushing quarterback and while to some that may be a negative, to us it gives him a strong foundation for zone-read and RPO concepts.
That’s not to say he can’t throw. He definitely appears to have a live arm, capable of driving the ball downfield and making throws outside the hashmarks. His arm talent gives SDSU an ability to stretch the defense vertically if paired with the right reads and timing. Of course timing by the O-line for any quarterback is crucial though.
What will always set Emanuel apart is him being comfortable outside the pocket where he can often improvise when protection breaks down. His mobility keeps plays alive and puts pressure on defenses to cover longer, especially in man coverage situations.
The main challenge for Bert is going to be his accuracy and decision-making in the passing game. Whatever it was at CMU, all the explosiveness on the ground didn’t get the nod as the QB1. While we don’t know exactly why, sometimes a different spot creates a different opportunity.
Last season the Aztecs arguably either didn’t have time for the quarterback to find his receivers, couldn’t read through the progressions in-time, or didn’t make the decision to run seeing as though he was injured. Bert sometimes relies too quickly on his legs. This tendency can limit the offense’s rhythm in traditional passing situations, but this may not be the most traditional offense when it comes to that.
While he saw flashes of success at Central Michigan, Emanuel is still developing the finer points of quarterback play at the FBS level. If he can lock down the intermediate routes well first—with his escapability out of the backfield, it can go a long ways towards effectiveness and explosiveness.
Emanuel is expected to compete for QB2 behind Denegal, but his athletic profile makes it likely that the Aztecs will carve out situational packages to get him on the field — particularly in short-yardage, red zone, or tempo-shift scenarios. His rushing ability alone can cause headaches for defensive coordinators, and if his passing development progresses, he could push for more meaningful reps as the season unfolds.
In a Sean Lewis offense that values tempo and playmaking, Emanuel’s presence gives SDSU a true dual-threat option, capable of flipping field position and forcing defensive hesitation with every snap.
Bert Emanuel Jr. may not begin 2025 as the starter, but his upside is undeniable. If he can sharpen his accuracy and embrace the structure of the offense, he could become one of the more dangerous quarterbacks in the Mountain West — and a long-term starter candidate for the Aztecs. And if there’s one thing we’ve all seen very often each season at State, that is the backup quarterback.
Stay tuned as we list more crucial Aztec Warriors that will be looking to make a big impact this 2025 season. The list isn’t in any specific order—but let us know in the comments what you think of each player as the list unfolds.
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6 Responses
The early predictions analysis tends to bend toward the understanding of football 101, The game has changed much in recent years with most teams leaning toward the dual threat guy and RPOs ,like Washington, Philadelphia, KC and others. Big Ben days are over . It is too easy to take the traditional game away, which mush rely on a Perfect, near flawless Offensive line . Offensive schemes relying on wildcat cat gimmicks never work in the long run. The two talented QBs will eventually seek out a team more suitable to their style of play. GOOD LUCK TO THE BOTH OF THEM AND MAY THEIRS LIFE LONG DREAMS COME TRUE.