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 Running Back, Lucky Sutton.
Name: Lucky Sutton
Position: Running Back
Class: Junior (RS)
Height/Weight: 6’1” / 215 lbs
Hometown: San Diego, California
Previous Schools: Cathedral Catholic High School → San Diego State University
As San Diego State looks to re-establish its ground game in 2025, Lucky Sutton has positioned himself as a key piece in the Aztecs’ offensive backfield. Another local product from Cathedral Catholic High, Sutton was a standout prep performer known for his blend of power and burst.
After showing glimpses of what he can do most of his early collegiate time, Lucky has mostly been relegated to dedicating himself to development. 2025 appears to be the year where he marks his true emergence as the go to guy in the rotation of backs for the Aztecs.
Last season featured Marquez Cooper, for lack of a better word, a Sean Lewis guy. Cooper for much of the entire 2024 season was the college games active career leading rusher. Much of his success in the college game came from rushing as part of a Sean Lewis offense.
Some wondered why the vast majority of touches went to Cooper and only Cooper last season. But when the proof is in the numbers of a top rusher production wise, you realize maybe Lewis knows a thing or two about good backs in his system. Getting Lucky to learn a full season behind Cooper appears to have really benefitted his outlook in Lewis’ eyes.
“He’s really taken to the coaching,” says an excited head coach Lewis on what he’s seen from Lucky this fall camp.
“He’s really embraced it and who he is and his style of running. Playing behind his pads, playing with better pad level—not really doing too much in the hole, but embracing being a one cut guy.”
Lucky Sutton is physical. He stands tall at 6’1″ in the backfield and he runs with a downhill mentality. He’s not shy about initiating contact and has the build to absorb hits and push through arm tackles. His size gives him an edge in short-yardage and red zone situations.
But ask any backs coach about what it takes to be a special runner and they will tell you it’s the ability to read blocks and make quick decisions in traffic. He’s patient behind pulling guards and has shown maturity in waiting for cutback lanes to open.
“And then, you know, he’s got the long speed that he showed today where, you know, shoot, you go out and he rips off an 80 yard run. It’s kind of fun as a play-caller when you get the guy the ball like that and you’re one and done and you got six points on the board.”
Through his limited reps, Sutton has done an excellent job of protecting the football. For a team that values time of possession and minimizing mistakes, this trait will earn him more touches as the season unfolds.
Despite Coach Lewis’ build up of Sutton’s camp heroics, the reality at this point is that being in the program for multiple seasons, Sutton hasn’t logged many carries against first-string FBS defenses—aside from practice. He’ll need to prove he can maintain effectiveness with an increased workload and most importantly, stay healthy.
Sutton hasn’t been widely utilized as a receiver out of the backfield either. In an offense that’s expected to involve backs in the passing game more under Sean Lewis, his development as a reliable check down option will be key.
To be the main back takes leadership. Though the running back room has an increased depth with Christian Washington and Byron Cardwell, there is a ton of expectation on Lucky #7, even when he is not wearing that jersey number that is all so very special and important to him.
“When we started (camp), he was rocking 27 all the way through. He came and asked me one time what he needed to do to get back into a #7. We had a great conversation about that and yesterday at the end of the team meeting, we passed out some more colors to some other guys and then we rewarded Lucky with a single digit. So, it was a pretty cool moment.”
Under coach Lewis’ system of creating culture and leadership, each player must earn their colors if they hope to advance in the team’s depth chart and leadership council. Lucky despite having so much fanfare outside of the football building, had to earn his colors and jersey number just like anyone else on the team.
“He never said boo about it again, and he trusted and believed that we we’re going to reward him when he had earned it. And that just shows the humility and the hunger that he’s had ever since we took over. Like, the kid just works and works and works.”
To get this opportunity, the opportunity to do this kind of work, had a prerequisite of hard work from the start. There may not be anyone more hungry, on the offensive side of the ball, for this opportunity to do the work than #7, Lucky Sutton.
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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