Aztecs Name Michigan Transfer, Jayden Denegal as QB1

San Diego State’s offense took a major step in redefining AztecFast when Head Coach Sean Lewis named Jayden Denegal his starting quarterback to begin the 2025 season.

The announcement was made just a day ahead of the program’s annual FanFest taking place at Snapdragon Stadium on Thursday, August 14 at 7pm. The scrimmage is free to all with ticketed entry, that can be claimed at goaztecs.com.

Denegal, the Michigan transfer in his Junior year, has long been expected to be the starter when news broke of his committment to SDSU out of the portal. Learn more about his skillset, abilities and expectations as one of our Top SDSU Players to Watch in 2025.

Regardless, the QB1 battle was one of the top, if not the most crucial storyline coming into this 2nd season under Coach Lewis. Fellow reserve QB, Bert Emanuel Jr. also transferred in from Central Michigan with the expectation to challenge for the same spot.

Having been in a backup role for the Wolverines during their National Championship run and beyond, Denegal is now returning home to Southern California and has earned his chance in camp to lead an offense full-time.

From the start both QBs in the position battle brought a much increased physicality and maturity to the position room. Sons of Montezuma took advantage of the program’s open practice policy to season ticket holders and marched down to the Mesa practice fields as often as we could. What we saw was crystal clear.

To start Fall Camp Denegal had the look and feel of a dynamic pocket passer. The fluidity of his movements behind the line of scrimmage allowed him to break the pocket and scramble for positive yardage when the passing game was held in check.

His height allowed him to find the open receivers deep and his strong passing arm could hit all the different level throws more often than not. Positive notes were watching the mid range routes completed even in tight windows.

But let us be clear—Denegal is still a work in progress. In the first week of camp there was a lot to be ironed out. Several interceptions on short routes seemed to be a challenge against the defense. The inaccuracies in connecting with receivers were also apparent.

Coach Lewis made no hiding of the fact last week, when he said that in week #2 of camp they were planning on “pressing with a sense of urgency to get the throw game to the standard of where it needs to be.”

From week #1 to #2 we could validate that progress was taking place and that’s where Denegal made his QB1 jump ahead of Emanuel Jr. abundantly clear. Where Denegal was finding his rhythmn with the receivers and the flow of the offense, Emanuel Jr. was a step or two behind in pulling the trigger on his reads and demonstrating efficient footwork in the pocket.

Lewis continued on what he was looking for and what his challenges were in making the determination last week. “Timing and location in the relationship—for a quarterback and wide receiver … to throw with precision you have to accumulate reps.”

With such a short amount of time to get the position dialed in, ‘managing the workload to accumulate the reps necessary’ was his challenge. Thursday night we’ll get to see in the FanFest scrimmage/dress rehearsal, a glimpse of what Lewis has selected in that relationship between his QB1 and his receivers.

One thing we absolutely know this time around, that Denegal has earned the position due to his leadership on-top of the on the field performances in drills and not just handed the spot out of necessity or where he transferred in from. But it sure doesn’t hurt.

“That confidence”, says team captain and Pre-season Mountain West Player of the Year, Trey White on the latest episode of the Sons of Montezuma Podcast. “Jayden being a part of Michigan’s Championship team helped his confidence. Bringing that leadership from there to here.”

White spoke favorably on the two quarterbacks in the competition, but singled Denegal’s confidence out. “It’s hard being that leader when you’re young. Having a quarterback as your leader is very important to the team. You want your offense to follow your commands. and we’ve got to have a leader at that position.”

Stay tuned as we bring you a full report of Thursday’s Fan Fest scrimmage and more content as we lead to Week 1’s opening Thursday, August 28 at home vs Stoney Brook.