It’s no mystery San Diego State football has seen better days. This opening of the 2025 season Thursday night at Snapdragon Stadium is the mulligan, the do-over, the pushing of the reset button for head coach Sean Lewis & staff.
The AztecFast2.0 season begins at 7pm PST against the FCS Stony Brook SeaWolves.
The expectations are high after finishing a paltry 3-9 record a year ago. Though you wouldn’t normally assume this being the case—considering season ticket holder have shown a major drop-off in renewals—Coach Lewis realizes that in itself is a sign that Aztecs fans have much greater expectations than what they’ve seen from the team.
“The way that we finished is never going to be appropriate—never going to be acceptable.” said a focused, yet relaxed head coach Sean Lewis from his game week presser. If this is the year the program is to perform at a higher quality, Lewis knows he must have even greater expectations for himself.
“Improve, be better as a leader, be better leading this program.” That’s the answer given when asked this firs game week on what would define a successful sophomore season for the head coach from Oak Lawn, Illinois.
“Be present each and every single moment, so that we can have greater wins as we head down range—because we handled the present day purposefully, intently and we do it the right way to our standard.”
There’s been a ton of reference by coach harkening back to the standard he and his staff are trying to establish. Instilling that standard wasn’t so easy last season. The fusing together of former players from a previous coaching staff, to new transfers labeled ‘his guys’ is a tricky locker room dynamic to lead—let alone one to reap success from.
But make no mistake, this isn’t anything unique. College locker rooms all across the country have had to deal with much the same conditions due to shifts to NIL and a wide open transfer portal. Much of them dealing with new head coach hires haven’t fared so well either.
“I ask my guys to improve and compete every single day. And if I’m not different, if I’m not better, and if I’m not improving—then I’m a fraud.”
AztecFast was the exciting, revitalization offense SDSU has been pushing to market their new coach. Even on the loudspeakers from the Snapdragon Stadium PA, you will hear the description of coach being an offensive guru or cutting edge mind in today’s college football’. The hype is real, but will the results be also?
“Some of the decisions that I made a year ago probably weren’t authentically true to who I was and what I believe in.”
Definitely not a tune many in the college football world are used to hearing from their head coach. Humbleness, self-reflective … it’s been an interesting approach from one of the youngest leaders in the nation. Using words like authentic self and being vulnerable are more than just buzz words of today’s culture.
“… One thing I’ll never have anyone say about me is, that I don’t mean what I say, and I don’t say what I mean.” In his short amount of time here on the Mesa, coach Lewis has said a ton. The rapid words per minute in a press conference might be a new on campus record for a SDSU staff member.
But what coach has clearly said to the fans, alumni, and whoever else will listen, is: I am willing to try and try my best to make this program something new, meaningful, and successful. “The people, the connection, the unity, the team and we over me. It’s something that we’ve been very intentional on.”
With new attempts at traditions, rallying his team of Aztec Warriors through increased unity projects, bonding experiences off the field and motivations geared toward today’s modern philosophies, you can say what you will about his X’s and O’s. One thing you can’t say is that he is not trying all that he feels is right.
This approach is something Lewis will stand behind and the proof to show it will work is the amount of leadership that returned to the program this year—no matter the poor finish, no matter the trials and shortcomings of his first season.
“For them to grab ahold of the new identity, to grab the other guys and say this is how we do it. Let me get you onboard quicker so we can have more meaningful reps in all that we do.”
It all sounds great. But in the end, we all know it comes down to winning & losing, right?
“This group has done a tremendous job of learning quicker, allowing us to install more and be further along and have more consecutive days of good high quality reps tied together.”
“And now that needs to go lead to elite production Thursday night.”
Couldn’t have said it any better coach.
WEEK 1: Stony Brook Seawolves vs. San Diego State Aztecs
WHEN: Thursday, August 28th, 2025, 7:00 PM PST | 10:00 PM EST
WHERE: Snapdragon Stadium; San Diego, California (35,000)
TV: KUSI-TV FOX 5 San Diego
STREAM: Mountain West Network (www.themw.com)
SERIES RECORD: 0-0.
ODDS: San Diego State -12.5
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
