Nothing too crazy—but full of potential. That was San Diego State QB Jayden Denegal’s opening night performance in the Red & Black. The stat line read 13 of 25 (52%) for 208 yards and 1 touchdown. He helped led the team to their first victory of the season Thursday night over Stony Brook, 42-0.
FCS opponent or not, the only complaint Aztecs fans could have on Friday morning was that there weren’t enough of their own to witness it. When you consider it took last year’s Aztecs offense a whole half of football to score a touchdown, it really puts this group’s performance into perspective.
Could it have been better? Yes. Could it have been worse? Also, yes.
The SDSU offense had a total of 12 drives, 7 of which ended in scores—including two that went over 70+ yards. Of those 12 drives they averaged seven plays per; while 3 conducted ten or more plays. Added in they only suffered 3 three and outs and that’s a pretty solid ball control night.
This unit put a level of proficiency that gave Aztecs fans a lot to think about—chief among them, hope. So let’s take a closer look at each position group moving forward.
Quarterbacks
Denegal was sharp early and showed fantastic decision making for the most part. His unique blend of passing skills and ability to escape the pocket was something confirmed from earlier practice visits in Fall camp, so it was fantastic to see it play out in real competition.
On the game’s two first drives he connected on some big pass plays—the first finding tight-end Jackson Ford to get in the red zone. On the second drive he connected with Jacob Bostick in the end zone. The touchdown pass & catch was set-up as if from a seasoned veteran. Denegal’s snap count drew the Stony Brook defenders off-sides leading to a ‘free play’. There he connected for the touchdown strike and the score was 14-0.
The confidence Denegal brings to the team has been something detailed since his arrival in Spring football. That confidence appeared as if it would take a hit early in the game when Denegal scrambled for yardage and went down awkwardly falling on-top of the ball. The rangy gunslinger came to the sidelines.
Enter in Bert Emanuel Jr. the Central Michigan transfer. Emanuel Jr. was thrust into the game at that point and also played later in the fourth quarter. He connected on 3 of 4 passes for 19 yards on the night, not too bad for a change of pace QB. He also ran the ball 4 times for 24 yards. Credit to Emanuel Jr. for getting right in there and really looking every bit of ready in his time.
In the end Denegal showed he had the toughness to brush off the stinger, return to the game, and finished the night under center as the quarterback. But let’s keep it 100—Denegal could have had two INT’s in this game—easy. The game would still never have been in doubt, but had it not been for poor drops by the defense his performance would’ve had a lot less shine on it moving forward.
Receivers
Between the two QBs, the Aztecs connected with 9 different receivers on the night. Jacob Bostick as mentioned already, flashed his size & athleticism when he went up high for a memorable grab between traffic and in scoring position. The Iowa and Texas A&M transfer, Bostick was a somewhat lost character in fall camp, sidelined by an injury. In just this first game he flashed his ability to adjust to a throw out of range and showed sure hands.
Donovan Brown (2 catches for 46 yards) the transfer from Syracuse made a terrific catch running deep down the sideline just before the goal line. The play was in step with the throw, showing great connectivity with the QB and concentration to come down with it.
Jerry McClure the UCLA transfer is a threat for short, medium, and deep passes. Though just targeted twice, one deep pass McClure had the defender on the run and forced him into a pass interference call.
Nathan Acedevo (2 catches for 22 yards) transfer from Fresno State showed a cat like quickness about him after the catch. Mikey Welsh the new receiver on scholarship appears to be a sparkplug. He got open behind the defense for a catch and rumbled all the way for 44 yards into enemy territory. Myles Kitt-Denton, known to be the speedster of the group should round in the group with a lot of untapped potential.
This group of receivers have the look of uncovering a few hidden gems in plain sight. If they can develop into a consistently scrappy unit that pulls for each others success, they could do wonders in helping Denegal adjust quicker to leading this offense.
Forgetting someone? We haven’t even mentioned Jordan Napier. The sophomore notched just 2 grabs for 15 yards, but his routes just run different, his catches different, and his plays after the catch all look very different.
Napier’s next level instincts has also reached beyond the offense, as he is returning punts. Each time he fielded one and brought it out, no matter the position, it felt as if he expected a big gain. At some point in the year he will take one to the house—no doubt about it.
Running Backs
Coming into the season Lucky Sutton was the clear #1 with all the focus and hype. For one game that hasn’t changed. 100 yards on 22 carries and 2 touchdowns is very nice. He ran focused, patient, determined and also within himself. He didn’t’ try to do too much and still outperformed anyone else.
But add in the two change of pace backs Sean Lewis was proud to bring in, Christian Washington (7 carries, 38 yards, 1 TD) and Byron Cardwell (7 carries, 29 yards) and this group gives a lot to be excited about. Whereas Sutton is more of a downhill runner, both Washington and Cardwell offer a nice lateral quickness to their game.
Each back that played showed off something different from their tool bag. Though receiving out of the backfield will be something to track as the year progresses and how the offense utilizes that into the scheme. But for now, all three of these backs appear to have a quality that can keep the chains moving.
Offensive Line
When you don’t hear a lineman’s name in a game, 9 times out of 10 the unit has done an amazing job. Though the trenches for the O-line rarely get any praise, they sure get the grunt of the blame when things go south. That’s because everything begins and ends with this group.
Seeing the line in action, they are truly massive—especially against an FCS opponent like Stony Brook. But most importantly they executed in an efficient way consistently building a strong pocket and kept Denegal & Emanuel Jr. from being sacked at all this game. The Aztecs ability to score in the red zone and going 3-4 on 4th down attempts doesn’t happen with out the line holding up and being strong in those crucial moments.
Penalties were down though not completely gone. They held up their aggressiveness through out the game with no let up late —even when the score was well out of reach in the Danger Zone (4th quarter).
Can this unit stick together, stay healthy and build upon this performance to be the driving force of the offense? Only time will tell. But the building blocks are there with center Ross Ulugalu-Maseuli, tackles Christian Jones and Joe Borgon as they lead in the new guards Kalan Ellis and Bayo Kannike.
Overall it’s a small sample size, but the athleticism is there all across the board. Speed & strength is not in question. For one game the offense played with a focus in the game plan and executed with plenty of heart. And that may be the biggest ingredient needed to turn this offense into a true contender in 2025.
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