SDSU Stock Report: Aztecs Football Preparing for Rough PAC-12 Ahead

A weekly look at what Aztecs football stock is up and which is trending downward

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Throughout the 2026 San Diego State football season the Sons of Montezuma will take stock of the team’s recent performance.

After each game, we’ll provide an assessment of what position group or unit seems to be trending upward. They’ll be in the “Stock Up” category. Conversely, the team’s area that might need some tweaking to better maximize outcomes will be listed as “Stock Down.” 

Stock Up

Before the start of the season, many San Diego State football fans wondered if this might be the year Coach Sean Lewis’ offense featured the tight end. 

Previous standouts like former Kansas City Chief and Tampa Bay Buccaneers player David Wells, the late Gavin Escobar who played for the Dallas Cowboys, and current New York Giants player Daniel Bellinger shined in the Red & Black long before making a name for themselves in the NFL.

With a solid running game returning and talent at the receiver positions, it made sense that the field might open up in 2026 for the tight ends to take on a more prominent role in the Aztecs offense. 

And then the season started and the tight end once again became an endangered species whenever SDSU had the ball.

The team’s top three tight ends—Jackson Ford, Ryan Wolfer, and Jack Lua—entered the game against Toledo with a combined two catches through three games. 

In the first three plays of the game, Ford, the junior transfer from Tulsa, eclipsed that total single handily. 

Late in the third quarter, Wolfer hauled in a desperate heave from quarterback Jayden Denegal in the corner of the endzone on an acrobatic catch. The play cut SDSU’s deficit to 34-9 in a game that ended 41-16 in favor of the home team Rockets.

Redshirt freshman Lua also got in on the action making his first reception of the season, a nice 10-yard pick up. 

In total, the SDSU tight ends racked up seven catches for 56 yards and one touchdown last Saturday in Toledo.

So, this week’s “Stock Up” designation goes to the San Diego State tight ends. Hopefully, the start of Pac-12 action brings more opportunities for this unit to make contributions to an Aztecs offense struggling to find its identity and sustained success. 

Stock Down

And, now for the Aztecs football stock heading downward. There are several areas, potentially, for Sons of Montezuma to single out after the team’s performance in Ohio. 

Some of the chronic problems arose again like questionable play calling and the offense starting slow after the initial drive. 

The San Diego State defensive line struggled to contain Toledo’s inside run game which opened up the playbook for the Rocket’s offense. 

But, for us, the disappointment came watching the running game. 

SDSU arrived in Toledo with three solid rushing performances under its collective belt. 

The team ripped off 237 yards on the ground versus FCS squad Portland State and added 144 rushing yards against UCLA. Behind Javion Kinnard’s record night running the ball, the Aztecs went for 192 yards rushing in the loss to James Madison. 

Surely, the guys from Montezuma Mesa could control the clock and limit Toledo’s high-powered offense by establishing and sticking to the ground attack. 

That’s a big negatory there commander. 

Toledo’s defense held SDSU’s running game to a total of 48 yards on 31 attempts. That pencils out to a measly 1.5 yards per carry.

True, three sacks of Denegal brought the net total down by 20 yards, but anyone watching the game could see the Aztecs running backs had nowhere to run nearly every time they touched the ball.

The offensive line could not create space or push against a stout Toledo defensive front that game planned to smother the run and force Denegal to pass SDSU to victory. The planned worked perfectly for the team from the MAC.

So, Week 3’s “Stock Down” designation goes out to the San Diego State running game, all aspects of it. 

Adding insult to literal injury were the losses of Kinnard and Lucky Sutton during the game. According to Coach Lewis, both players are “questionable” to play this week.

Without Kinnard, Sutton, and returning letterman Christian Washington, who left the team in the week leading up to the Toledo game, the Aztecs will likely rely on several young, and largely unproven players in Saturday’s home game. 

To beat another talented offense in the one Texas State is bringing to town, SDSU will need to find a way to get the ground game back in gear. Or it could be another long night in the saddle for Denegal and company.

San Diego State will host Texas State Bobcats on Saturday in the kick-off to the Pac-12 season. Game time is 7:30 P.M. and can be seen on the CW.