SAN JOSE – Spring camp officially wrapped up for San Jose State on Saturday as the Spartans are quite eager to get going into the 2026 football season. Anything to shake off their 3-9 finish last season, the program’s worst record since 2018.
“Last year was a super disappointing year,” said Ken Niumatalolo, who begins his third season as Spartans head coach. “But I feel like we have knocked it out the park with the new guys who have come in.”
The Spartans, who held their annual Spring Showcase Saturday, have some big shoes to fill for the upcoming season as the countdown until fall camp hits 102 days.
Danny Scudero, the 2025 FBS leader in receiving yards, hit the transfer portal and committed to Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes. Scudero, a former Archbishop Mitty star, was the second consecutive Spartan wide receiver to lead the nation in receiving yards, following Nick Nash in 2024.
The Spartans not only lost Scudero, but they also lost their other two leading receivers from last season. Kyri Shoels transferred to Utah and Leland Smith committed to UCLA. That’s a total of 2,753 yards and 15 touchdowns that left town.
San Jose State Spartans head coach Ken Niumatalolo fist-pumps Kamaehu Kopa-Kaawalauole (83) during the San Jose State Spartans spring football showcase at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, April 18, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
In addition, former Spartans quarterback Walker Eget transferred to Duke and was awarded a waiver for his sixth year of eligibility. Eget was prolific for the Spartans, throwing for 5,563 yards, 30 touchdowns and 19 interceptions over 27 career games.
Even with the big departures, there are some solid candidates to step up, including returnees in the Spartans wide receiver room.
Junior wide receiver Malachi Riley was expected to play a big role in the offense in 2025 before suffering a season-ending injury in the first quarter of a Week One matchup against Central Michigan. Riley is still not at full speed, but he is expected to be ready to go by fall camp.
Junior wide receiver Cooper Hoch could also be in the mix for a more substantial role as he enters his fourth season with the Spartans.
Also, San Diego State transfer Jerry McCluire has been turning heads at spring camp. Spartans offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann said he has been one of the biggest standouts.
“I spoke to his high school coach and he said he is someone who has been through a lot of adversity and lost his confidence, but with the way you guys coach he could find himself at San Jose State,” Stutzmann said. “He has gotten better every day and you really see how he was a four-star recruit coming out of high school.”
After nearly two years as the starting quarterback, the Spartans also need to find Eget’s replacement. Early in camp the search is between three players: Hawaii transfer Luke Weaver, true freshman – and early high school graduate – Daniel Rolovich and returning redshirt freshman Robert McDaniel.
Weaver is the one with the most experience in the group, he played in five games for the Rainbow Warriors, throwing for 628 yards on 63 passing attempts, including the game-winning touchdown pass in Hawaii’s 35-31 victory over Cal in the Hawaii Bowl.
At Hawaii, Weaver ran the “run and shoot” offense, which is the style of offense that Stutzmann’s “spread and shred” offense with the Spartans derives from.
Rolovich is the son of Cal senior offensive assistant Nick Rolovich. Stutzmann and Nick played college football together for the Rainbow Warriors, and Stutzmann was the quarterbacks coach on Rolovich’s staff at Hawaii from 2016-2019.
“It’s funny I’ve had my eye on him the past four years,” Stutzmann said. “Being able to go watch my son doing 7-on-7 tournaments in high school and (Daniel) is there doing the 7-on-7 tournaments. So being able to see his progression through the years really made it easy to know that he’s the right guy.”
Rolovich got reps with the Spartans’ second team during the showcase while Weaver ran the first team.
San Jose State Spartans quarterback Luke Weaver (3) huddle with teanmates during the San Jose State Spartans spring football showcase at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, April 18, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
McDaniel, although only seeing action in three games in 2025, has a year of experience in learning Stutzmann’s spread and shred scheme, which has a self described “steep learning curve.”
Sophomore Tama Amisone who appeared in eight games and made one start at quarterback for San Jose, won’t be in the mix at QB. He’s making the switch to wide receiver. The move was described by Stutzmann as an effort to get his best players on the field, who noted Amisone would have had a tough time getting meaningful snaps at quarterback.
“I like the transition mentally because it makes it much easier for me and simpler,” Amisone said. “Now I just need to hone in on my sets, stems and all the little things as a receiver.”
Sophomore Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa is making the change to safety after spending last season at wide receiver.
“His transition has been fantastic,” said new defensive coordinator Bojay Filimoeatu. “He has that little edge that you want at safety. Having him in the room with all the guys has been great.”
Junior kicker Trajan Sinatra from Idaho State was the first addition the Spartans grabbed out of the portal this offseason. The former Idaho State kicker addresses one of their biggest issues from last season.
Sinatra made his new head coach pretty happy after hitting a 54-yard field goal to end the action Saturday.
“He was our No. 1 recruit and he hasn’t disappointed,” Niumatalolo said. “He’s been super consistent this whole spring and I really believe he’s going to help us this year. As tough as it was last year, if we make three kicks we’re going to a bowl game.”
Sinatra went 18-for-22 on field goal attempts and set the Idaho State single-season kick scoring record with 97 total points.
Filimoeatu now enters his first full season as defensive coordinator after taking over for the longest tenured coordinator in SJSU history Derrick Odum.
“I think Bojay gives us that fire that we need,” defensive end Justin Stearns said. “He dominates every detail and he’s super deep into the schemes.”
Niumatalolo praised the 36-year-old Filimoeatu for his football knowledge which Niumatalolo said goes beyond his years. That paired with Filimoeatu’s ability to fire up his players led to him being hired full time after serving as interim defensive coordinator for two games.
Filimoeatu’s defensive scheme is similar to that of Odum, but with a different mindset.
“We came up with a defensive philosophy that we thought matches what coach Ken wants from the team,” Filimoeatu said. “Those kids have picked it up well and they are pushing forth the effort.”
Another big coaching addition that SJSU added was offensive line coach Ramsen Golpashin from UCLA, who is taking over for John Estes.
Golphashin has been praised by his fellow coaches for the physicality and energy he brings to the team. Niumatalolo said that practices have “a lot more yelling” since Golphashin was brought on.
“For the last couple seasons, for one reason or another it seemed like (the offensive line) weren’t the toughest and they didn’t play the hardest,” Stutzmann said. “Ramsen cures that. He swings the pendulum in the opposite way. He motivates them and holds them to a standard.”