Two days after San Diego State’s 66-14 Pac-12 loss at Oregon State, SDSU coach Sean Lewis reiterated his embarrassment from the lopsided loss, took responsibility as the leader of the program and promised “we will be better across the board.”
“We have to learn from it,” Lewis said Monday. “We’ve got to have the ability to have resiliency and know that we got what we earned. Because of that, we have the ability to make it right as we continue to go forward.”
The starting quarterback position will provide one of the storylines this week as the Aztecs (2-4, 1-1 Pac-12) prepare for Saturday night’s game against Fresno State (4-2, 1-1) at Snapdragon Stadium.
The first question Lewis was asked at Monday’s press conference was if he plans to have a change at QB.
Starting quarterback Jayden Denegal is coming off a 5-for-19 performance for 78 yards against Oregon State that dropped Denegal’s completion percentage to 53.9 percent. That ranks 120th in the nation. SDSU ranks 104th in scoring offense (22.8 ppg), 130th in passing offense (143.7 ypg) and 135th in total offense (277.7).
“We’re going to evaluate everything as we go with it,” Lewis said. “We haven’t gotten back out on the field, but everything’s on the table for all positions across the board.”
Complicating any change in quarterbacks is what options there are for the Aztecs.
Backup quarterback Stone Saunders has been out with a broken collarbone suffered in the season opener against Portland State. Saunders had surgery the following week. He has returned to practice and was in pads for the first time last week.
Said Lewis: “Stone continues to progress. … We’ll see where that goes as we move forward.”
Lewis has said that Saunders, a redshirt freshman transfer from Kentucky, is structurally sound. The question is when he will be cleared for contact. Scans this week are expected to determine whether he is cleared and available against Fresno State.
Asked what will determine how the Aztecs move forward at QB, Lewis said: “The work that gets done this week.”
He was pressed on Denegal’s performance and asked, “Are you in denial that he’s deficient?”
“No,” Lewis said. “I’m aware of his deficiencies. I’m aware of his strengths. I also know what else is there. What else we have.
“And, so, change for the sake of change, if it’s not warranted and doesn’t give the team and the program the best opportunity to be successful, that’s not the right thing to do.”
With Saunders injured, the only two quarterbacks on the roster behind Denegal are walk-on redshirt freshman Draiden Trudeau and true freshman Brady Campbell. Lewis said moving wide receiver Bert Emanuel Jr. back to quarterback is not a consideration.
Trudeau relieved Denegal four minutes into the second half at Oregon State with SDSU trailing 52-7 against the Beavers.
San Diego State quarterback Draiden Trudeau (13) throws the ball in the second half of Saturday’s loss to Oregon State at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore. (Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)
The first series ended with Trudeau throwing into triple coverage for an interception. Trudeau finished the game 4-for-8 for 13 yards. The Mission Viejo High School graduate also played late in the game two weeks earlier at Toledo, going 4-for-5 for 53 yards and a touchdown. He was 0-for-1 in a brief late appearance at UCLA.
The 6-foot-1 Saunders was a prolific high school passer who did not play last year at Kentucky and entered the portal after a coaching change with the Wildcats. Saunders was a four-star recruit coming out of Pennsylvania’s Bishop McDevitt High School, where he set state records for passing yards (13,719), touchdowns (204) and completions (781) over his four-year varsity career. The 204 career touchdown passes ranks third all-time nationally.
Saunders relieved Denegal with the game in hand against Portland State, going 2-for-4 for 20 yards. He was injured when he was sacked on SDSU’s final offensive play of the game.
Pac-12 honors
SDSU redshirt freshman Jaylon Hawkins was honored as Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week for the second straight week and third time this season for his 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Oregon State.
Hawkins is one of only five players since 2020 with kickoff returns for touchdowns in back-to-back games.
He had a 100-yarder in the season opener against Portland State and a 96-yarder last week against Texas State.
Hawkins’ three return TDs ties Rashaad Penny (2015) for SDSU’s single-season school record in the category.
“He’s explosive, ball in hand,” Lewis said of Hawkins. “He’s got great body control. He has elite top-end speed. He’s continuing to grow his football IQ. Players make plays come to life. Obviously, when that kid has the ball in his hands, things come to life in a big-time way.”
The other Pac-12 weekly honors went to Utah State linebacker Asher Cunningham (17 tackles, two forced fumbles, fumble recovery) on defense and Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson (29-for-38, 407 yards, 5 TDs) and wide receiver Jesse Legree (10 catches, 191 yards, 3 TDs) on offense and freshman, respectively. Legree has been freshman of the week all six weeks this season.
Injury update
Lewis said starting running back Lucky Sutton (ankle) continues to progress and “hopefully, he will be able to contribute this week.”
Sutton (45 carries, 150 yards, 3 TDs) has missed three games this season with a high ankle sprain. An indication of Sutton’s status for the game will come Wednesday evening when the first Pac-12 Availability Report is posted.
Quick hits
• SDSU’s three FBS nonconference opponents — No. 12 UCLA (5-0), James Madison (6-0) and Toledo (4-2) — are a combined 15-2 on the season.
• SDSU dropped to 138th (last) in the nation in average time of possession (24 minutes per game) after holding the ball for only 17:28 of 60 minutes at Oregon State.
• Hawkins has helped the Aztecs rank first in the Pac-12 and fifth in the nation in kickoff returns, with an average of 36.4 yards per return.
• SDSU is offering alumni $30 seats in the lower bowl for Saturday’s game against the Bulldogs.