Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Football Beat Reporter
Remain Seated During Viewing Hours
Spartans’ quarterback Chevan Cordeiro has played his way into a coveted category:
You can’t head to the restroom when he’s on the field.
Maybe you’re wondering, ‘Who is this guy to tell me what I can and can’t do?’
Me? I’m no one.
But Cordeiro? Well, let me tell you about the best quarterback in the Mountain West, who’s won back-to-back Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors, spearheading the best team in the Mountain West.
A week after torching Wyoming for 314 passing yards and three touchdowns, Cordeiro burned UNLV to a cinder.
This completion to Elijah Cooks was his fourth touchdown of the day and second through the air. It was also his last pass attempt, ending his day at an eye-popping 230 passing yards and 109 rushing yards.
Moreover, he’s now one of two quarterbacks in the nation to have at least 1,300 passing yards and no interceptions.
Not turning the ball over is one incentive that should keep you in your seat. Not naming names (any Browns QB on this jersey), but some guys are better left unwatched.
Cordeiro is the complete opposite. Especially in this sequence from Friday night.
First, he scored on a velvet-smooth quarterback option to put the Spartans up 14-0 at the 13:09 mark in the second quarter.
Two plays later, Rebels’ quarterback Cameron Friel (replaced Doug Brumfield, who left due to injury) fumbled the snap and the Spartans’ Noah Lavulo recovered it, placing SJSU at the 15-yard line.
The next play Cordeiro said, ‘Thank you very much’ first to Friel, then to UNLV’s defense, as he scrambled his way into the end zone.
Only one minute and four seconds of game clock passed between both scores.
Thoughts and prayers to the unfortunate Spartan fans who had to hear about the electricity upon returning from the restroom. Next time, just hold it.
Fourth Quarter Sleeper Hold
Chances are Cordeiro and the offense will be the first topic brought up at the water cooler. Nothing wrong with that, but if you’re fond of asserting mental dominance, bring up these stats about the defense:
First, SJSU’s 14 points allowed per game places them ninth in the nation and first in the Mountain West.
Second, the Spartans have shut opponents out in the fourth quarter while holding them to 69 total yards in their three-game win streak.
Third, no single player has gone for 100 yards receiving or rushing since the season-opener against Portland State.
If this was a dating gameshow, I’d go with contestant number two. Contestants one and three are both great, but just not my type.
The Spartans’ ability to close games could be attributed to more than half of their starters being four or five-year veterans.
Their unit’s stacked with experienced players like Cade Hall, Junior Fehoko, Kyle Harmon, Nehemia Shelton, Chase Williams and Tre Jenkins. There’s a combined 224 total games played between them.
Spicy Debates
SJSU has been placed at the forefront of some very spicy debates following their 40-7 win over UNLV.
One of them is whether they deserve to be ranked in the AP Top 25. According to one voter, yes.
This debate is as spicy as that one pesky California roll that was smushed into a dollop of wasabi.
There’s a little kick, but the loss to Auburn keeps them out of the conversation because they lack a power-five win.
The debate you should be having at the water cooler is whether or not the Spartans’ will take home the Mountain West.
The Scoville ratings on this are somewhere between the fifth and sixth wing on “Hot Ones.”
Here’s what the rest of the slate looks like:
San Diego State is the only squad that is .500, and four other upcoming opponents have one win.
If the Spartans stay healthy, they should cruise to an 11-1, 10-2 or at the very least, a 9-3 record.
What makes the debate spicy is trying to spot where a potential loss would come from. Or maybe it never happens?
I’ll let you and your colleagues decide that one for yourselves. Good thing you have a water cooler nearby.
If you feel as if Matt Weiner has wasted your time, please send all complaints to his Twitter @Mattweiner20. We as a staff don’t condone his reckless bumbling about SJSU football and have empathy for anyone who took their time to read this.