By Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Spear Reporter // Photo via Christian Vieyra
Hello and welcome to Matt’s Monday Mailbag™ your go-to destination for all pressing SJSU football matters.
Enough chit-chatting. Let’s get into it.
Jason: @VANDT33: “Do we have to?”
Yes – it’s healthy to talk through things.
I think there should be a therapy service dedicated to sports fans. In Spartan Nation’s case, you plop down on a cozy couch, spend the first 20 minutes venting about SJSU football’s 1-4 start, allowing 400 rushing yards to Air Force and unload your doomsday scenarios.
Your assigned therapist validates your feelings, says a mid-season turnaround can still happen, gives a ‘there there’ pat on the back and sends you on your way. Unfortunately, that doesn’t exist. So you’re left with Matt’s Monday Mailbag column™.
Matt Hamilton: @MattHamilton19: “When a Mountain West Conference foe, Air Force, beats your brains out with 400 yards rushing, and in the postgame show head coach Brent Brennan says they were outperformed in all three phases of the game, what kind of changes do you make?”
It’s too late for SJSU to make any big schematic changes. So I’d start small, like making wide receiver Matthew Coleman a full-time punt returner.
Coleman went for a 75-yard house call against Cal Poly, but hasn’t logged an attempt since. Maybe Coleman’s scampering was a result of playing against an FCS team. Nonetheless, it’s worth a shot because D.J. Harvey wasn’t productive in the role in the two ensuing games.
You might be thinking, ‘Uhhh buddy, we just gave up 35 unanswered points. Who gives a hoot (or different word) about special teams?’ To that I say, don’t underestimate the power of a stellar punt return.
Jason: @VANDT33: “The Spartans have been dreadful on both sides of the ball in the 2nd half of games. What’s attributing most to their lack of ability to make adjustments or close out games?”
SJSU can’t be faulted for deflating against No. 5 USC, led by reigning Heisman quarterback Caleb Williams. You take your three-ish quarters of competitive ball and happily trek up to San Jose knowing you’re a million bucks richer.
But against Toledo – and especially Air Force – SJSU’s front seven was one contributing factor to the late-game woes. The Spartans allowed 164 second half rushing yards to Toledo and 201 to Air Force’s vaunted attack.
Entering 2023, regression was expected from SJSU’s run defense after it lost two Mountain West Defensive Players of the Year – Cade Hall and Junior Fehoko – and three-time All-Mountain West First Team linebacker Kyle Harmon.
Inserting guys without much experience against stout competition hasn’t been pretty. And on Friday, SJSU’s best run-stopper, defensive lineman Soane Toia left with an injury around the 10-minute mark in the second quarter. I don’t think SJSU allows 400 total rushing yards and 35 unanswered points if he’s in the game.
And on offense, SJSU’s scored seven total points in the second half against Toledo and Air Force.
For this, I point to the season-long absence of wide receiver Justin Lockhart, the 2023 Preseason All-Conference Selection. This came at a time when wide receiver depth was already a question mark. Lockhart’s injury only exacerbated an anticipated dilemma.
Spartan quarterback Chevan Cordeiro has found success with quarterback-turned-wide receiver Nick Nash and more recently with tight end Dominick Mazotti, but it hasn’t been sustainable. Moving forward, redshirt juniors Charles Ross and Malikhi Miller need to step up. Being productive late in games may hinge upon it.
Aikman Fang: “With a 1-4 start to the season, do you think the Spartans can bounce back after their bye week and win five of their next seven games to be bowl-eligible when December comes around?“
Yes, but I don’t see it happening if SJSU loses at Boise State two weeks from now.
If that happens, the Spartans will have to win five of their next six games. After Boise State, SJSU should collect three-straight wins over New Mexico, Hawaii and Utah State. Then it’ll be an underdog against Mountain West-favorite Fresno State and SDSU.
With a loss to Boise State, SJSU’s margin of error goes from a chunk of ham to a slice. Thankfully, SJSU will have two weeks to prepare.
Jeffrey Carter: @JCarterSJSU83: “Now that Air Force is out of the way, do you think the Spartans can play decent ball on both sides?”
Depends. Who’re they playing?
I think the Spartans will round 2023 out as a classic case of ‘they win when favored and lose when the underdog.’
We saw how SJSU utterly dominated FCS Cal Poly, but struggled against Toledo and Air Force. If this trend continues SJSU will finish the year 3-4 and fall one game shy of bowl eligibility.