By Max Garcia (@Maxgarci09)-Spear Reporter| San Jose State Wide Receiver Leland Smith running through some drill during spring practice on Mar. 20 (Photo by Christian Vieyra – Executive Editor)
San Jose State’s defense set the tone in the SJSU Football spring game at CEFCU Stadium.
On a cool afternoon in front of a decent crowd, SJSU’s first and second-string defenses displayed sharpness and aggression. The unit consistently applied pressure, forced turnovers, and prevented the run game from gaining momentum from start to finish, setting an early tone for the 2025 season.
“The energy, the takeaways, the pressure, that’s who we are,” head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “I’m really happy with where we’re at.”
The defensive line consistently collapsed the pocket, leading to multiple sacks. Defensive End Gaga Faga recorded a sack during the early periods, while defensive linemen.
Defense Lineemen Vili Taufatofua and linebacker Gregory McClendon III also made drive-killing plays in the backfield. The relentless pressure forced quarterbacks to rush throws and scramble outside the pocket all afternoon.
In the secondary, the Spartans effectively crowded passing lanes, causing significant challenges for the offense. Throughout the day, turnovers accumulated: linebacker Blake Tabaracii also intercepted a pass after Defensive lineman Nate Lewis deflected it.
As both players and coaches noted, linebacker Brady Van Bannekum notched two interceptions, concluding a standout spring. Cornerback Runye Norton contributed another interception late in the fourth scrimmage period.
Cornerback Kejuan Bullard Jr. was a standout, locking down receivers and hardly being tested after the first few series.
“The energy part is huge. Football is a game; it’s supposed to be fun.” Defensive coordinator Derrick Oduim said. “Our defensive staff has a lot of juice, and that spreads through the whole team. They like being around each other, which shows in their play.”
The defense’s ability to create chaos pressure up front and turnovers on the back end gave a clear glimpse of the identity SJSU plans to carry into the 2025 season.
“There’s a great brotherhood on this team,” Niumatalolo said. “You can feel it — and when you play like that, you give yourself a chance to be great.”
With summer workouts ahead, the Spartans’ defense already looks poised to lead the charge when the fall arrives.
