By Ernie Gonzalez – Football Insider
It’s been said that the only way is up for San Jose State football, but Thursday night, the team dug itself in an even deeper hole from last season, falling in alarming fashion to UC Davis 44-38.
The brutal fact that the Spartans failed to rally back against an FCS program, a team in the same conference as SJSU’s only win through 11 weeks last season, raises the question — has the team even improved?
What’s worse is that the loss to the Aggies came on the team’s home turf, in front of their home fans and a densely-populated student section, one difficult to compare in size to years past.
It’s almost like the postgame conference broken record of last year never missed a beat, as head coach Brent Brennan explained his key points in the defeat.
“It’s starts with me … we need to go back to the drawing board … Too many missed blocks and tackles … too many penalties.”
New year, same issues.
Arguably the most crucial loss for the Spartans wasn’t even to the Aggies at all though, but running back Tyler Nevens.
At the 9:50 mark of the fourth quarter, Nevens was given a carry nine yards out of the south end zone, but was brought down after gaining just a yard. The sophomore was believed to have made helmet-to-helmet contact with an Aggies player and was landed-on on his back.
Nevens stayed on the turf motionless for about 15 minutes before being stretchered off the field with the medical staff and family relatives.
Prior to the injury, the 6-foot, 214-pound back was having his best game ever as a Spartan, as he had rushed the ball 18 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns, one more than he had in all of 2017.
Brennan said after the game that he didn’t have much on the condition of the starting running back, but did say that Nevens was moving his extremities and told him “I love you coach” multiple times while down.
Transitioning to the Spartans defense, sloppy would be an understatement.
The secondary gave up 446 yards to Aggies quarterback Jake Maier. It wasn’t like the defense was getting beat by just one guy. Maier did extremely well on fooling SJSU as he had six different receivers with over 50 yards.
Stopping the run was the same story too for the Spartan defense. Redshirt freshman running back Ulonzo Gilliam had himself quite a night as well, carrying the ball 23 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
“We got to look at the tape and see where we were wrong in terms of scheme and personnel and get it back together for next week,” Brennan said.
As for the Spartans offensively, the biggest surprise was that redshirt sophomore Montel Aaron did not earn the starting job, something he says had been determined for a few days.
“Monday before practice it was announced,” Aaron said in response to when he first heard he would be on the sideline at kickoff time.
Josh Love, the fourth-year junior, earned the start for the second straight season-opener, and actually did a solid job right out of the gate as he marched the Spartans down for touchdowns once after a Dakari Monroe interception and again on a 7-play, 66 yard drive finished off by Nevens.
Love’s final line was 14-29 passing, 109 yards, one TD and one INT.
A few three-and-outs and three-straight Aggie touchdown drives made the score 35-21 at the half.
Even more surprising, graduate student Michael Carrillo, who has never started a game with the Spartans and made just three appearances last season, was the first quarterback to play in the second half.
Carrillo lasted just two plays. The first was on his first drive and it resulted in a high snap, which led to a UC Davis safety. The second was a deep ball on the second drive intended for SJSU receiver JaQuan Blackwell. The pass was intercepted.
By the time Aaron checked in as QB, the Spartans trailed 37-21 with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter.
The 6-foot-5, 199-pound Antelope Valley native did what he could, connecting twice with junior wideout Bailey Gaither for six, including a 79-yarder, and finished 13-19, passed for 254 yards and no interceptions.
Gaither was by far the best receiver on the gridiron, catching six passes for a total of 137 yards and 2 TDs. His speed is what sets him apart and it showed.
“It felt good to show my speed in space … to open up … to be able to make it a six-point game, I think it was a momentum swing,” Gaither said about the 79-yard touchdown.
As for the defense, junior linebacker Ethan Aguayo led the turf with 12 tackles. Graduate student Boogie Roberts and true freshman Cade Hall both collected a sack. Monroe had the team’s only turnover with an interception that was returned 38 yards.
Now for what this means? Well, practice might be a bit different this week for the Spartans. The entire fall they’ve been getting ready to play on the same field they just lost in.
Now, they have fly to Pullman, WA to face a top-25 Cougars team at Martins stadium. All SJSU football needs to do is do what they’ve said they were going to do: Prove it. Find a way to prove it.
Follow Ernie on Twitter @superego1012