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There's a school of thought that believes the most fun time to be a fan of a team isn't when its a dominant winner or even when it wins championships, it's when a team is on the ascent and on the verge of being really, really good. That's when it's exciting and when there's the thrill of what might be. If that's true, then this will be a very fun season for San Diego State fans.
Following a 6-6 season that saw painfully close losses to Ohio State and BYU, San Diego State is poised and ready to become a top contender for the Mountain West title with one of the best defenses in America and an offense on the verge of exploding after spinning its wheels last year.
So now the pressure is on. This is going to be one of the fashionable sleeper teams that everyone is going to jump on in the preseason. Some are going to predict upset wins at Michigan and UCLA, and some are going to predict a Mountain West championship. There's going to be a lot of praise heaped on a team with holes at quarterback and on the defensive line, but that's a good thing for a program trying to get a national buzz going. If all goes as planned, San Diego State will go from being a team on the verge, to a team that's right there.
The Schedule: Six road games will make the run for a bowl game difficult, but at least the Aztecs get Colorado State and Utah at home. Going on the road to face Michigan and UCLA will toughen the team up for conference play but with only three league home games, the Aztecs can't slip up.
Best Offensive Player: Sophomore RB Lynell Hamilton. The recruiting process is always hit or miss with pumped up prospects often deflating when they get into a big-time college football setting. That didn't happen with Hamilton who can to San Diego State as one of the most decorated recruits its ever had, and he came through. Assuming he's 100% after the broken leg that sidelined him last year year, he's going to be the focal point of an offense that hopes to explode like it did in 2002.
Best Defensive Player: Senior LB Kirk Morrison. A complete linebacker from his run stuffing abilities to his quickness at getting into the backfield to the leadership he provided, Morrison is an All-American and the signature player on one of college football's best defensive back sevens.
Key player to a successful season: Junior QB Matt Dlugolecki. He was better than his numbers might indicate always finding ways to keep the Aztecs in games, but he never came up with the big plays necessary to beat the top teams and he didn't show much flash passing the ball. San Diego State is the Mountain West favorite if Dlugolecki has a huge season, and an also ran if he doesn't.
The season will be a success if ... The Aztecs win the Mountain West title. There's depth, star power and more than enough experience to be the league champions. Just getting to a bowl would be a success, but there's a legitimate reason to shoot big.
Key game: Oct. 30 vs. Utah. If you want to be the champion, you have to beat the champion. With league road dates at New Mexico, BYU and Air Force, the Aztecs must win this game to be the lead dog in the race.
2003 Fun Stats:
- Rushing TDs: San Diego State 11 - Opponents 5
- First quarter scoring: SDSU 60 - Opponents 30
- Average yards per rush: SDSU 3.6 - Opponents 3.3
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