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Basically ... The offense rocked in 2002 and then was stuck in the mud last year. There's solid overall depth and excellent playmakers at running back and receiver, but things will go nowhere again unless there's more production from the quarterbacks. The offensive line is a bit of a question mark, but it could quickly turn into a major strength if the star JUCO transfers are as good as advertised.
Star of the offense: Sophomore RB Lynell Hamilton
Player that has to step up and become a star: Junior QB Matt Dlugolecki
Unsung star on the rise: Redshirt freshman QB Kevin O'Connell
Best pro prospect: Hamilton
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Hamilton, 2) OT Mike Kracalik, 3) WR Jeff Webb
Strength of the offense: Receiver depth, running back Weakness of the offense: Proven quarterback production
Quarterbacks
Projected Starter
- Matt Dlugolecki, Jr. - Dlugolecki, a former Illinois transfer and a cousin of former Notre Dame star Ron Powlus, got thrown into the spotlight right away last year when starter Adam Hall went
down on the first series of the season. He struggled only throwing four touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his time, but he showed improvement by the end of the year and appears ready
to make a night-and-day difference in his stats.
Top Backups
- Kevin O'Connell, RFr. - A tall quarterback with a big arm, O'Connell will start to be groomed for the future. He has a lot of upside and all the talent to become a star, but he needs time
and experience.
The Skinny: Dlugolecki had better be a far stronger passer this season or the offense will sputter again. He's a good leader and a solid competitor, but this team needs stats. He has the receivers and the running game to help him out, but now he has to come through. O'Connell needs as much practice time as he can get. Senior Tanner Engstrand will also get some practice work and star recruit Darren Mougey will get every shot at the job later this summer. Player to keep an eye on: Darren Mougey ... Quarterback Rating: 4
Running Backs
Projected Starters
- Lynell Hamilton, Soph. - Hamilton came to San Diego State as a much-heralded recruit and he didn't disappoint leading the Aztecs with 1,087 yards and four touchdowns in only ten games getting
knocked out for the year with a broken ankle. With excellent speed to go with his big frame, he has the potential to be an All-Conference back this year if he can be more effective at getting
into the end zone. He didn't participate in spring ball recovering from a broken leg, but he'll be ready for the fall.
Top Backups
- Michael Franklin, Jr. - Franklin is smaller and doesn't have the power of Hamilton, but he has the speed and the moves as a scatback type can carry the load if necessary. He took over when
Hamilton went down late in the year and went over 100 yards for two straight games. - Brandon Bornes, RFr. - Bornes has an excellent mix of size and speed, but he appears to be nothing
more than the backup of the future as long as Hamilton is around. - Jason Van, Sr. - Van was supposed to be the team's top reserve back, but injuries have kept him from doing much of anything.
He'll see more playing time this year as, most likely, the third man in the rotation.
The Skinny: On talent, the Aztecs are loaded highlighted by Hamilton. On paper, the production was average as SDSU only averaged 3.6 yards per carry as a team with the running backs only punching it in ten times on the ground. Expect bigger number this year. Player to keep an eye on: Brandon Bornes ... Running Back Rating: 7
Receivers
Projected Starters
- Devin Pitts, Sr. - The former USC transfer became a good threat as a flanker finishing second on the team with 39 catches for 478 yards and two touchdowns. He's a big player who needs to be
more of a factor around the goal line. - Jeff Webb, Jr. - Webb has the best speed in the group and is due for a breakout season after leading the team with 55 catches for 706 yards and
four touchdowns despite missing almost all of three games with a shoulder problem. He might not be what J.R. Tolver was two years ago, but his numbers should be among the best in the Mountain
West if he can stay healthy. - Robert Ortiz, Jr. - Ortiz isn't spectacular, but he's a reliable player on short to medium range routes knowing the slot position to a T. He was third on the team
with 33 catches for 329 yards and a touchdown last year. - Tight end Jeremy Justice, Sr. - Justice will play a bigger role in the offense this year following a 17-catch, 202-yard season.
He has the speed to stretch the field and the hands to make grabs in traffic.
Top Backups
- Brett Swain, RFr. - A more talented option in the slot than Ortiz, Swain is expected to make a big splash when he's done with his duties on the baseball team. - Wesley Williams, Sr. - A
steady backup last year, Williams made 19 catches for 196 yards and a touchdown in ten games. He'll back up Webb to provide a solid reserve. - Adam Watson, Sr. - More of a blocking tight
end compared to Justice, Watson will see more action this year catching the ball than he did last year.
The Skinny: The corps wasn't all that bad last year considering how high the bar was set by the 2002 receivers. The key will be to find more explosion. There's speed, a little bit of size, and more depth than the coaching staff will know what to do with, but there needs to be a strong option outside of Webb to get the ball too. The production could end up coming from the tight ends. Player to keep an eye on: Jeremy Justice ... Receiver Rating: 5.5
Offensive Line
Projected Starters
- Tackle Mike Kracalik, Sr. - Kracalik slimmed down a bit and it's made all the difference. At 325 pounds, he's become a tremendous all-around blocker and was the line's most consistent player
last year. He'll start on the right side. - Guard Danny Negrete, Jr. - A part time center, Negrete has spend his career filling in where needed on the interior of the line. He has a little bit
of starting experience and will need to shine as a top run blocker. He's average at best in pass protection.. - Center Taylor Schmidt, Jr. - Schmidt joins Pino from the JUCO ranks and takes
over the starting center job with the suspension of Jasper Harvey. He could play tackle or guard if needed. - Guard Patrick Justman, Soph. - He's young and a bit inexperienced, but he has
serious potential as a big guard with excellent feet. Look for him to quickly become the team's best guard. - Tackle Christopher Pino, Jr. - The superstar JUCO All-America recruit will be
somewhere on the line, but the question until fall will be where. He's 6-5, 330 pounds and very, very fast for a man of his size. He'll most likely take over on the left side working with Will
Robinson.
Top Backups
- C Jesper Harvey, Jr. - After seeing some time at guard, Harvey found a home at center where he became a rock in the middle last year. He was one of the few returning starters to the line but
was suspended by the University until next may. - OT Will Robinson, RFr. - Considered the rising star of the line, Robinson will have to take his lumps for a while. He's 270 pounds on a
6-6 frame with room to carry about thirty more pounds of muscle, but for now he'll have to settle for being the best athlete on the line. - OT Brandyn Dombrowski, RFr. - One of the team's more
athletic guards, he adds a more nimble alternative to Negrete on the right side. - C Alexsander Blagojevich, RFr. - His development is a key to the line needing to be ready to go if Harvey
needs a break at center. If Blagojevich is slow at becoming a producer, Negrete will have to move over from his more natural guard spot.
The Skinny: This is an inexperienced line that'll be far better next year at this time, and really didn't look all that bad this spring. The rating would be far lower if it weren't for JUCO superstars Chris Pino and Taylor Schmidt coming in. Where they fit in on the line will be the difference between being an average group and one of the best in the league. There are only two starters returning with the most talented players still needing to get their feet wet. There's almost no developed depth whatsoever, but the raw talent is there. Player to keep an eye on: Chris Pino ... Offensive Line Rating: 5
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