College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the San Jose State Spartans season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– San Jose State Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in MW
Head Coach: Brent Brennan, 4th year, 8-29
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 90
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 95
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 117
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: San Jose State Spartans Offense 3 Things To Know
– Well that’s how the offense is supposed to work. After failing to average 400 yards per game for three straight years, last year’s offense rolled for 427 yards per game by going over 400 yards in eight of the last ten games.
At the very least, the offense was good enough to keep the team in shootouts. It wasn’t always able to come through, but at least it was a whole lot of fun with the nation’s fourth-best passing offense that averaged 338 yards per game.
CFN in 60 Video: Penn State Preview
San Jose State at Penn State, Sept. 19
– Josh Love had a huge season with close to 4,000 passing yards with 22 scores and eight picks. He’s done, but sophomore Nick Nash stepped in and got in a little bit of work – he was second on the team with 255 rushing yards and three scores – and on the way is Arkansas and Texas A&M transfer Nick Starkel. In all, seven quarterbacks are in place, but it should be a Starkel vs. Nash battle.
No matter who’s under center, he’ll have good receiving playmakers to work with. Senior Tre Walker is coming off a massive 79-catch season with 1,161 yards and two scores, and sophomore Isaiah Hamilton averaged 16.7 yards per catch on his 43 catches with four scores. Start with those two, and everything else will quickly fill in.
– The offensive line was fantastic in pass protection. It didn’t get called on too much to pound away for the ground attack, but it was sixth in the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed, and it was ninth in the fewest sacks allowed. Three starters are back around 6-5, 291-pound senior Jack Snyder at left tackle.
The running backs are in place to do even more with a ground attack that only ran for 1,073 yards. 11-touchdown leading rusher DeJon Packer is gone, but 2018 leading rusher Tyler Nevens returns, and speedster Kairee Robinson is back. The real star, though, might be 5-7 freshman Shamar Garrett – one of the team’s most dynamic new recruits.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: San Jose State Spartans Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: San Jose State Spartans Defense 3 Things To Know
– The defense is never going to be a rock, but it has been steadily getting better. The 2017 season – the first under head man Brent Brennan – gave up close to 6,500 yards and got hammered for over 3,700 rushing yards. Last year, the 5,325 yards allowed weren’t great, but the D really was better.
Eight of the top 11 tacklers are back, with the linebacking corps the potential strength despite losing leading tackler Ethan Aguayo. He’s done after making 102 stops, but the trio of Kyle Harmon, Tysyn Parker and Rico Tolefree can all hit. It’s a deep group with plenty of options, but it needs more help from the line.
– The end combination of Cade Hall – who led the team with eight tackles for loss – and 6-4, 233-pound sophomore Viliami Fehoko is a promising young player coming off a 44-tackle season.
Now the line needs an anchor after losing massive Sailosi Latu on the nose. 6-2, 290-pound Lando Grey will give it a shot after coming in from the JUCO ranks and redshirting last season.
– The pass defense was statistically strong – the second-best in the Mountain West – but that’s partly because everyone was busy getting yards in chunks on the ground.
Senior S Jay Lenard is back after finishing second on the team with 95 tackles, and CB Nehemiah Shelton returns after picking off three passes and coming up with a nice first season from the JUCO ranks.
Add in 58-tackle senior Tre Webb at one of the other safety jobs, and Kansas State transfer Kenyon Reed for a corner gig, and the secondary has the base of experience to work around.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top San Jose State Spartans Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top San Jose State Spartans Players
Best San Jose State Spartans Offensive Player
WR Tre Walker, Sr.
The 5-11, 180-pound senior averaged over 18 yards per catch with five scores as a sophomore, and last year he became more of a volume target with a team-high 79 grabs for 1,161 yards and two scores in just ten games as a First Team All-Mountain West performer.
He and sophomore Isaiah Hamilton form a dangerous 1-2 punch that should make the new starting quarterback’s life a whole lot easier. He’ll hit a few big plays, but he’ll do even more as a reliable receiver who’ll come up with double-digit grabs now and then.
2. WR Isaiah Hamilton, Soph.
3. QB Nick Starkel, Jr.
4. OT Jack Snyder, Sr.
5. PK Matt Mercurio, Soph.
Best San Jose State Spartans Defensive Player
S Jay Lenard, Sr.
The 6-1, 207-pound veteran led the team with solo stops – 68 – and is the leading returning hitter coming off a 95-tackle season. An all-star, he has great range, can get behind the line, and he made two picks.
As part of a nice secondary that should be one of the team’s biggest strengths, he should once again be one of the league’s best all-around playmakers.
2. DE Cade Hall, Jr.
3. CB Nehemiah Shelton, Jr.
4. LB Kyle Harmon, Jr.
5. LB Tysyn Parker, Sr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: San Jose State Spartans Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: San Jose State Spartans Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The San Jose State Spartans Offense
Don’t ignore the running game. The passing attack was too good to not keep using, and games started to get a bit too out of hand at times to utilize the ground attack. However, when it worked, good things usually happened.
It’ll be that way for this year, too.
The Spartans ran for over 100 yards five times, won three of them, and lost a 42-40 fight to Hawaii. There are enough quick backs to rely on, and owning the time of possession battle doesn’t always mean the tempo has to be slowed down.
It’s not Brent Brennan’s offensive brand, but even if the big yards aren’t there, averaging more than five yards per carry once in a while would be nice.
Biggest Key To The San Jose State Spartans Defense
Get … off … the … field. The 2010 Spartan defense was a disaster on third downs. The team went 1-12 – it failed to beat an FBS team – and allowed teams to convert over 48% of their third down chances.
The 2019 defense was the worst at coming up with stops since that 2010 D, allowing offenses to hit on 47% of their third down tries.
How bad was it? Thrown into the statistical mix was the regular season finale when it held Fresno State to 1-of-12 third down conversions, and the final numbers were still miserable.
The Spartans allowed teams to convert 40% or more nine times in the 12 games, and 50% or more in five of those.
Key San Jose State Spartans Player To A Successful Season
DT Lando Grey, Sr.
Or Christian Johnson, or someone who can stuff up the middle of the line in the 3-4 alignment.
Sailosi Latu’s 334-pound bulk didn’t do enough for one of the nation’s worst run defenses, and now the new nose tackle at least has to be active, if not an anchor.
The 6-2, 290-pound Grey was a decent interior pass rusher at the JUCO level, and the 6-6, 276-pound Johnson made 19 tackles last year working at end and tackle.
No matter who it is, the production has to be there on the inside.
Key Game To The San Jose State Spartans Season
at Central Michigan, Sept. 5
2002. That was the last time San Jose State won a season opener against an FBS program. To be fair, most of the lid-lifters have been against FCS teams, but there hasn’t been a whole lot of luck no matter what.
With UC Davis to follow, a win over Central Michigan would likely lead to the first 2-0 start to a season since 1987. Lose, and with Penn State and Boise State coming up, it’s going to be a 1-3 start at best.
– San Jose State Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 San Jose State Fun Stats
– Time of Possession: Opponents 33:33 – San Jose State 26:27
– Passing Yards: San Jose State 4,056 – Opponents 2,540
– Fumbles: Opponents 25 (lost 7) – San Jose State 13 (lost 5)
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: San Jose State Spartans Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: San Jose State Spartans Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
San Jose State managed to turn a corner.
There have been some big seasons over the years that came from out of nowhere – like the 11-2 2012 season, or the run to a bowl game in 2015 – but after winning just three games in the first two years under Brent Brennan, the offense kicked in, the team was in every game, and football at San Jose State was …
Fun?!
This year’s team should be just as interesting. The offensive punch will still be there, but can the defense improve just a wee bit more? The Spartans will never be Alabama on D, but if they can just take another step forward like they did from 2018 to 2019, this can be a bowl season.
Set The San Jose State Spartans Regular Season Win Total At … 5
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 5.5
It might really come down to the 50/50 game at Central Michigan to open things up.
The Spartans should handle UC Davis, UNLV, at New Mexico and UConn, and there’s going to be one other upset somewhere along the way. Maybe two, if they lose one of those other four games.
After last season, five wins is the baseline. Beat a Hawaii at home, or maybe Nevada, and then the Brennan era will really kick in.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
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