Imagine yourself as a recruiter for truck drivers. Given our acute supply-side issues to retailers, this is a very timely job, especially with the large reduction in the number of truckers in recent years. You are not a sports fan and spy Brady Hoke. Wouldn’t your first inclination be to offer him a signing bonus on the spot? Because who looks more like a truck driver than Brady Hoke?
Hoke is the coach of an undefeated San Diego State team that heads to Air Force on Saturday. As usual, the Aztecs possess a primitive defense that seriously restricts access to their end zone. This calling card has been a constant over the past dozen years. Combined with a running game that has featured Donnel Pumphrey, Rashaad Penny and, now, Greg Bell, the Aztecs have had considerable success. In SDSU’s last 9 games against their Big Brother, the Pac-12, the Aztecs sport a gaudy 7-2 mark.
Now comes the “but”! Last Friday’s game was a 6-6 slog at the end of regulation against San Jose State. Lucas Johnson came off the bench to throw his only two completions of the game, both TDs, in SDSU’s 19-13 double OT triumph.
California breeds quarterbacks in the same way Spring features flowers. Why cannot San Diego State get one? To characterize Aztec QBs over the past decade as “game managers” might be an insult to game managers. Off the top of my head, the last Aztec gunslinger who scared opponents was Ryan Lindley – more than a decade ago.
Thus, a memo to Coach Hoke: Do not come off as a truck driver and hit the California roads hard in search of a QB with an arm. As it is, the Aztecs’ formidable run defense takes on an Air Force rushing game which is numero uno in the country. Expect another rock fight and hope that Coach Hoke develops a good gift of gab in the recruiting wars. Because if SDSU gets a quality QB and retains the above attributes, the sky is the limit.