5 reasons San Diego State could exceed expectations in 2026
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There’s a saying, “Better lucky than good.”
With the San Diego State Aztecs, it can be “Better Lucky AND good.”
The Aztecs head into the reborn Pac-12 Conference looking to continue the momentum from last year’s 9-4 finish and an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl.
A big reason for last year’s success was running back Lucky Sutton, who led the Mountain West with 1,297 yards.
With fall camp opening on Wednesday, Sutton’s decision to return for his senior season is one of the reasons fans can believe the Aztecs can exceed expectations in coach Sean Lewis’ third season in charge on Montezuma Mesa.
1. Run, Lucky, run
Sutton’s big breakout season earned him first-team All-MW honors and has already netted him spots on three publications’ All-Pac-12 first teams. He’s also on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, which goes to the college player of the year.
Sutton had six 100-yard games en route to reaching 13th on the all-time school single-season rushing list. His 1,497 yards are 22nd on the all-time career list.
Sutton was proud that he didn’t drop a pass during spring drills, and that added versatility is music to coach Sean Lewis’ ears.
“With Lucky, when we first showed up, he couldn't catch the bus at the bus stop, right?” Lewis said. “And now he's done a great job wearing out of Jugs machine and, you know, has made that element and that piece of his game a more viable option. And so, again, he's a guy who takes tremendous pride in his performance the way that a lot of our guys do.”
Last season he had five catches for three yards.
2. Jayden Denegal is healthy
Quarterback Jayden Denegal hurt his non-throwing left shoulder just four plays into last season when he went down in a 34-0 home win against FCS Stony Brook. As the season wore on, he began experiencing fatigue in his throwing shoulder that limited his practice time.
He had the left shoulder surgically repaired in mid-December, which cost him playing in the New Mexico Bowl but assured that he’d be healthy for spring ball. Now he heads into fall camp and his second season as the starter in good health.
“From a physical standpoint, he’s starting to look like last year before the injury happened, showing everything we were so excited about when we first got him,” offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Johnson told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “The biggest jump has been mentally. You see it with all the quarterbacks who have been in our system, the jump from Year 1 to Year 2, when things start to slow down for you and you’re not necessarily thinking about every little thing about your job.”
Denegal's goals are to double his 1,807 yards passing and improve his ratio of nine touchdowns to eight interceptions.
3. Loaded wide receiving corps
The wide receivers room is the one area where the Aztecs are overflowing with talent.
The top four pass catchers from last year return, as do all three starters. Making the room even stronger is that backup quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. has switched to wideout, and the Aztecs welcomed Justius Lowe from Oregon.
While leading pass catcher and top returner Jordan Napier returns, he is still recovering from a knee injury that cost him the final 3 ½ games. Once cleared, he’ll hope to flash the form that earned him a first-team All-MW nod as a punt returner and second team as a wide receiver.
Seniors Donovan Brown, Nathan Acevedo and Jacob Bostick are back, although Bostick is also coming off an injury.
Emanuel is expected to give the Aztecs the big-play ability he showed when he rushed 11 times for 170 and two touchdowns while replacing Denegal in the New Mexico Bowl. He had runs of 72 and 69 yards before exiting with an injury in the second quarter.
4. Big brother knows best
The offensive line was one of the positions ravaged by attrition, but two starters do return, both on the left side.
Joe Borjon looks to be the unit’s leader after starting the entire season last year at right tackle. He moves over to left tackle, where he’ll protect Denegal’s blind side as well as help open holes for Sutton. He’ll be teammates with younger brother Brian, a freshman offensive lineman.
Left guard Kalan Ellis is back, although he’s coming off shoulder surgery.
The Aztecs signed guard Evan Lawrence out of the transfer portal after he played in seven games for the national champion Indiana Hoosiers.
5. Linebacker depth
Tano Letuli, who, like Sutton, went to San Diego’s Cathedral Catholic High, is coming off a knee injury but is penciled in as the starting middle linebacker and was named a preseason All-Pac-12 first-teamer by three publications.
Senior Josiah Cox, a returning letterman, is listed as the starter at strongside linebacker. A mixture of transfers and returning players is ready to compete for playing time.
The Aztecs will also lean on returnee Josiah Cox and transfer Sione Hala.
“Tano's healthy and we’re excited to get him back and his leadership as we go,” Lewis said. “JoJo (Cox) has been as consistent as ever since he's been here and played a ton of snaps for us as we go. … Riz (Hala), who, because of Tano being out, he's driving at the linebacker level all through spring. So, you know we've been able to build some depth.”
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Bernie Wilson recently retired from The Associated Press after nearly 41 years, including stops in Spokane, Los Angeles and, for the final 33 years, San Diego. He grew up in Coeur d'Alene and graduated from the University of Idaho.