San Diego State names its starting quarterback
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It turns out that San Diego State coach Sean Lewis didn’t need to wait until after Thursday night’s scrimmage to name his starting quarterback.
Lewis announced Wednesday that junior transfer Jayden Denegal is the starting QB for the Aztecs, beating out junior transfer Bert Emanuel Jr. for the chance to lead SDSU back from a down year.
Denegal will make his debut for the Aztecs when they host Stony Brook at Snapdragon Stadium on Aug. 28.
What went into the decision
“Ultimately, it came down to the confidence that Jayden created for our offense and his efficiency within operating in the system,” Lewis told reporters after practice on Wednesday.
“He’s done an unbelievable job coming in since Day 1, working, earning the respect of the team. Bert did a heck of a job competing as well,” Lewis said.
The coach added that Emanuel will get the chance to make some plays, as well, saying the Aztecs “feel very spoiled to have those two guys that are both very, very talented that are going to make impactful plays for our team.”
Who is Jayden Denegal?
Denegal is a 6-foot-5, 230-pounder who came to Montezuma Mesa after spending three seasons at Michigan.
He was the backup to J.J. McCarthy on the Wolverines’ national championship team in 2023. McCarthy was the first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft and will be their starter this season.
Denegal appeared in seven games during his time at Michigan, completing four of five passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t appear in a game last year.
“It’s exactly what I came here for,” Denegal said to the media. “I came here to win some football games and be able to showcase my talents, so this is what I’ve been waiting for.”
Before heading to Michigan, he was a three-year starter at Apple Valley High School in San Bernardino County, northeast of Los Angeles. He led AVHS to an 11-4 record and a runner-up finish in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 state championship in 2021.
He threw for 1,545 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior, and finished his prep career with 4,608 yards and 69 scoring passes, with only 15 interceptions.
Emanuel transferred to SDSU after three years at Central Michigan. His father played in college and the pros.
What’s next
Denegal will be the focus of a public scrimmage Thursday night at Snapdragon.
The Aztecs are looking to bounce back from a 3-9 finish in Lewis’ first season as head coach. This will be SDSU’s final year in the Mountain West before moving into the new-look Pac-12 along with Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State and Utah State.
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-bd678ba4dbad4f453246f539ee56a3b4.jpg "Bernie Wilson")
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.