What San Diego State coach Sean Lewis and the players said ahead of San Jose State game

San Diego State flipped the script in the matter of a week, going from a dismal loss at Hawaii in which they were outplayed in all three phases, to dominating on both sides of the ball in a 17-7 home win against Boise State.

The victory gave the Aztecs (8-2, 5-1) sole possession of first place in the Mountain West with two games to go. They play their final home regular-season game against San Jose State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium. The Spartans are 3-7 and 2-4.

“Good weekend on the Mesa. Great win,” coach Sean Lewis said on Monday. “This team continues to find ways to win in different ways, which is a great skill to have. (I’m) really pleased with the physical effort along both the O-line (and) the D-line, but more so with our skill and the way that our secondary supported the run and got the ball to the ground with some really violent tackles. (I’m) really pleased with the effort of our wide receivers and them embracing the role. There are great blocks that we highlighted this morning for the boys.

Here are the highlights of Lewis and the players’ news conference:

Lewis on running back Lucky Sutton surpassing 1,000 yards for the season

“(A) tremendous accomplishment for Lucky to get over 1,000 yards rushing at this point in the season, and as a culmination of work of not only him carrying a load, but the O-line, the tight ends all involved to make that happen. That's a great milestone for him to reach. (We’re) very thankful for the fans that braved the elements (and) came out (and) supported. We need to have a great week of preparation as we go forward for another great opportunity here on the Mesa.”

Lewis on the program’s growth since he arrived

“We've won a lot of different ways since I've been here. We've had some games this year where we've thrown the ball a bunch and we've had some high scores, but at the end of the day, what Aztecs (are) all about, is a team that's focused, accountable, smart, and tough. That's who we are, that's what we're going to be. We control our own destiny, and we'll continue to find ways to win with the personnel that we have, with the way that the availability report looks, and how we're able to do things week in and week out. It's our job as coaches to put our kids in position to win, and we did.”

Lewis on Mike Schmidt’s value as the offensive line coach:

“When the opportunity came here, (it) made sense to bring him back home and (I) feel very fortunate to have him with his knowledge and his expertise … to be able to share ideas and to craft a plan each and every single week. He's done a tremendous job going out and vetting the talent.”

Lewis on remaining undefeated at home

“They’ve got great pride. We talked really early on about (how) good teams defend their home and it's been a point of emphasis for us. It's a great place to call home, where more and more fans continue to come out and be a part of it. There's a tremendous opportunity for that to continue to grow this week, with throwback pricing, throwback concessions, and a throwback field design to create a great environment where the fans can be just as much a part of the competitive advantage that we have.”

Lewis on the impact of this year’s senior class

“I hope they reflect back on this time, and while they're in it right now, they take a moment to be present and know how truly special this is … to soak it up. They mean everything to me. Without them, I’d just be some tall, bald, bearded guy. With them, I get to be called ‘coach,’ and it gives me purpose every single day.”

Lewis on facing San Jose State this week

“(They’re) super dangerous. The passing attack is very real. Their front is dynamic. They (have) players that can play on edges. We (have) to have a great week of preparation.”

Senior offensive lineman Bayo Kannike on the team’s success in his final year

“I would say that tradition was amazing. So, to have my last season go out like this and have this type of winning season is very nice and refreshing, and kind of got my love of football back. I feel like the coaches here were very welcoming and one of our leaders, Ross [Ulugalu-Maseuli], even though he is younger than me, has been really good at giving guidance and showing me how the culture here is.”

Kannike on what contributes to their success at home

“The fans for sure, the support. Please bring more. Shout out to fans for coming, that meant a lot to have a stadium still full after halftime on a rainy night.”

Senior linebacker Mister Williams on preparing for San José State’s offense

“Like Coach Lewis said in our meeting this morning, just trying to stay present as possible, just being in the moment, enjoying the moment, and working in the moment. We don’t really gauge them any differently. It’s the next opponent; it’s our next opportunity. So, it’s time to go to work.”

Williams on joining the program and believing in the staff and culture

“Getting here in January, being welcomed with open arms and diving into the culture that coach Lewis already imposed in the program. Hearing stories from other guys in the program that have been here, you know, I'll just say that specifically, in my linebacker room, DJ Herman and Brady Anderson, those guys have been here for all four years. You know, I take everything they say to heart, and I ride with everyone. I try my best to express those feelings on the field and how we play.”