SDSU holds annual Fan Fest Scrimmage

San Diego State’s annual Fan Fest Scrimmage took place on Thursday evening at Snapdragon Stadium. The dress rehearsal, exactly two weeks before the opening game of the season, showcased the new look Aztecs in front of an estimated 500 fans. 

Jayden Denegal, named the starting QB on Wednesday, led the Aztecs’ offense to start the scrimmage. His first two drives ended in field goals. Gabriel Plascencia knocked in a 57-yarder on the first drive of the scrimmage. Nick Clegg connected from 41 yards out. Plascencia later missed from 39 yards out.

Denegal completed 6 of 13 passes for 50 yards.

The biggest play of the scrimmage came from backup QB, Bert Emanuel, Jr. Backed up inside their own 20, Emanuel, Jr. found Myles Kitt-Denton over the middle of the field on a post route, and the receiver took it the rest of the way for an 87-yd touchdown. 

“When the call came in, I had a feeling that I’d be able to do something with it,” said Kitt-Denton about the play. “Bert (Emanuel, Jr.) made a great throw, the line held up well, and I did what I was trained to do. I took the ball and tried to hit my head on the goal post.”

Emanuel, Jr. matched Denegal’s completion ratio (6/13) but outgained him through the air (134).

Transfer safety Dwayne McDougle started at one of the three safety positions next to returning starters Eric Butler and Delesean Staley. Deshawn McCuin took snaps with the second team along with transfer Josiah Cox and Max Garrison. 

McCuin picked off a deflected pass from Emanuel, Jr. and ran it back towards the end zone before referees blew the play dead as he crossed inside the ten-yard line. McCuin ran into the end zone nonetheless. Post-scrimmage, Lewis confirmed “that was a pick-6.”

Transfers Kalan Ellis (LG) and Bayo Kannike (RG) started on the offensive line, alongside Saipale Fuimaona, who replaced an injured Joe Borjon at RT. Transfer Dallas Fincher did not play. Lewis said afterwards that Fincher suffered a season-ending injury during practice. 

Redshirt freshman Prince Williams, who recently moved back to CB, took snaps with the second unit as the position unit also lost a key contributor, Jelani Whitmore, to a season-ending injury. 

WR Will Cianfrini did not dress as well, but is expected to be ok for the start of the season. 

The culmination of Fincher and Whitmore’s major injuries in a short period led to the decision by Lewis, his staff, and the players’ leadership council to play touch football on Thursday night and not tackle.

“That all led into, obviously, the decision to do what we do tonight,” said Lewis. “Make sure that we’re doing right by the team… based on what we’ve seen through the first thirteen practices of contact.”

“I think we’ve established ourselves in terms of being able to tackle and being able to be physical,” McCuin added. “I think that competitive maturity, just staying within the game. Being on defense, I would love to tackle, but we’re getting close to game one, so I’m not mad at it.”  

Walk-on true freshman TE Jack Lua shone in his moments at the end of the scrimmage. First, he caught a pass from QB Kyle Crum down the left sideline for a first down. Then, he capped off the drive with a 12-yard reception in the end zone, leading to roaring cheers from a select group of fans in the Field Club section, presumably, members of his family. 

Head coach Sean Lewis took the microphone towards the end of the scrimmage and announced a new tradition titled “Fourth Quarter Danger Zone.” At the start of the fourth quarter of every home game, the Top Gun movie theme sung by Kenny Loggins will blare while fans will be asked to put their fists in the air to get the stadium roaring.

Lewis brought the team together at midfield at the conclusion of the scrimmage, called WR Mikey Welsh to the front of the team, and asked him to look at the Snapdragon Stadium videoboard. It showed Welsh’s face with the words, “Scholarship Earned.” His teammates quickly mobbed Welsh as they ran down the field towards the north end zone. 

“He was one of the first people I met when I first got to San Diego State,” said McCuin about Welsh. “He’s my best friend. When I saw his face on that big screen, I could cry for him. … He’s more than deserving of a scholarship… I’m glad for him.”

Quick Notes

• Senior center Ross Ulugalu-Maseuli received the honor of running out of the tunnel with the Aztec Shield
• LB Owen Chambliss made a nice play on a run blitz off the edge to blow up a handoff to Lucky Sutton
• Hunter Green nailed a 70-yard punt from his end zone during special teams drills that forced Jordan Napier to catch it a foot from the sideline
• Punt from end zone drills – Green first attempt went almost 70 yards to a foot from the sideline; Green’s next punt attempt was shanked out of bounds inside the 35
• EDGE Ryan Henderson led the way with two sacks
• LB DJ Herman made a nice play on a blitz to sack Denegal
• S Max Garrison committed a pass interference on an underthrown pass to RB Christian Washington and came right back to pop Mikey Welsh as he tried to corral a downfield pass for an incompletion 
• S Jelani McLaughlin dropped a sure interception at end of second quarter on a pass from Emanuel, Jr.
• Transfer S Hunter Haines picked off a pass thrown by walk-on Draiden Trudeau on the final play of the scrimmage

Andre Haghverdian

Avid sports fan and historian of basketball, baseball, football and soccer. UC San Diego and San Diego State alumni living in America’s Finest City. Diverse team following across multiple sports leagues, but Aztecs come first in college athletics.