The game of football has been compared to a battle between two enemies. The gridiron is the battlefield, with coaches being the generals and players being the soldiers. Famous Chinese general Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

It doesn’t get much closer for a college football team than getting your rivals targeted recruits to join your team. That is exactly what SDSU head coach Sean Lewis and his staff accomplished with Class of 2025 commits Jett Thomas (OL La Jolla High) and Jaden Williams (EDGE Mission Viejo High). Thomas and Williams choose the Aztecs over conference foe Boise State.

SDSU and BSU first faced off on a Friday night matchup on November 18, 2011, at Qualcomm Stadium. The Aztecs fell in a high-scoring contest 52-35. Current Senior offensive analyst Ryan Lindley led the Red and Black into that first battle with the Broncos, where he was 30 for 51 with 350 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

The two teams have faced off eight times since that Friday night, with each team winning in pairs of twos. The last matchup was another Friday night clash in San Diego. Last season, at Snapdragon Stadium, the Aztecs fell 34-31 as the defense couldn’t slow down Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty, who ran for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

With the rivalry still hot and the record sitting in favor of Boise 5-4, the Aztecs will make the trip to Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho, looking to even the series with a win on November 1.

Williams and Thomas committed to play for the Aztecs after official visits in June. They announced their commitments via Twitter on June 26.

Beating Boise to the Punch

With the tough rivalry between these two universities, getting an edge on the other is key. Both players took visits to rival Boise State before sunny San Diego.

“I was at Boise the weekend before (visiting SDSU) from Sunday to Tuesday,” Williams pointed out to EVT during an interview. “It was between San Diego State and Boise State; those were the two.”

Thomas also visited Boise State on June 13. When asked about his decision to commit to SDSU, which, unlike other recruits, was announced three days after his official visit on June 26, he discussed his mental state when making the decision.

“I like to take time and think about all my decisions I make, especially a big decision like this that will affect the rest of my life,” Thomas explained.“I got to the drawing board and put some schools up next to each other and I really thought where I wanted to be was San Diego State.”

Why San Diego?

It would take an entire article on its own to show all the great reasons recruits have explained for coming to SDSU, but these two big-time recruits sounded excited about the opportunity.

The Class of 2025 stars gave similar responses as to why they chose SDSU over BSU. They wanted to play close to home, had great respect for their position coaches, and were impressed with head coach Sean Lewis.

“It felt like the right fit for me,” Thomas said. “New coaching staff and a lot of the staff played at
State before, so they really knew what they were talking about.”

Williams elaborated on the role Lewis played in his decision to join forces with him.

“I believed in coach Lewis and what he’s doing there, and I got to talk to a lot of players one-on-one outside of seeing the coaches, and they all believe in what he’s doing there,” Williams explained. “The culture is completely different, they really want to win, and ultimately, that’s my goal as well.”

The Visit

Thomas’ commitment brings much-needed relief at a position the Aztecs are thin at. The Aztec Fast offense starts up front with strong linemen to allow the rest of the playmakers to wreak havoc on opposing defenses. That need, coupled with the win of getting a hometown kid to stay in San Diego, is all the better.

William’s commitment takes a potential key defensive weapon from a rival that could’ve been a problem for SDSU in years to come. With how important the edge position is in SDSU’s new defense, Williams’ commitment reveals how the Aztecs are building the position long-term.

Williams explained that one of the highlights of the trip was spending time one-on-one with the coaches and current players. He also liked seeing the campus and experiencing life as an Aztec.

He pointed out defensive edges coach Rob Aurich as a great guy who is very funny but knows when to get serious. The future Aztec also stated how Aurich could develop him as a man off the field, which he expressed stood out to him most. Defensive coordinator Eric Schmidt also impressed.

“He was telling me how key the edge position is in his defense and how it pretty much revolves around the edge position, and I get a lot of freedom in the defense,” Williams said about Schmidt. “I can go inside. I can counter back inside. I can straight pass rush outside, so it gives me a lot of freedom, and that’s what I love to hear.”

Boise State had the number-one rusher in the Mountain West last season and the third-leading rusher in 2022. SDSU taking a potential all-conference lineman away from the Bronco’s potent ground attack was significant.

Thomas mentioned how he enjoyed watching film one-on-one with offensive line coach Mike Schmidt and hearing how he would fit into his new team. He was also impressed with the fact that Schmidt won’t decide where he lines up for the Aztecs until Schmidt has coached him.

“He has developed so many linemen,” Thomas explained. “And he’s done it for so long, and he’s so good at it, so I think that’s really why (I choose the Aztecs).”

Thomas plans to see where he fits with SDSU in January. He said he plans to enroll early at his hometown school.

The staff change has rejuvenated the program so far. Thomas was offered by the previous coaching staff under Brady Hoke but said he did not consider State until Lewis took over and hired Schmidt.

Thomas also revealed his opinion on coach Lewis stating how great his energy is and adding how he believes Lewis has changed the culture at his new school by really taking care of his players.

SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL

Both commits excelled at their positions during high school. Thomas is an anchor on the La Jolla offensive line. Williams is coming off an impressive season, during which he was named Division II Defensive Player of the Year while leading Mission Viejo to a state title.

Being on opposite sides of the ball, they describe their game in different ways. Thomas described himself as “fast, powerful, and smart.” Three vital attributes for an offensive lineman. He gave a lot of credit to his present offensive line coaches, who challenged him to learn a wide variety of techniques.

Williams said there are people more athletic than him but he puts forth more effort than anyone on and off the field. He credits his success to that mindset. Watching a lot of film is also how he keeps his football IQ sharp. Nick Bosa and Maxx Crosby are the two players he watches most to style his game after.

Both players are entering their senior years of high school after impressive seasons last season, and they have set high goals.

“Stay healthy and try to win a championship,” Thomas said. From an individual standpoint, he is focused on his footwork, playing with the correct pad level, and getting ready for college in five months.

“Repeat what happened (and) win another state championship,” Williams added. “We lost some guys last year and got some guys this year. I think we can compete with the best. … For my game individually, I’ve been working on getting off the ball, speed, strength, all my weight lifting has gone up tremendously, so I’m excited for the season.”

The future is bright with these two young stars and is a testament to this coaching staff’s determination to go out and get the best players to compete at Snapdragon Stadium.

Johnny Olivieri

Johnny is born and raised in San Diego and a diehard fan of all his hometown teams. He is an avid collector of sports memorabilia that help paint a picture of the history of sports in San Diego. He spends a lot of his time attending sports games across San Diego county and enjoys studying the history and spreading knowledge of San Diego’s diverse sports.