San Diego State’s Louis Brown IV provided the evening’s highlight in the Aztecs’ 21-0 loss to Oregon State. His 35-yard reception in the third quarter, as he leaped over a defender, was a top moment in college football’s second week.

The rest of Saturday’s contest consisted of the same style of football played in Mission Valley for most of the last 15 years. Deemed boring by the fanbase, media, and the university’s administration, the Beavers pounded the Aztecs into submission with an offensive attack focused on time of possession and a power running game.

Head coach Sean Lewis’ approach has a higher ceiling than what OSU employed, but it also has a lower floor. There is a greater risk to his philosophy. After coaching changes, this offseason, SDSU, and OSU’s rosters were remade. The Beavers’ more vanilla approach proved easier to plug new players into.

“We want to press the issue and make sure that it’s rolling and going full steam as fast as possible,” Lewis explained postgame when asked how long it would take to implement his system fully. “We’re able to get some guys in here and able to get them rolling and operating, but obviously, it takes reps to accumulate all the answers that we need to have built into it.”

“We’ve got to do a great job as a staff feeding those guys the proper answers with all of it. We want to have it happen yesterday. We want to have it happen as soon as possible, and we’re going to press that issue as we go forward. I’m not going to put a timetable on it, one way or another when it’s going to happen.”

Oregon State was far from a well-oiled machine. They missed a pair of field goals, dropped a sure touchdown on a flea flicker, and allowed a punt block. But they controlled the entire game because the Aztecs had more moving parts to master.

Due to Aztec Fast’s tempo, it was unsurprising that OSU had a time of possession advantage. It will be a challenge for SDSU all season. To counter it, defensive coordinator Eric Schmidt must find creative ways to keep his defense fresh.

Against OSU, Schmidt rotated the starters out every two series. He also matched up with the offense’s personnel groups. While this second tactic built in additional breathers, it also meant the Aztecs had to be adept at playing multiple defenses. On Saturday, they excelled at playing their base 4-2-5 and the 3-4 but struggled against OSU’s jumbo package.

Two of the Beavers’ three scores occurred when the Aztecs replaced a corner with a linebacker because the Beavers had three tight ends in the game. College defenses have fewer sub packages than the NFL because of the greater talent drop-off further down the depth chart.

Schmidt’s decision to bridge the talent gap by specializing his reserves gave the Aztecs more to master than past teams. In week 2 of the regime’s first year, they were not ready to handle OSU’s 13 personnel.

“We prepared for everything,” cornerback Chris Johnson said about the package. “We knew exactly what they were going to do. We prepared for it all week. Obviously, we get on the big stage and we don’t do the things that we prepared to do.”

Aztec Nation is familiar with the downside of three yards and a cloud of dust. It played out frequently over the past decade and a half and nearly showed up on Saturday.

Despite dictating every aspect of the game, OSU nearly allowed SDSU to tie the game midway through the third quarter. Buoyed by a defense that appears better than the 2023 version, the Aztecs hung around.

Lewis is banking on his team’s work ethic and skill to produce something special on The Mesa. Like the Aztecs’ men’s basketball team, he is aiming for greatness through unique means.

On Saturday, above average would have led to a win. SDSU’s ability to close the disparity between where it is and what it aspires to will determine the course of its season.

What the loss means

Oregon State’s dominating victory provided a script for how to beat the Aztecs. Looking ahead at SDSU’s schedule, Boise State, Wyoming, New Mexico, UNLV, Utah State, and Air Force have the offensive philosophy to approximate what the Beavers did on Saturday.

“We’ve got to be able to be efficient when we have the ball,” Lewis replied when asked how to defeat a ball-control offense. “If you’re inefficient offensively because of the plan (the staff) put together, and we cannot operate at a high level, then you put the ball in (the opponent’s) court and allow them to dictate the terms and the pace of play.”

“If we’re able to operate to the efficiency that I know that we’re capable of because of the plan that we put in place, we can play the game our way. It comes down to our execution and understanding of the plan. Let’s put together a great plan for the kids to be successful and then go out and execute that play after play after play to have sustained success.”

A ball-control offense puts pressure on the opposing offense because it demands that they be elite in limited opportunities. The Aztecs played about as well in the first half against Texas A&M-Commerce as they did Saturday, but with 24 fewer snaps in the game, they did not have time to change their fortunes.

“As far as getting into the groove of things, it’s certainly frustrating that Oregon State had the ball for such a long time,” SDSU tight end Jude Wolfe said postgame. “It’s tough to get a real rhythm when you’re off the field for so long. But there’s no excuse for the way the offense performed today. We had plenty of opportunities and didn’t capitalize.”

Wolfe said that as OSU kept racking up first downs and eating up the clock, his teammate’s heads dropped. As a leader on the team, Wolf is determined to build more resiliency from a squad that showed a lot of fight against Oregon State.

With how stout SDSU’s defense has looked through two games, RB Marquez Cooper’s skill, and the play of most of its schedule to date, the Aztecs’ bowl prospects look better than they did before the season. If their opponents copy OSU’s game plan and the Aztecs fail to improve their approach, San Diego might have to wait until 2025 to see a winning team.

“As you step into the arena, there’s going to be (refining) moments,” Lewis explained. “I wish we could go undefeated. Everyone does each and every year, but there’s going to be sometimes where you’re going to wear it. I don’t love that at all and need to prepare better and learn and grow as we move forward.”

Since Lewis arrived in San Diego at the end of November, he has had the Midas Touch. He has built so much goodwill and momentum that people wondered if he could do the impossible by turning the Aztecs into instant winners even as he flipped its playing style.

What the loss to Oregon State ultimately showed was that the expected turnaround will come at a reasonable pace.

Player of the Game: CB Chris Johnson

After 2023 stalwarts Dez Malone, Zyrus Fiaseu, Cooper McDonald, and Marcus Ratcliffe transferred this offseason, the defense was expected to drop off this season. That has not occurred.  They have improved defensively from last year because this group tackles better.

Through two games, SDSU’s best defender has been CB Chris Johnson. Saturday, he paced the Aztecs with nine tackles. Normally, when cornerbacks have loads of stops, it’s because they gave up numerous completions. Against OSU’s run-heavy attack, Johnson was stout in support up front without getting beat in the passing game.

“We knew (the corners) were going to be asked to be added to fit with those condensed splits and the way they force you to fit the runs,” Lewis said. “Chris was a willing competitor that obviously stepped up to the challenge in that regard and still did an elite job in coverage as well. He’s a kid that continues to grow, continues to take strides, and a guy I know that we can count on.”

SDSU’s most valuable defender, Johnson, led the team with 71 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. OSU had 78 offensive snaps. Johnson was targeted eight times and only gave up four competitions for 42 yards.

Unsung Hero: P Tyler Pastula

Winning the field position battle is a key in the ground-and-pound strategy. The Beavers did not exploit this aspect of the game primarily because of SDSU punter Tyler Pastula.

Pastula kicked seven times for a 48.6-yard average. He had a long of 63 yards and booted three over fifty yards. With the offense still trying to find its way, Pastula’s skill can cover a lot of errors.

“I thought he struck the ball well,” Lewis said. “Obviously, flipped the field and thought he gave us a chance in that phase of the game.”

Quick Takes

• Another benefit to SDSU emphasizing SoCal recruiting is it allows recruits to come to games. SDSU hosted ten football commits and over 30 offered players from the Class of 2025 and Class of 2026 on Saturday.
• After the game, the prospects gathered in the Cox Business Club and met with their recruiters. Despite the sour mood due to the loss, the energy leaving the adjacent press conference was upbeat.
• Class of 2025 QB JP Mialovski was in attendance. Physically, he impressed. Mialovski is going to be a special guest on Tuesday’s live episode of The SDSU Podcast.
• The recruiting section in the southeast corner was full. Higley High School’s football team stood out because they were all in matching t-shirts. The Gilbert, Arizona, school is among the top teams in the Grand Canyon State. They defeated San Juan Hills High 25-20 in San Juan Capistrano on Friday night and made a weekend of it with a trip to Snapdragon on Saturday.
• Maximizing reps is key for Lewis. That played out before the game. OSU’s specialists kicked to student assistants to warm up. SDSU’s returners joined the kickers to practice their receiving skills. The Aztecs got more reps than the Beavers. That adds up as the season progresses.
• A unique feature of SDSU’s pregame warmups is the sound of whistles. Old-school football frowns on using whistles arguing that players should be trained to know what to do without them. It’s another small area where the Aztecs shun convention.
• Oregon State did not bring a band, but its fans filled numerous stadium sections.
• Unlike the opener, the Big Fogg machines, the fans used to cool the players, were on both sidelines.
• The heat and playing opposite a Padres’ game likely reduced the turnout. The official attendance number was 25,318. There were moments when the crowd was loud enough to impact the game.
• For the second game in a row, the student section used the overflow section above the concourse. During the Star-Spangled Banner, the students, like a giant choir, softly sang the lyrics to the National Anthem. Their “I Believe” chant was also booming.
• Christian Chapman was the Honorary Warrior. It was fitting, given the heights of the two signal callers.
• Left guard was in flux throughout the night. SDSU lined up three of them. Myles Murao started the first half. Ryan Silver began the third quarter. Dean Abdullah ended the contest at the position.
• The defensive line rotated frequently. Tupu Alualu, with a club on his left hand, played a lot in the second half. Darrion Dalton saw his first snaps and was counted upon. Wyatt Draeger, Teivis Tuioti, Sam Benjamin, and Keion Mitchell also saw time.
• True freshman Danny O’Neil hurt his left ankle on a first-quarter screen pass to Marquez Cooper. He limped to the line and kept the ball on read-options the next two plays. On the second, he hurdled over a defender. Lewis said postgame that O’Neil’s competitiveness will endear him to his teammates.
• On SDSU’s only trip to the red zone, Marquez Cooper only touched the ball once. Part of that could have been Lewis’ decision to play fast in that part of the field. Postgame, he said the defense was on its heels, and he wanted to maximize the advantage. He called O’Neil’s fumble a difficult lesson to learn.
• Homage to the former Mission Valley Stadium is throughout Snapdragon. One nice touch was playing the beginning of Ozzie Osbourn’s Crazy Train on third down like they used to do at The Murph.
• Eric Schmidt’s best defensive play call on the night was a safety blitz on 3rd and 6. OSU ran a speed option to its left and into the oncoming defenders. Eric Butler crashed to the QB. Josh Hunter went to RB Anthony Hankerson. Despite giving up 25 pounds, Hunter took Hankerson on heads up and dropped him for a two-yard loss.
• O’Neil looked like a freshman most with how he struggled with OSU’s speed. He missed on a few completions because he put too much air on the ball and allowed defenders to get into the play.
• How bad was the SDSU’s offense? After the game, Jude Wolfe addressed the media. Normally, the offense’s top performer gets the honor. Wolfe had one reception for four yards.
• The biggest mistake for SDSU’s defense on the night was Bennett Walker allowing Trent Walker to catch a short pass and turn it into a 41-yard gain. B. Walker was too far away from T. Walker on the 3rd and 11 play. The reception amounted to 22% of OSU’s passing yards on the night.
• Ja’Shaun Poke dropped a pair of tough but makeable catches. Jordan Napier barely got into the game. If Poke cannot make difficult plays, does Napier’s size and athleticism deserve more time?
• SDSU needs to find the intermediate passing game. Most of their attack is either short or long.
• Max Garrison’s blocked punt briefly changed the momentum in SDSU’s favor. It also should inject enthusiasm into the team. Garrison took his limited reps and made a huge play. Others will want to do the same.
• Saturday was the second time Lewis’s offense has been shut out as a head coach. His alma mater, Wisconsin, defeated Kent State 48-0 on October 5, 2019.

Paul Garrison

My earliest sport’s memory involve tailgating at the Murph, running down the circular exit ramps, and seeing the Padres, Chargers and Aztecs play. As a second generation Aztec, I am passionate about all things SDSU. Other interests include raising my four children, being a great husband and teaching high school.