Team Pumphrey topples Team Sipe, 28-6, in SDSU Spring Game

Team Pumphrey defeated Team Sipe, 28-6, in the annual Spring Game culminating four weeks of Spring Camp for the SDSU football team. 

Wide receiver Brionne Penny led the way for Team Pumphrey, catching three touchdown passes (2, 6, 20). Overall, he had six receptions for 66 yards. 

Wide receiver Tyrell Shavers opened the scoring in the game by hauling in a four-yard touchdown from Will Haskell, the only touchdown scored by someone other than Penny on the evening. 

Team Sipe did not reach the end zone in the game and only scored on two field goals, one by Collyn Hopkins (22-yd) and the other by David Delgado (40-yd). Delgado also missed a 48-yd field goal on the opening drive of the game that had enough distance but curled just to the right of the upright.

SDSU’s Quarterbacks Shine

Transfer Braxton Burmeister, who head coach Brady Hoke named the starting quarterback heading into fall camp earlier this week, started for Team Sipe and played the first three series of the game plus an additional series to start the second half. He finished 5 of 9 for 41 yards and led the team to three points on his four drives. 

“[Burmeister] has made more plays and has a real knack of how he throws the ball,” Hoke told the media postgame on why he named Burmeister the starter. 

Haskell started and played the first three series for Team Pumphrey and the first drive of the second half. He finished 10 of 14 for 78 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. 

“I really think [Haskell] came out and performed well, and I was happy to see that because he’s been a little up and down, so I thought he was more consistent,” said Hoke. 

Liu Aumavae replaced Haskell and led Team Pumphrey to two touchdown drives, both on passes to Penny. Aumavae completed 9 of 13 passes for 96 yards. 

Kyle Crum replaced Burmeister for Team Sipe and completed 7 of 16 passes for 52 yards. He did show great elusiveness, scrambling for 21 yards on three carries. 

It was clear from the outset that the passing game would be the main focus of the spring game, as both sides came out throwing early and often. The majority of the passing success came down the middle of the field, primarily on inside slants. 

Hoke credited the quick passing game as a staple of their RPO offense, stating it as a must for the quarterback to get the ball out quick, or the offense would get flagged for an illegal lineman downfield.

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Notes from SDSU’s Spring Game

• Linebackers Vai Kaho, Brady Anderson, and defensive lineman Justus Tavai led the way with five solo tackles each. Kaho and Keion Mitchell collected two sacks apiece, and safeties Cedarious Barfield and Joshua Goynes each intercepted a pass. 
• For the first time in three years, the spring game was played in front of fans. Two years ago, COVID-19 cut spring camp short and canceled the game. Last year, the game was only open to media and two family members of each player. 
• Shavers spoke about his role on the team postgame, stating, “I feel like it’s my time to be a leader. I’m working on trying to become more of a verbal leader, but it’s something that’s still a work in progress.”
• Early enrollee Logan Tanner caught a 45-yd pass down the middle of the field to set up Penny’s second touchdown of the game. Coach Hoke told the media postgame that Tanner had to fly back to his hometown of Houston during part of spring camp to take care of some remaining high school obligations.
• The two leading rushers in the game were walk-ons Nicholas Gardinera (32 yards) and Martin Blake (27 yards)

• Due to having less than ten offensive linemen available for the game and not being able to split them up between the two teams, all the linemen wore grey jerseys and played on both sides.
• Transfer Deven Lamp underwent surgery for a sports hernia recently, according to Hoke, and missed the game.
• Transfer Cade Bennett also missed the game due to an unspecified injury. 
• Linebacker Michael Shawcroft led the way with two passes broken up. Four other players had one. 
• The players on Team Pumphrey earned a steak dinner with the victory, while the players on Team Sipe will get hot dogs (the offensive linemen will get steaks for playing on both teams).
• The Aztecs had a variety of players line up as punt returners throughout the game, although the majority of the punts were not set up for returns.
• On Crum’s first drive of the game and first at the collegiate level, he utilized a hard count to draw defensive end Garrett Fountain offsides.
• Brionne Penny and Gus McGee were flagged for offensive pass interference in the game, negating big plays.
• NFL running back and former Aztec Rashaad Penny was in attendance to see his little brother’s three-touchdown performance.

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.