SAN DIEGO (AP) -Coach Brady Hoke isn’t kidding when he says his San Diego State Aztecs face a big challenge against No. 18 BYU on Saturday.
The Aztecs need only to look at BYU’s massive offensive line, which averages 321 pounds and does quite nicely in opening holes for running back Harvey Unga and protecting quarterback Max Hall.
Hoke likens BYU’s offensive linemen to heavy machinery.
“You always want to try and limit an opponent’s offense, in one phase of the game, and we want to make sure we stop the run,” Hoke said. “That is a goal every week. If you can get a team one-dimensional, then you play into your hands a little bit, but it’s going to be a real challenge for us up front to handle some of those big road graders they have.”
The Aztecs’ defensive line – coached by Hoke – averages 250 pounds. With such a size discrepancy, Hoke said the Aztecs will have to survive on fundamentals, technique and intangibles.
would like big guys who are athletic and fast,” he said. “Well, there’s only so many of those in this country and so with what we do defensively, it enables us to do some things with guys who aren’t quite as stout or as big as you’d like them but they’re guys who I think have a lot of heart to them, a lot of toughness, and a lot of effort to them.”
While the Aztecs (2-3, 0-1 Mountain West Conference) are coming off a bye, BYU (5-1, 2-0) displayed its offensive balance by gaining 611 yards in a 59-21 win at UNLV last week. Unga ran for three touchdowns and 149 yards, and Hall completed 21 of 27 passes for 320 yards and two more scores.
“We’re going to try to work edges, try to use our speed to get around them, and hopefully get them on their toes, try and work that game,” SDSU linebacker Luke Laolagi said. “They’re big, but hopefully we can use our speed against them.”
The Aztecs have already won as many games as they did last year, when they finished 2-10 and got Chuck Long fired as coach.
ad and we’re anxious to play.”
A win would be the 500th in BYU’s history. To get it, Mendenhall will have to triumph over some old friends.
Hoke, Mendenhall and SDSU defensive coordinator Rocky Long all crossed paths at Oregon State in the 1990s.
Mendenhall said he considers Hoke and Long mentors, “and I’ve learned a lot of football from them. So that has put a unique take on this particular game.”
The Cougars have won seven of the last eight games against the Aztecs, averaging 46 points in those wins.
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