2013 SDSU Football Season Preview: Safeties

January 10, 2013June 17, 2013 / Hunter O. Hewitt / 6 Comments

Nat Berhe (20) and Eric Pinkins (27), two of the top tacklers on the Aztec defense, both return in 2013 to lead an experienced group of safeties. (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

Who’s gone
No one.

Projected starters (2012 stats)

WAR #27 Eric Pinkins – RS Sr., 6-foot-3, 215 pounds (65 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, two pass break-ups, one fumble recovery, one defensive touchdown)
AZ #20 Nat Berhe – RS Sr., 5-foot-11, 190 pounds (94 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, five pass break-ups, one fumble recovery)
WAR #39 Rene Siluano – Sr., 5-foot-10, 180 pounds (31 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, one pass break up, one forced fumble)

Note: WAR is the Warrior safety position, AZ is the Aztec safety position

Key reserves (2012 stats)

WAR #26 Marcus Andrews – RS Sr., 6-foot, 190 pounds (27 tackles, one interception, four pass break-ups, one fumble recovery)
WAR #6 Gabe Lemon – RS Sr., 5-foot-10, 195 pounds (31 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass break-ups)
AZ #30 Darius Guillory – RS So., 5-foot-10, 185 pounds (Nine tackles)
AZ/WAR #33 Brandon Wright – RS So., 5-foot-11, 205 pounds (Two tackles)

Players to watch

AZ #20 Nat Berhe – RS Sr., 5-foot-11, 190 pounds – The leading tackler on the Aztec defense, Berhe finished the 2012 season with 94 total tackles. Keep an eye on him throughout the year as he nears a spot in the top 10 in school history for total tackles and solo tackles. Through three seasons, Berhe has 137 solo tackles and 200 total tackles. Former safety Chris Johnson (1990-1993) currently sits at No. 10 all-time with 168 solo tackles, while former safety Darrell Lewis (1991-1993) is ranked 10th in school history with 279 total tackles. See below for a list of the top 10 tacklers in San Diego State history, both total and solo.

AZ/WAR #33 Brandon Wright – RS So., 5-foot-11, 205 pounds – Due to a ton of depth at running back, Wright was moved to safety during fall camp in 2012. Although he was able to contribute on special teams, notably kickoff returns, the sudden switch made it hard for him to see the field on defense. Look for Wright to continue to play well on special teams, but also make a push for playing time on the defensive side of the ball with a full offseason to better learn his new position.

2013 Commitments
San Diego State currently has four safety commits, but don’t expect any of them to jump ahead of the veteran safeties on the depth chart. If Trey Lomax, Joe Morrow, Brandon Porter and Malik Smith sign with Aztecs as planned, all four will almost undoubtedly redshirt.

Analysis
San Diego State returns a very experienced group of safeties, and along with the linebackers, they are the clear strength of the defense. With five seniors, each with significant playing time throughout their careers, expect this group to be a dominant force in 2013.

Berhe has been a tackling machine in his three seasons with the Aztecs, and look for him to continue his stellar play. Pinkins, a physical specimen at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, is an aggressive, hard-hitting safety who displayed his playmaking ability in 2012. He returned an interception for a touchdown against Fresno State, and almost did the same against BYU had it not been for an illegal block penalty.

Siluano, Andrews and Lemon have shown to be solid players over the past three seasons, and all will see the field often as Rocky Long likes to rotate his defensive players. Keep an eye on Siluano and Andrews throughout spring practice and fall camp as they battle for the third starting spot alongside Berhe and Pinkins.

Guillory, Wright, Stan Sedberry and Tony Bell, all redshirt sophomores, are four younger safeties who will play a key role on special teams in 2013, and could potentially see time on defense. It will be an important year of development for the young safeties (Add redshirt freshman Kendrick Mathis to the bunch), as they will be heavily relied on in 2014 when the five seniors above them are gone.

Prediction
Nat Berhe will finish his collegiate career in the top 10 in school history in total tackles and solo tackles, and will be a first-team all-conference selection in 2013.

2013 Season Preview: Home
2013 Season Preview: Defensive Line
2013 Season Preview: Linebackers
2013 Season Preview: Cornerbacks

Stay tuned tomorrow for a preview on the special teams of the 2013 San Diego State Aztecs

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by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

2013 SDSU Football Season Preview: Cornerbacks

January 9, 2013June 17, 2013 / Hunter O. Hewitt / 14 Comments

Redshirt junior cornerback King Holder, the most experienced returning cornerback, picks off a pass in the bowl game vs. BYU. (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

Who’s gone

CB Leon McFadden
CB Josh Wade

Projected starters (2012 stats)

CB #35 King Holder – RS Jr., 5-foot-10, 165 pounds (33 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, five pass break-ups)
CB #21 Mahbu Keels – RS Jr., 6-foot-1, 175 pounds (N/A)

Key reserves (2012 stats)

CB #34 J.J. Whittaker – RS Jr., 5-foot-10, 180 pounds (N/A)
CB #23 Damontae Kazee – RS Fr., 5-foot-11, 175 pounds (N/A – redshirt year)
CB #13 Pierre Romain – RS So., 5-foot-8, 165 pounds (10 tackles)
CB #16 David Lamar – RS Jr., 6-foot-2, 180 pounds (six tackles)

Players to watch

CB #34 J.J. Whittaker – RS Jr., 5-foot-10, 180 pounds – A highly touted recruit out of Oceanside High School, Whittaker has had a serious streak of bad luck as he has been bitten by the injury bug the last three seasons. After tearing his ACL twice in his firs two years and breaking a bone in his shoulder last season, Whittaker has yet to see any game action. Fortunately, he returned towards the end of the 2012 season and practiced with the scout team. Look for Whittaker to finally get his chance to see the field in 2013. He has all the tools to be a solid player for the Aztecs, and if he can stay healthy, he will be an important contributor and may compete for a starting role.
CB #23 Damontae Kazee – RS Fr., 5-foot-11, 175 pounds – Although he has yet to see the field after redshirting in 2012, expect Kazee to make a name for himself in spring practices. He has great bloodlines, as Aztec fans spent the last four years idolizing his brother, former running back Walter Kazee, for his incredible toughness and willpower. Look for Damontae Kazee to bring that same toughness on the defensive side of the ball, locking down wide receivers and stepping up in run support when needed.
DB #31 Tony Bell – RS So., 6-foot-1, 180 pounds – As a true freshman in 2011, Bell was listed as a cornerback, but eventually redshirted and moved to safety the following season. Don’t be surprised if the coaching staff considers another move and he ends up back where he started. With a ton of depth at safety, the switch could be beneficial for Bell and the Aztecs, as he could likely contribute sooner at the cornerback position.

2013 Commitments
As of now, Billy Vaughn Jr., Addison Morrow and Kalan Montgomery are three commits who will likely play cornerback. Don’t be surprised if Montgomery, a three-star recruit, makes a push for playing time in the fall. Vaughn Jr. possesses a good combination of size and speed and could also potentially see playing time as a true freshman, but it is likely that he, along with Morrow, will redshirt in 2013.

Analysis
The cornerback position is a serious question mark for the San Diego State defense entering the 2013 season. With McFadden and Wade leaving, the Aztecs need to find two new starters from a group of mostly young, inexperienced players.

Luckily for San Diego State, Holder finished the 2012 season playing at a high level and had an exceptional performance in the bowl game. Expect him to secure one of the starting cornerback spots early on.

The question of who starts alongside Holder is where the uncertainty arises, as none of the other cornerbacks have seen significant playing time on defense. Romain and Lamar saw action on special teams in 2012, and both could make a push for one of the starting spots in 2013. Between those two, Keels, Whittaker and Kazee, look for a heated competition through spring practice and fall camp to determine the other starter.

Keels appears to be the frontrunner, as he is a physical corner with good size and will be entering his fourth season with the Aztecs. Don’t be surprised if Kazee turns some heads in the offseason as well, and forces the coaching staff to consider giving him a chance despite his youth and lack of experience. If Whittaker is able to stay healthy, he could also make a push for a starting job.

Prediction
Holder will have at least three interceptions in 2013, and return one of them for a touchdown.

2013 Season Preview: Home
2013 Season Preview: Defensive Line
2013 Season Preview: Linebackers

Stay tuned tomorrow for a preview on the safeties of the 2013 San Diego State Aztecs

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

2013 SDSU Football Season Preview: Linebackers

January 8, 2013June 17, 2013 / Hunter O. Hewitt / 10 Comments

San Diego State linebacker Jake Fely returns after an impressive sophomore season. He leads an experienced group of linebackers highlighted by five seniors and three juniors. (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

Who’s gone

MLB Rob Andrews

Projected starters (2012 stats)

OLB #36 Nick Tenhaeff – RS Sr., 6-foot-2, 225 pounds (52 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble)
MLB #42 Jake Fely – Jr., 5-foot-10, 210 pounds (90 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries)
OLB #50 Derek Largent – Jr., 6-foot-4, 235 pounds (61 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two interceptions, three pass break-ups, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble)

Key reserves (2012 stats)

OLB #37 Vaness Harris – RS Sr., 6-foot-2, 255 pounds (31 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, one pass break up, one forced fumble)
MLB #46 Jacob Driver – RS Sr., 6-foot-2, 220 pounds (Nine tackles, one tackle for loss)
OLB #48 Josh Gavert – RS Jr., 6-foot-2, 220 pounds (24 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble)

Players to watch

OLB #37 Vaness Harris – Sr., 6-foot-2, 255 pounds – Harris started the first seven games of 2012, but was replaced by Largent in Week 8. He didn’t lose the job because of poor play, however, as it was simply due to the stellar play of Largent. Expect Harris to compete with Largent for the starting spot, but understand that both will still see significant playing time with Rocky Long’s tendency to rotate defensive players. Harris could arguably start for most teams in the country, and will still put up impressive numbers whether starting or not.
MLB #46 Jacob Driver – Sr., 6-foot-2, 220 pounds – With backup middle linebacker Rob Andrews gone, someone will need to step up to split time with Fely. Expect Driver to take on that role in his final season with the Aztecs, as he will be motivated to finish his collegiate career with a solid senior campaign.
MLB #38 Scott Graves – Sr., 5-foot-10, 210 pounds – With a loaded linebacker core, expect Graves to play a backup role but also make an impact once again on special teams next season. Graves was named the team’s Special Teams Player of the Year last season, and will continue to play an integral role and be a special teams guru for the Aztecs. If any of the linebackers in the two-deep go down with an injury, he will be more than ready to step in and fill the void.
OLB #54 Micah Seau – RS Fr., 6-foot-3, 235 pounds – Keep an eye on Micah Seau, nephew of the late Junior Seau, as he tries to make an impact for the Aztecs next season. He possesses great size and loads of talent, but he lacks the experience the other linebackers have. Another year of development might be needed for the young linebacker, but don’t be surprised if he is able to break through and find his way onto the field.

2013 Commitments
Due to the depth at the position, don’t expect any of the incoming linebackers to see playing time in 2013. Tyler Morris, Randy Ricks and Calvin Munson are three high school commits expected to play linebacker, but all three will benefit from using a redshirt year to develop as they gain strength and size.

Analysis
If 2012 taught us anything, it’s that, contrary to popular belief, Jake Fely is not too small to play middle linebacker.

Fely was nothing short of spectacular in 2012, flying around the field and making plays every time the Aztecs needed them. After being named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, Fely will continue to play at a high level next season, proving to doubters that his heart and ferocity outweigh any size concerns.

Another pleasant surprise in 2012 was Largent, a junior college transfer who came out of nowhere and stuffed the stat sheets, doing everything he could to help the defense succeed. Expect an even bigger year from Largent in 2013.

In addition to Fely and Largent, San Diego State has five senior linebackers, making this group arguably the strength of the defense. Tenhaeff and Harris, two seniors with the most experience among the linebackers, will look to have strong senior seasons, and both will contribute greatly to the Aztecs.

Prediction
San Diego State had two all-conference linebackers in 2012, as Fely was named to the second-team and Largent was an honorable mention. In 2013, three Aztec linebackers will be all-conference selections.

2013 Season Preview: Home
2013 Season Preview: Defensive Line

Stay tuned tomorrow for a preview on the cornerbacks of the 2013 San Diego State Aztecs

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

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2013 SDSU Football Season Preview: Safeties

2013 SDSU Football Season Preview: Cornerbacks

2013 SDSU Football Season Preview: Linebackers