College football Saturday and bye week blog updates

November 17, 2012March 5, 2013 / Hunter O. Hewitt / 24 Comments

The Aztecs celebrate after their most recent victory over Air Force (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

Aztec fans –

Hope you all have had a great week. The bye week has been nice for us to get our bodies back and also get caught up in the classroom.

I apologize for the lack of stories this week, but be sure to keep an eye out next week for a handful of new posts. Most notably, there will be a special Feature Friday post with a video on tight end Gavin Escobar and one of his unique off-the-field hobbies.

College football Saturday

The bye week also meant that we had plenty of time on Saturday to catch up on college football across the country. For the first time in awhile, I was able to watch football all day.

Here are a few notable games from today’s action:

Wyoming – 28
UNLV – 23
Wyoming, SDSU’s final regular season opponent, won its third straight game and improved to 4-7. They will face the Aztecs on Nov. 24.

Tulsa – 23
UCF – 21
Tulsa and UCF are two schools who received more votes than SDSU in last week’s AP Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll. With UCF losing, the Aztecs could potentially jump them in the rankings.

Rutgers – 10
Cincinnati – 3
Like Tulsa and UCF, Cincinnati received more votes than SDSU in both polls last week. Their loss could also help the Aztecs move up.

Air Force – 21
Hawaii – 7
This game was on Friday, but it was Air Force’s sixth win of the season, making them bowl-eligible. They have already accepted an invitation to play in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas on Dec. 29.

Game to keep an eye on: BYU vs. San Jose State, 10:30 p.m est

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by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

Aztec Stat of the Week: Pass Break-Ups – Leon McFadden

November 13, 2012April 26, 2013 / Hunter O. Hewitt / 2 Comments

Leon McFadden breaks up a pass vs. North Dakota, one of his 10 pass break-ups this season (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

When San Diego State defeated Boise State on Nov. 3, Aztec cornerback Leon McFadden recorded four tackles and a pass break-up in the game. The numbers weren’t eye-popping, likely because teams often shy away from throwing to McFadden’s side, but one statistic inched him closer to leaving his mark in the SDSU record books.

With the pass break-up against Boise State, McFadden improved his season total to 10, good for most on the team. He now has a total of 37 pass break-ups in his career, which ties a school record. He has matched former SDSU defensive back Eric Lewis, who also broke up 37 passes from 1995-1998.

What is most impressive about the statistic is that McFadden has managed to tie the record with a limited number of opportunities. Tabbed as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference before the season began, he has developed a reputation as a shutdown cornerback.

Opposing offenses often focus on the side of the field where McFadden isn’t, taking away chances for the senior cornerback to make plays. Despite the reduced opportunities, he has still managed 56 total tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns, in his final season at SDSU.

With two games remaining and only one pass break-up needed, McFadden has a great chance to break the record and solidify himself as one of the best defensive backs to ever play at SDSU.

*UPDATE (12/21/12)

Leon McFadden recorded two pass break-ups in the final game vs. BYU. He now holds the record for most pass break-ups in San Diego State history with 39.

Did you miss last week’s “Stat of the Week” post about kickoff return yardage? Check it out here!

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

Aztecs in the NFL: Week 10

November 12, 2012February 10, 2013 / Hunter O. Hewitt / 2 Comments

Brandyn Dombroski (62), seen here blocking for LaDainian Tomlinson (21) in 2009, returned to practice last week for the Chargers, but his status is still uncertain (Denis Poroy/Associated Press)

LB Russell Allen – Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts
In the Thursday night game, the Jaguars fell to the Colts, 27-10. Allen had six tackles in the game, and is now tied for fourth in the NFL with 56 solo tackles this season.

LB Antwan Applewhite – Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos
The Panthers struggled against the surging Broncos on Sunday, and lost 36-14. Applewhite was inactive for the third straight week after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 7. His status for Week 11 is uncertain.

LS Aaron Brewer – Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers
The Broncos handled the Panthers on Sunday, winning their fourth straight game. Brewer did not record any tackles, as he did in his previous two games, but he continued to snap well on punts and field goals.

WR Vincent Brown – San Diego Chargers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
To add another blunder to their roller coaster of a season, the Chargers fell to the Buccaneers, 34-24. Brown remains out with an ankle injury suffered in the preseason, and is expected to return some time in December.

LB Miles Burris – Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Raiders had a tough time stopping the Ravens, and lost 55-20. Burris, who continues to start at weakside linebacker for the Raiders, recorded five total tackles in the game.

OT/OG Brandyn Dombrowski – San Diego Chargers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dombrowski returned to practice last week, but it is uncertain if he will see any game action this season. According to a post on ESPN, the Chargers have three weeks to either activate him or place him on injured reserve.

LB Heath Farwell – Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Jets
Behind a strong rushing performance by Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks defeated the Jets, 28-7. Farwell recorded another tackle on special teams in the game, giving him a total of 11 this season.

RB Ronnie Hillman – Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers
Although he had just seven yards from scrimmage in the game, Hillman scored his first NFL touchdown on Sunday in the Broncos’ big win over the Panthers. He scored on a 5-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

QB Ryan Lindley – Arizona Cardinals, BYE

OG Lance Louis – Chicago Bears vs. Houston Texans
The Bears had their six-game winning snapped on Sunday after they lost to the Texans, 13-6. Louis and his fellow offensive lineman performed well in pass protection, not giving up any sacks in the game. It wasn’t enough for the Bears, however, and their record fell to 8-2.

LB Kirk Morrison – Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots
The Bills played the Patriots close all game, but eventually lost, 37-31. Morrison remained inactive for the game, and has yet to see any action this season.

WR Kassim Osgood – Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Lions had no answer for Adrian Peterson and his 171 yards rushing on Sunday, as they lost to the Vikings, 34-24. Osgood saw action on special teams, but did not record any tackles in the game.

WR Chaz Schilens – New York Jets vs. Seattle Seahawks
Schilens did not have any catches in the Jets’ loss to the Seahawks. Although he was held without a catch in the game, he has 16 receptions for 150 yards and one touchdown this season.

Did you miss the “Aztecs in the NFL: Week 9″ post? Check it out here!

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

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College football Saturday and bye week blog updates

Aztec Stat of the Week: Pass Break-Ups – Leon McFadden

Aztecs in the NFL: Week 10