SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State football team practiced in helmets on Wednesday, going for just over two hours on the on-campus facility. The Aztecs once again opened on the practice turf field before transitioning to the grass field for the final half of practice.
With temperatures starting in the upper 70s and peaking at 82 degrees under sunny skies with a nice breeze, SDSU followed active stretching with individual special teams, winning edge drills, end of game/1-minute situations, PAT/field goal and punt drills and individual position drills. Moving to the grass field, San Diego State worked run pods and perimeter blocking, 1-on-1s, inside run drills, third down skelly, pass rush and play-it-outs. Following a session working on kickoffs, the Aztecs finished by running specific third down situations and red-zone situations.
“It was another good workday,” head coach Sean Lewis said. “It was good back and forth. The defense did a really nice job early in the 1-minute situation and in a little bit of red-zone work. There were good competitive sessions all throughout the day and I’m looking forward to working through the rest of the week, and the new opportunities that lay ahead."
Wednesday was the 12th of 20 practices scheduled this fall before game week begins on Aug. 25 for the Aug. 31 opener against Texas A&M – Commerce.
After reviewing film from Saturday’s Fan Fest for the public at Snapdragon Stadium, Lewis mentioned some standout position groups, including the running backs, tight ends and defensive backs, while specifically mentioning offensive lineman Christian Jones, defensive edge Trey White and linebacker Tano Letuli for their play. The Aztecs will hold a closed-door scrimmage on Friday.
“Friday there will be a lot of different opportunities with the scrimmage to live tackle and live block,” Lewis added. “As we go forward, I want to see the tackling improve (from last Saturday). There were moments where it was good and moments of opportunities that we left out there where we feel like we can do a better job getting the ball carrier to the ground. The rhythm and the timing of the throw game can continue to progress. We want to see the continuity of the offensive line come together, and see the defensive line press them and grow as pass rushers as well.”
One of the most innovative minds in college football, Lewis brings an extensive résumé to San Diego State, having served as head coach at Kent State from 2018-22 before spending the 2023 campaign as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders. He has also witnessed great success as a coordinator/assistant coach in stops at Syracuse (2016-17), Bowling Green (2014-15) and Eastern Illinois (2012-13).
Demetrius Sumler enters his seventh season as the SDSU cornerbacks coach and ninth year overall. The longest tenured San Diego State assistant coach in terms of consecutive years with the Aztecs, Sumler is now working for his fourth defensive coordinator in Eric Schmidt. Switching to the 4-2-5 defense, however, has been a seamless transition for Sumler.
“I think it’s pretty similar,” Sumler said. “Out there it essentially turns into man-to-man. You’ve got to be able to run, you’ve got to be able to cover, and the offense is going to put you in situations where you’ll need to come up and tackle also. There’s not much difference in the position.
“That’s the great thing about Coach Lewis and Coach Schmidt is that as a coach, you’ve got to have your own style in what you’re going to do. It has to be in the confines of (Coach Lewis’) culture and what he wants, but he’s going to let us be us. I’m still going to be demanding. I’ll celebrate and have a good time with them, but my approach in how I coach hasn’t changed at all.”
One of the new cornerbacks in the room for Sumler is Tennessee State transfer Bryce Phillips. Phillips started all 22 games in his Tiger career, recording 68 tackles, six tackles for loss and 18 pass breakups.
“Aggressive, physical, technical and a corner who isn’t afraid to hit,” is how Phillips described himself to the media on Wednesday. “The biggest part of the game that I improved at (while at Tennessee State) was my practice habits. Practice how I play is what I learned there.”
Phillips mentioned Coach Sumler on why he chose to come to San Diego State.
“(Coach Sumler) is a coach who is a teacher,” Phillips said. “I’ve had a lot of different coaches in my life, some who are going to be on you and some who yell at you, but Coach Sumler is someone that is going to sit down with you, teach you and make you understand it rather than force you to do it his way.”
Tickets are on sale for all six Aztec home games, including season tickets, two or three-game mini-plans and single-game tickets.
The Aug. 31 opener against Texas A&M - Commerce is set for 5 p.m. PT.
SDSU Football Continues Build for 2024 Opener
SDSU continues build for 2024 opener.
