San Diego State quarterback Danny O’Neil continues to progress from the knee injury that he suffered two weeks ago, but a decision on whether O’Neil returns as starting quarterback for Saturday’s game at Central Michigan remains to be determined.
“He’s getting a lot of snaps that he would normally get in a regular week,” said SDSU coach Sean Lewis, referencing practices during the Aztecs’ off week last Monday through Thursday. “He took a good chunk of the work (in Sunday’s practice) as well.
“So we’ll just see as that thing continues to go, how he progresses throughout the week. The guy that gives us the best chance to have success will be the guy that gets the start.”
The other “guy” in the mix is redshirt freshman Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson, who started in place of O’Neil in SDSU’s 31-10 loss at Cal.
“Those two guys will continue to go back and forth with it all, then we’ll see,” Lewis said. “Whoever gives us the best chance to win at the end of the week will be the guy who gets to start.”
O’Neil, a true freshman from Indiana, started the season’s first two games against Texas A&M-Commerce and Oregon State. He was injured in the first quarter against the Beavers. O’Neil remained in the game, playing the last three quarters with a brace on his left knee.
“Danny’s got to show that he’s healthy,” Lewis said, “and that he’s able and capable to do it and that he puts us in the best position to win with where he’s at.”
Added Lewis: “Javance knows that he’s a snap away, the same as when he was able to step up and respond. Those guys are more than capable to do it, and they will then prepare as if they’re the man going forward.”
Setting their body clocks
SDSU is playing in the Eastern Time Zone for the first time in nine years, since a nonconference game at Penn State in Week 4 of the 2015 season.
The Aztecs will follow a five-hour plane ride with a one-hour bus ride to reach Central Michigan, which is located in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. — 2,318 miles from the SDSU campus.
Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 PT). That’s earlier than usual for a program that plays most of its games at night, but Lewis wasn’t concerned about the players’ body clocks being thrown off by the travel.
“Our internal clock would be hitting about the same time that breakfast will start,” he said. “It’s the same time our breakfast starts here each and every single day, so our guys we’ll be up. They’ll be ready to play.
“It doesn’t matter where it is, what time zone, what the setting is. Let’s put the ball down. If you’re about it, let’s go play and have some fun and get after it.”
Class of 2025 commits
SDSU hosted five high school players for official visits over the weekend.
Two Class of 2025 defensive players announced commitments on Sunday evening — Whittier La Serna High School safety Kaimana Tufaga and Sacramento Grant Union High School linebacker Latu Tuiileila.
Both players are rated as three-star prospects by 247Sports.com. The Aztecs now have 19 commits for the Class of 2025.
Coaches aren’t allowed to discuss recruits until after they have signed a national letter of intent. That opportunity comes Dec. 4, when the three-day early signing window opens.
Lewis was able to discuss a whirlwind 72-hour recruiting effort from Thursday to Sunday that was available to the coaches because of the off week.
“It was awesome to wrap up practice here on Thursday and be able to head up to the L.A. area to watch some high-caliber kids,” Lewis said, “and go shake more hands with the high school coaches in the area and continue to get to know them.
“It speaks to those relationships, building a deeper bond with them so they know what we’re building and the environment and culture that we’re creating here and that it’s going to be an ideal setting for them and their kids.”
After school visits on Thursday, the coaches watched games on Friday, then returned to campus to greet recruits making official visits.
“The talent acquisition business is an everyday thing,” Lewis said.
Ups and downs
SDSU’s penalties against Cal included three 15-yard personal fouls.
The penalty for the penalties was three sets of 15 up/downs by SDSU players and coaches during one of last week’s practices.
Lewis said the personal fouls “go against our standard and our culture, so we did three sets of 15. Knocked them out. We’re all better for it. And away we go.”
SDSU had 15 penalties against the Golden Bears, but it was those committed after the whistle that were egregious.
“The ones that are controllables,” Lewis said. “The personal foul. Absolutely. … That, for sure, will never be tolerated, will never be accepted. That’s not who we are and that’s not what we’re building.”
Originally Published: