Aztecs and Toreros Postgame Reaction

San Diego State opened the 2010 season with a 47-0 win over Nicholls State while USD was taken to the woodshed by Azusa-Pacific 42-14.

The Aztecs were scoreless in the first quarter as the teams felt themselves out but exploded for 20 in the second period and never looked back. Still, the slow start set the tone for the game, which left a lot to like and dislike.

Like:

-- QB Ryan Lindley looked fully in charge and only made one really bad pass. Getting a throw for backup Jake Barnards.

-- RBs Devon Brown, Walter Kazee and Ronnie Hillman look capable, combining for 204 yards.

-- Senior WR DeMarco Sampson played like he wants to be a first-day draft pick next year, with seven receptions for 179 yards and two TDs.

-- The offensive line indeed looks improved.

-- The young depth on defense looks very good. The Aztecs went two or three deep in many positions and the kids held up their end.

-- The overall game atmosphere was much better than in previous years, and the turnout of more than 25,000 is better than could have been expected against an unknown cupcake of an opponent.

DISLIKE:

-- The starters on defense appeared like this was just another practice or scrimmage on campus instead of the first game of the season. Weak effort and not much enthusiasm. Burned on the screen play time and time again. A couple times in the first quarter, okay, but still happening in the third? Be serious.

-- Those starters constantly took bad angles to the football and got torched by Colonels QB LaQuinton Caston, who gained 49 yards despite being sacked three times. If they keep that up, Utah State's Diondre Borel will eat them up in three weeks. Either the pursuit angles were very poor, or they were very slow, or both. I hope it was the first because it can be corrected.

-- Fullback Brandon Sullivan was standing too often at the end of running plays when he was supposed to block.

-- I mentioned concern about the soft kick coverage units in an earlier post, and I'm now scared. If things aren't tightened up, they'll give up at least one punt return and one kickoff return for scores this fall.

-- This game could have been closer. The Colonels had too many nice drives end in disaster because, frankly, they're a mediocre team at a lower level, and the Aztecs tacked on some points late because the starters played on offense halfway through the fourth quarter -- far more than they should have.

The bottom line is the opener was a success but thank God they were playing a cupcake. They certainly would not have been ready for a Division 1 team. Things are improving around here, but this ain't no 9-3 team.

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All you need to know about APU's rout of USD: the Cougars ran for 325 yards. The Toreros gained 42 yards on the ground, in comparison, and fumbled twice. The domination came in the second half, which was 28-0 in APU's favor. The Toreros also allowed four sacks and committed 11 penalties. The Toreros scores came on passes of 61 and 25 yards from QB Sam Scudellari to WR Kyle Warren. Hard times have come to Alcala Park. Oh, it's about to get worse. The next two opponents are Southern Utah and UC Davis. Gulp!