One of the best things about San Diego State's 2-0 start is the Aztecs really haven't played very well. In Saturday night's 41-21 win at New Mexico State, the defense allowed a couple of big plays for touchdowns, the offense couldn't convert in the red zone in the first half and QB Ryan Lindley hit the side of a barn door.
Yet, they over-matched an opponent for the second straight week despite all that, and they are going to get better as the season goes on. The defense is playing a lot of new players, redshirt freshmen and true freshmen, so there will be some coverage breakdowns. The offense did convert in the second half, and Lindley -- who is prone to bad games out of nowhere -- hopefully got the one for 2010 out of his system. He was 20-43, though he did throw for more than 300 yards for the second straight game.
The best part of the game for the Aztecs was how the running game wore down the Aggies in the second half. The offensive line opened some holes in the first half, but were really pounding in the final 30 minutes, allowing freshman RB Ronnie Hillman to have a huge game -- he scored four touchdowns and ran for 150 yards.
More kudos go to NT Jerome Long, who tied for the team lead in tackles with 8, including a sack, very rare for an interior lineman. Long was disruptive all night. The other really impressive players were G Nik Embernate, who keyed the second half blocking surge, and FB Brandon Sullivan, who nearly took a third down screen pass to the house and did a fine job with blocking.
Next comes Missouri. No longer will they over-match their opponent, so hopefully the Aztecs will be even sharper next week in Columbia.
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USD was on the other end of the over-match, losing 32-3e at Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds are a scholarship team and the Toreros, struggling to find a passing game, managed only a field-goal in the second quarter. It doesn't get any easier next week, with UC Davis coming to town.
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