SAN JOSE, Calif. — This Friday night looked very similar to last Friday night. San Jose State was looking for their first conference win of the season. The only difference? They defeated conference foe New Mexico at CEFCU Stadium.
The Spartans, who were battle ready, had the ball to start the game versus the Lobos.
The Spartans opened the scoring, thanks to Nick Nash. Nash ran for a 9-yard rushing touchdown — his third of the season — to put San Jose State up 6-0 with 6:50 left in the first quarter. Matt Mercurio attempted the extra point, but it was blocked by De’John Rogers.
The Spartans led 6-0 at the end of the first quarter. San Jose State football was greeted by the San Jose State men’s basketball team, who made a brief appearance on the home field.
— San Jose State Men’s Basketball (@SanJoseStateMBB) October 5, 2019
The Spartans took a 13-0 lead when Josh Love threw a pass to Billy Humphreys for the 5-yard passing touchdown at 12:56 of the second quarter. Mercurio kicked in the extra point.
Love threw another pass to Bailey Gaither for the 80-yard passing touchdown with 8:42 left in the second quarter. Mercurio kicked in the extra point. The Spartans took a 20-0 lead.
Mercurio kicked in a 24-yard field goal to extend the Spartans’ lead to 23-0 with 6:57 left in the second quarter.
Mercurio continued to shine with back-to-back field goals of 24 yards and 33 yards, respectively, in a span of 2:35 late in the fourth quarter. But Mercurio’s field goals were overshadowed by the Lobos’ first touchdown of the game. Sheriron Jones threw a pass to Jordan Kress for the 34-yard passing touchdown and Andrew Shelley kicked in the extra point to help New Mexico pull within 19 with 1:12 left in the second quarter.
The Spartans brought a 26-7 lead to the locker room at the halftime break.
The Spartan defense forced a red zone fumble to stop a Lobos drive and that was a notable third quarter play. However, New Mexico cut the Spartans’ lead to 26-14 with 3:11 left in the third quarter. Jones ran for a 4-yard rushing touchdown and Shelley kicked in the extra point.
The Spartans continued to lead 26-14 after the third quarter.
Mercurio kicked a 49-yard field goal to extend the Spartans’ lead to 29-14 at 12:47 of the fourth quarter. The field goal was Mercurio’s longest career field goal.
Mercurio added a 24-yard field goal to make it 32-14 Spartans with 6:16 left in the fourth quarter. With the field goal, Mercurio tied the single-game school record as the fourth player in Spartan history to do so.
But the Lobos made it an 11-point game with 4:52 left in the fourth quarter. Jones threw a pass to Cedric Patterson III for the 38-yard passing touchdown and Shelley kicked in the extra point.
The Spartans defeated the Lobos by a final score of 32-21. With the win, San Jose State picked up its first conference win of the season.
The Spartans (3-2, 1-1 Mountain West) take on the Nevada Wolf Pack (3-2, 0-1 Mountain West) on Saturday, October 12 at 1:00 p.m. Game will be broadcasted on ATSN.
Just days after buying his first car from money earned bussing tables, Connor Wedington headed north.
The 16-year-old football star at Sumner (Wash.) High School already put aside 10 percent of his earnings for charitable causes. On this day, Wedington took that money and bought $10 gift cards from Subway.
There were areas in Seattle the Wedingtons frequented in an attempt to look for ways to help whomever might need it. Those areas included The Jungle, west of Beacon Hill, known for its homeless encampments. Connor parked, got out of his car, and sought those who could use a meal.
Maybe he was naive for such a task. For as he turned into an alley, Connor interrupted a heroin addict just as he plunged a needle into his veins. As the man locked eyes with Wedington, the needle dangled from his arm.
Wedington turned around and hurriedly reversed his steps. When he returned to the street, he closed his eyes, took two deep breaths, and resumed his walk.
“It shook me,” Wedington said.
Wedington knew what life on the streets was like, but it was one thing to know, and another to see.
That moment never escaped Wedington’s thoughts. And, last spring, as he and friend Zaylan Jacobsen mobilized a homeless outreach from Stanford into weekly visits into San Francisco’s Tenderloin, Wedington recalled that moment as he prepared his teams for what they might encounter.
“This is what you’re getting into,“ Wedington said.
“I know,” they said.
“When you actually see it, it’s different,” Wedington cautioned.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Wedington is a junior wide receiver on the Cardinal football team and is majoring in science, technology, and society with a focus on innovation and organization. He was recognized among 22 named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, an honor for those who have made an impact in their communities. He has no unrealistic notion about the range of his impact, but the nonprofit organization, that he and Jacobsen created (and hope to continue) Hope Given By gave many temporary comfort.
Each winter quarter weekend when Wedington was freed of football duties, Hope Given By was brought to life by groups of Stanford students who ventured into places like shoot-up zones — the safe injection sites for drug users, where many of the homeless congregate.
With clothes and shoes donated by teammates and other students — and socks donated by a corporate partner –Wedington led them into a new world. The vital mission of Hope Given By was not the giving itself, but the creation of new relationships.
“We wanted something different about us,” Wedington said. “We would try to talk to them. I saw the value in authentic conversations.”
Connor and his older brother, Triston, always shared a heart for others.
“Christ is the example,” said his father Donovan Wedington. “He’s always been the example. There’s no one who’s ever done it better. Ever. And the boys know that.” Donovan purposefully taught his sons selflessness as a way to right his father’s past mistakes. An army brat, Donovan came from what he described as “trauma.”
Without a foundation of support, Donovan failed the second grade and felt like he was dumb.
“No one ever tried to help me,” Donovan said. “At all. No one. Even my family.”
“I started making my friends more important than school. I was more concerned about popularity and being cool, which you turn to if you don’t feel smart. There is nothing worse than feeling stupid. Nothing.”
Donovan was a good athlete who started on football teams. But because he moved so often — five elementary schools and three high schools — he never fully learned playbooks, meshed with his teammates, or met his potential.
After a marriage to Jenny and the birth of their two sons, Donovan fell into a partying lifestyle and left the family for more than a year. When he returned, his marriage had dissolved, but he was committed to a life without drugs and alcohol. He has been sober since 2002.
Donovan’s past, however, has determined his sons’ futures in education, athletics, and selflessness. All those things were deprived of him to some degree, but he has bestowed with passion on his sons. Both were placed in Kumon, a Japanese-influenced after-school math and reading program, and soon, they were advanced in math and trained to be great athletes. They’ve lived clean lifestyles and place faith as one of their highest priorities.
Donovan set the example by dropping what he was doing to help others. They routinely stopped on the side of the road to fix flat tires for strangers or bought ice cream for kids who couldn’t afford it on hot summer days.
“There’s nothing uglier than having a lot of stuff, and having nothing in your heart,” Donovan said.
When Connor was five, the family was in North Carolina on their way south to Myrtle Beach when an ambulance pulled into the roadway and collided with a passenger car, causing it to flip three times before resting on its side.
Donovan pulled over, and ran across the street while shouting instructions to bystanders, like “Go to that McDonald’s and grab a fire extinguisher!” Flames appeared inside the car. Two women inside were unconscious.
“Who’s got a knife?” Donovan shouted.
Donovan cut the women from out of their seatbelts and kicked the front windshield in an effort to break it and pull them out. When that didn’t work, Donovan shattered the side upward-facing window and yanked out the glass, cutting his hand and arm badly, and pulled the passengers to safety, as the flames were extinguished.
Triston remembers, “There were people trying to get his name, but he didn’t want any part of that. He didn’t want the attention. That was something that really stood out to me.” Donovan’s actions made a big impression on Connor, who watched it unfold.
“Seeing my dad going out of his way to help other people definitely influenced me,” Connor said.
How can I judge someone on their behavior when I’m not living the life that they’ve lived. How would I know that I wouldn’t do the same thing if I lived the exact same life and had the same things happen to me?
Donovan took every opportunity to play with his growing boys. They went to parks, often in the inner city, to play the “bear” game. He began as the “bear” and each kid tagged would join him as a bear until everyone was caught.
The Wedingtons encouraged every kid on the playground to participate, especially ones they didn’t know. Soon, perhaps 30 kids — of different races and backgrounds — were running and laughing, all because one family brought them together.
Donovan said the “bear” game may have developed the elusiveness that Connor shows on the field today. Whatever the cause, both Triston and Connor took to football immediately. Triston was the leader and Connor always followed along, always the youngest trying to keep up. And Donovan, not wanting them to waste their talent as he did his own, signed them up for camps and clinics and hired a trainer for additional coaching when they were in high school.
“We would wake up at 4:30 in the morning and get a workout session on the field and in the gym before school,” said Connor, who began this routine in ninth grade. “That was a test from my dad. Do you want to be great? I’ll give you an opportunity to be great. Let’s see how you react.” For inspiration, Connor and Triston looked to USC star Reggie Bush. They watched his videos endlessly, often before games. That’s why Connor, who played running back throughout high school, always wore No. 5. That was Bush’s number with the Trojans.
They played together one season at Sumner, when Connor was a sophomore and Triston a senior. Triston went on to play receiver at Central Washington, an NCAA Division II school, and returned for as many Friday nights as possible to watch Connor light up his opponents and edit the video his father shot into highlight tapes.
Triston has two favorite plays. In one, Connor caught a screen pass, and weaved 60 yards through the defense for a touchdown, and did it again on the next play after the first was nullified by penalty.
Against Auburn Mountainview, Wedington took a kickoff on his own 14-yard line, found room down the right sideline, cut back at the opponent’s 25, shook a couple of defenders and dragged another five yards as a section of Connor’s jersey was ripped away from behind.
“I was freaking out,” Triston said. “That was crazy.”
Triston still has Connor’s tattered jersey from that game framed on a wall.
Wedington committed to Washington, but changed his mind after being accepted to Stanford. He broke the news in a unique way with a snowboarding video. As he caught some big air, “Stanford Cardinal” was revealed on the bottom of his board.
“Why would you say no to Stanford?” Donovan wondered. “There’s no way. When you get to be my age, you’ll be thinking about it a lot. What if? Don’t go through life with regret.”
Wedington made a splash in his debut against Rice in Australia with a one-handed grab on a pass from Keller Chryst. He was used mainly out of the slot as a freshman and missed most of his sophomore year to injury before being moved permanently to receiver, which best utilizes his hands and his ability to evade tacklers in space.
Oregon State found out when Wedington returned a kickoff 43 yards to set up Jet Toner’s game-winning field goal with one second left in a 31-28 victory in Corvallis on September 28. Such anticipation when Wedington gets the ball. It’s hard to know what will happen next — a cutback, reverse field, change of speed, acceleration? It’s what makes Wedington such a threat.
A crowd cheered his achievements on the field, but likely had no idea of the other side of Connor Wedington.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Zaylan Jacobsen, a close friend of Connor’s since their freshman year at Sumner, came to Stanford for a visit last winter. He and Connor shared the same leadership classes under a mentor named John Norland. The notion of aiding the homeless came from those years along with encouragement from Norland and one another. The friends thought alike.
They loved helping others and when Jacobsen told Connor about taking a homeless person to lunch and talking for three hours, Connor wondered, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
“That’s cool,” Connor recalled. “So I tried it and saw the real value in authentic conversations — how having one conversation with one person is more impactful than giving 15 gift cards to 15 people.”
Jacobsen spent nights on the streets in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, to understand the feeling of being homeless. He conceived Hope Given By, and the thought of starting such a venture gnawed on him so much that he left Babson College in Massachusetts. It was only a one-man dream at the time.
“My only plan was to start some kind of nonprofit,” Jacobsen said. “I decided to live out of my car for a couple of days to see Connor. Being a good friend, he embraced the project and helped pull it all together. I had the idea, but I credit him for making it happen.” Wedington placed donation boxes in the locker room and rallied support from his dorm. Room 322 looked like a storage unit with all the clothes classmates left. The key was securing a partnership with a sock company, Bombas, which provided hundreds of pairs of socks for distribution.
The next step was scouting San Francisco. For Connor and Zaylan, it was daunting.
“Seattle has a pretty big homeless population, but I’ve never seen anything like San Francisco,” Wedington said.
Once they mapped out a plan with the best routes, they embarked with a group of four. Each week, the numbers grew, eventually to as many as 30. Teammates Osiris St. Brown, Donald Stewart, Brycen Tremayne, and Michael Wilson were regulars.
As the weeks went by, the faces of the homeless became more familiar. One woman ran across the street to greet Connor with a hug upon seeing him. The stories they heard were heartbreaking.
“There are people who said this is something they wanted to do, and there are people who said this is something they didn’t want to do,” Wedington said. “It’s definitely something a lot of people don’t understand, myself included.”
“Multiple people told me they first became homeless after being brought into sex trafficking. Pimps injected them with heroin, and then after they got done with their business, they were thrown into the streets. They already were addicted, and then they’re in this cycle. How can I fault them for that?”
The reactions — especially from first-time volunteers — were unique as they processed their experiences. On the late-afternoon rides back to campus, some laughed, some cried, while others stared into space.
“I remember doing the same exact thing,” Wedington said. “Some wouldn’t say a word the whole ride. I was like, ‘You good?’ But those are realization moments. They’re important to have, because those give you another perspective to look at your life.”
Wedington realized that he cannot go into a place like the Tenderloin and tell people what to do, even as his understanding of the aftermath grows with each visit.
“How can I judge someone on their behavior when I’m not living the life that they’ve lived,” Wedington said. “Even if it was their choice to go in and do heroin for the first time, who knows what factors led up to that. How would I know that I wouldn’t do the same thing if I lived the exact same life and had the same things happen to me?” Did Wedington and Hope Given By make a difference?”
“We alleviated at least a little bit of suffering, and we had real conversations,” Jacobsen said. “We had some grown men come to tears.”
Jacobsen believes that Hope Given By can become a movement and that Stanford can inspire other football programs, other teams, and other universities to do the same thing in their communities. He’s currently writing a proposal and a mission statement.
Wedington has aspirations of starting his own business and is more convinced that community service will be a key component.
“Did we make a huge impact? Probably not,” Wedington said. “But did we make a difference? Yes.”
Those whose feet stayed warm and dry for a few nights would agree. Those who were barefoot and given shoes to wear might also agree.
But there are more homeless than ever in San Francisco, in dark corners, under overpasses, in bushes. and wherever a peaceful and protected night can be spent.
Stanford senior kicker Jet Toner possesses arguably the coolest name in college football. He’s clutch, too.
The youngest of six children, Toner was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and his birth name is John Edward Toner V. At the hospital, a doctor mentioned his initials spelled Jet and he has been called that ever since.
“I didn’t know John was my first name until I was in elementary school,” said Toner, who was named after his grandfather.
At Stanford, when professors call attendance, they say John.
“Honestly, I still forget it’s my real name,” Toner said.
There is no denying Toner has Aloha spirit in his blood. After drilling a 39-yard field goal with one second remaining last Saturday night at Oregon State to lift Stanford to a much-needed 31-28 win, he showed no emotion.
“Just doing my job,” Toner said.
According to special teams coordinator Pete Alamar, Toner’s demeanor never changes.
“I think Jet would be that way if he grew up Albuquerque,” Alamar said. “His happy to unhappy range — if the scale is three feet wide — is right in the middle. There’s about a one-inch variance to where he goes.”
It’s not that Toner isn’t competitive. After attending a Stanford kicking camp prior to his senior year at Punahou High School, he initially didn’t receive a scholarship offer and considered attending UCLA.
“He didn’t leave a happy guy, but I told him to be patient,” said Alamar. “When push came to shove, we felt he was the best guy on the board, period. It’s proved itself to be true.”
Toner never wanted to be anywhere else.
“It was always my dream school,” Toner said.
Toner’s family is tight with Joe Torre, the only Major League player/manager to collect 2,000 hits (2,342) and 2,000 wins (2,326). The league’s chief baseball officer since 2011, he was inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. Toner’s father, John, works in the hotel business.
“Back in Hawaii, you call everyone your uncle,” Jet said. “He’s not my uncle biologically. I think my dad has been really good friends with him since before I was born. For me, he’s been like a relative.”
Two-time All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Academic, Toner set a school record last year with a .933 field goal percentage (14-of-15), No. 2 in the country, and No. 1 in the conference. He converted a game-tying 32-yard field goal as time expired at Oregon, enabling Stanford to complete a come-from-behind 38-31 overtime victory.
Toner is on the Lou Groza Award Watch list for the second consecutive year.
“He kind of has that island vibe in him,” said junior offensive tackle Foster Sarell. “He never makes a situation bigger than it is.”
Special all-around
Stanford’s special team units made huge contributions against Oregon State, including a blocked field goal by senior cornerback Obi Eboh. They’ll need to be equally effective Saturday, when the Cardinal (2-3, 1-3 Pac-12) hosts No. 15 Washington (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) at 7:30 p.m.
“For four years, he’s practiced that block,” Alamar said. “It’s not called often, but we practice it every Tuesday. To have the opportunity to go out and execute it and execute it well and get a block … it made a difference in the game.”
Junior wide receiver Connor Wedington set up Toner’s game-winner with a 43-yard kickoff return, sophomore wide receiver Michael Wilson contributed with a 27-yard punt return, while freshman punter Ryan Sanborn pinned the Beavers with two kicks inside the 20. All in all, the coverage teams sparkled.
some might say he was sanBORN to punt. (•_•) ( •_•)>⌐■-■ (⌐■_■)
“The thing we hang our hat on is trying to create field position for the offense and the defense, and score points,” said Alamar. “We never know what play is going to be a turning point in the game, so we play every play like that is going to be the play that turns the game.”
Alamar had special praise for freshman safety Jonathan McGill, who has started the last two games on defense.
“He’s done a phenomenal job on kickoff,” Alamar said. “So have (freshman safety) Brock Jones, (sophomore outside linebacker) Tobe Umerah and a lot of our younger guys.”
Injury update
After Wednesday night’s practice, David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, said senior quarterback K.J. Costello would miss his second consecutive game due to injury.
“We backed off today,” Shaw said.
Junior Davis Mills played well in his second career start against Oregon State, passing for a career-high 245 yards, three touchdowns and caught another from junior tight end Colby Parkinson.
“He’s made great progress since USC and he’s got more progress to make,” said Shaw.
Senior offensive tackle Devery Hamilton and sophomore cornerback Ethan Bonner are also out, while senior offensive guard Dylan Powell is likely sidelined for the season.
Junior strong safety Stuart Head received his first playing time of the season against Oregon State and should be available, while senior cornerback Treyjohn Butler is questionable.
Quick learners: Shaw was impressed by the play of freshmen Walter Rouse and Barrett Miller against Oregon State.
“I completely forgot that we had a freshman left tackle and freshman left guard,” said Shaw. “They’re bright kids, they’re competitive kids, and they want to do everything right.”
According to Shaw, Rouse made two mistakes while appearing in all 68 offensive snaps.
“That’s remarkable,” Shaw said. “Every time I compliment him, he says, ‘Really?’ Like most people who are successful, he’s not satisfied with being pretty good. He wants to be great. I appreciate that about him. Unbelievably conscientious, hardworking young man and he has a chance to be special.”
Washington ties
Stanford has five Washington products on its roster: sixth-year wide receiver Isaiah Brandt-Sims, junior wide receiver Cameron Buzzell, sophomore defensive end Trey LaBounty, junior offensive tackle Sarell, and junior wide receiver Wedington.
“I’m really excited to get on the field and see if any of the emotion gets me,” said Sarell, who missed last year’s game in Seattle due to injury.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Home crowd
Saturday marks Stanford’s first game with the full student body back on campus. Stanford hosted Oregon two weeks ago during new student orientation, but the Red Zone Student Section should be packed for Washington and the Cardinal looks forward to their support.
“We love that,” said senior inside linebacker Curtis Robinson. “Any support we can get is appreciated, especially the students, the individuals that we interact with every day in classes or dorms. It’s really nice to have them out there and be able to play in front of them.”
Said Shaw, “When we can get that stadium full, it’s an electric environment. It’s exciting, especially now being in school for a while. Just your friendships and you know people that are coming to watch you, especially for some of the younger guys. The freshman dorms come out to support all of the athletes in their sports, so you see the signs in the student section. They bring an energy and passion and it becomes personal.”
Scouting the Huskies
“Their offensive line plays together very well,” said Robinson. “They’re a big, seasoned group and that helps them open up holes. Their running backs are super-talented and know what to do with the ball once they see openings. If those seams are open, they’re going to take them.”
Defensively, Washington is active and physical.
“They’ve got quickness, athleticism and explosiveness up front,” said Shaw. “They get a lot of penetration and a lot of hits on the quarterback with a three- or four-man rush. It’s not about pressure with those guys, it’s about how active they are.”
Shaw on the keys to a win Saturday
“For us, it’s about playing at the level we can play at and sustaining it, which has been our challenge all year. In spurts, we’ve been outstanding; in spurts we haven’t. We have to make the plays that are there to be made and we can’t make critical mistakes. At the very least, we have to match their intensity and physicality, and you can’t start slow. If you start slowly against Washington, you’ll be down 21-0.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Smooth transition
Senior Curtis Robinson said it has been an adjustment this season moving from outside to inside linebacker.
“The biggest shift for me was eye progression,” Shaw said. “Playing on the line, you don’t have to see as much. Playing inside, we call it ‘apexing’ our vision. Looking to a certain point but seeing three different people moving different directions. That’s what I have been working on the most.”
Notes
Through five games, 13 players have made their first starts at Stanford, including five freshmen. 13 freshmen have seen game action … Wedington ranks No. 2 in the Pac-12 and No. 11 nationally in kickoff return average at 30.4 yards … Junior wide receiver Osiris St. Brown has started the last two games and has 12 receptions for 144 yards … The Cardinal roster includes players from 28 states and Austria, and 17 different majors are being taken. Engineering is the most popular with 16.
Quote
“We don’t really look at it as having to shoulder the load. We just see it as an opportunity to make an impact on the game.” — Robinson on the extended minutes he and senior inside linebacker Andrew Pryts have played.
David Shaw showed the masses he still has a few tricks up his sleeve Saturday night at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore.
Clinging to a seven-point lead against Oregon State early in the fourth quarter, Stanford had first and goal at the 8-yard line. Shaw called a reverse with junior quarterback Davis Mills pitching left to fifth-year senior running back Cameron Scarlett, who handed to junior tight end Colby Parkinson, who lofted a pass in the end zone for Mills. The latter used every inch of his 6’4″ frame to out-leap two Oregon State defenders for a touchdown.
“Colby put a little too much air under it,” said Shaw. “We knew our quarterback was going to be wide open. Davis is a great athlete and he hung up there and made a great play.”
Mills loved the call, now known as the Stanford Special.
“It was fun,” Mills said. “It was our version of the Philly Special.”
Parkinson also caught a touchdown pass from Mills, becoming the first non-quarterback at Stanford since Christian McCaffrey in the 2015 Pac-12 Championship Game to throw for and score a touchdown.
“I was very excited and very nervous,” Parkinson said.
As it turned out, Stanford needed one more score to win. Senior kicker Jet Toner grooved a 39-yard field goal with one second remaining to lift the Cardinal to a 31-28 victory.
“He’s got that cool Hawaiian breeze going through his blood,” Shaw said of Toner, a Honolulu product.
Breaking out
Stanford (2-3, 1-2 Pac-12) snapped out of its offensive funk by scoring four touchdowns against the Beavers (1-3, 0-1 Pac-12), who have lost 10 consecutive conference games. Making his second start of the season in place of injured K.J. Costello, Mills passed for three scores and caught another.
“He was calm and collected under pressure,” said Shaw. “He stood in the pocket, made some huge plays with his legs and made some really smart decisions.”
Operating behind the fourth different starting offensive line in five games, Mills threw for a career-high 245 yards.
“Not much,” said Shaw, when asked how much he revised the game plan. “Davis gets outside the pocket a little more. We protected well and guys made plays.”
Mills accompanied the team to Corvallis as a freshman, which helped prepare him for the loud and challenging environment. He didn’t flinch in the final drive.
“I have a lot of trust in the guys,” Mills said.
Shaw has been waiting for his wide receivers to step up and they did. Junior Connor Wedington caught five passes for 31 yards, junior Osiris St. Brown caught 4-for-46, sophomore Michael Wilson caught 3-for-87, sophomore Simi Fehoko caught 1-for-16, and Parkinson grabbed 3-for-44. More importantly, they contributed several big gains, going for 39, 36 and 18 yards.
Truly special
Wedington helped set up Toner’s game-winner with a 43-yard kickoff return in the final two minutes after OSU had tied the score. Senior cornerback Obi Eboh blocked a field goal, Wilson contributed a 27-yard punt return, and freshman punter Ryan Sanborn averaged 50.3 yards on three punts, lacing a career-best 68-yarder and downed two inside the 20.
“We were stellar,” Shaw said.
Stanford ranks first in the Pac-12 in kickoff coverage.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Frosh impact
In just his second start, freshman Jonathan McGill collected a game-high 11 tackles at nickel-back and was all over the field. Sophomore defensive end Thomas Booker had his first two-sack game and finished with a career-best eight tackles, and senior inside linebacker Curtis Robinson added a career-best seven stops.
The Cardinal posted four sacks and six tackles for loss.
Booker had rave reviews for McGill, cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly and the other freshmen who have stepped up on defense.
“Seeing them come in with the poise they have is awesome,” Booker said.
Huskies next
Stanford welcomes No. 15 Washington (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the first of three straight home games.
The host Huskies defeated No. 21 USC (3-2, 1-1 Pac-12) on Saturday, 28-14. Salvon Ahmed ran for a career-high 153 yards for Washington, which has outscored opponents 77-3 in the first quarter.
The Huskies won last year’s meeting at Husky Stadium, 27-23. However, the Cardinal has claimed four of the last six and eight of the last 11.
The Pac-12 Network will broadcast the Pregame Show on campus Saturday.
Game theme
Stanford football student-athletes and coaches will be sporting pink to draw awareness to breast cancer as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer survivors will be honored throughout the game. Additionally, the 2019 NCAA champion women’s water polo team will be recognized for capturing their seventh NCAA title.
Extra points
Freshman Barrett Miller started at offensive left guard alongside freshman tackle Walter Rouse … Miller became the 13th first-time starter and fifth true freshman to start for Stanford this season … As he has all season, Scarlett ran hard and tallied a team-high 92 tough yards on 24 carries. “He’s our MVP,” said Shaw … Sophomore wide receiver Brycen Tremayne, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship during fall camp, caught his first collegiate touchdown … The Stanford defense hasn’t allowed a first-quarter touchdown in six of the last eight games … The start of the game was delayed 15 minutes due to lightning in the area … Chris Peatross ’88, a four-year wide receiver at Stanford, served as honorary captain. He is the founder, president and CEO of Swift Real Estate Partners.
San Jose State stunned the masses with a win over Arkansas, but was unable to finish the brief, two-game road trip with a win at Air Force. The Spartans recently returned home, where they’ll host New Mexico on Friday night.
Here are the much-needed details, folks. Mark your calendars.
Game #5
San Jose State vs. New Mexico
Friday, October 4, 2019,
CEFCU Stadium, San Jose, Calif.
7:02 p.m. PT, CBS Sports Network
SJSU record
2-2, 0-1 Mountain West. Most recently, the Spartans lost their conference opener at Air Force, 41-24, on September 27.
New Mexico record
2-2, 0-0 Mountain West. The Lobos lost a non-conference game at Liberty, 17-10, on September 28.
Series history
San Jose State leads the series, 12-5-1. The teams are beginning their second two-season cycle of Mountain West home-and-home conference games this weekend.
The Lobos won the most recent meeting between these schools, 48-41, in Albuquerque, on October 11, 2016.
San Jose State’s last win in the series was a 31-21 victory at home on October 24, 2015. The Spartans have won the last four times these teams played in San Jose dating back to 1975. The last time New Mexico won in San Jose was a 27-24 decision on November 1, 1969. The 1971 game between these teams ended in a 21-21 tie.
San Jose State also has a bowl win over New Mexico winning the inaugural 2006 New Mexico Bowl, 20-12. San Jose State currently has a four-game postseason bowl winning streak dating back to 1990.
Play-by-play radio coverage
KKSF (910 AM, Oakland), RealTalk 910, is the new flagship radio station for San Jose State University football. Justin Allegri calls the play-by-play. Kevin Richardson provides commentary. The New Mexico broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. (PT) before game time with a pregame show.
The San Jose State vs. New Mexico broadcast with Justin Allegri and Kevin Richardson calling the action also will be carried on http://www.siriusxm.com Channel 965.
KSJS (90.5 FM, San Jose) also will broadcast the San Jose State-New Mexico game starting at 6:45 p.m. PT.
Television
The CBS Sports Network will provide broadcast coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m. PT. Jason Horowitz calls the play-by-play. Malik Zaire provides commentary. The CBS Sports Network is available Comcast Channel 643, DirecTV Channel 221, and DISH Network Channel 158.
Athletics Ticket Office, 1393 S. 7th Street, San José, CA 95112, weekdays, 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.
Ticket prices range from $10.00 for a general admission seat to $58.00 for a reserved seat.
Tickers for home games at CEFCU Stadium
• Modern family plan
• Group ticket pricing starting at $12.00 per ticket
• Three-game “mini plans” starting at $59.00
Game promotions
• Brew & Vine — Greatest Tailgate Party You’ve Never Been To — $35.00/per person beginning at 5:00 p.m. includes tasting for two hours, meal voucher & game ticket • Parent & Family Weekend
A 2-2 record at the end of September: For the first time since the 2015 season, San Jose State enters an October with a 2-2 overall win-loss record. The 2019 Spartans had an opportunity to finish September with at least 3-1 overall mark for the first time since 2012, but lost at Air Force, 41-24.
Back-to-back Friday games
For the first time since 1950, San Jose State is playing football games on consecutive Fridays. This week’s game vs. New Mexico follows the Friday, September 27 conference contest at Air Force.
In 1950, San Jose State hosted Loyola (Calif.), now LMU, on Friday, October 13, losing 14-7, and traveled to the University of San Francisco on Friday, October 20, suffering a 27-0 shutout loss. After losing to USF, the Spartans, coached by first-year head coach Bob Bronzan, went 4-0-1 to finish the season with a 6-3-1 win-loss record, the program’s fifth consecutive winning season in the post World War II period.
Emphasis on a positive turnover margin paying off
A point of emphasis for this year’s San Jose State team is finishing in the top-25 in turnover margin.
After the first month of the season, San Jose State ranks tied for sixth nationally in turnover margin at +6 or 1.5 per game. The Spartans have seven interceptions, which is tied for fourth nationally, and came up with their first two fumble recoveries of the season in the Air Force contest.
For their first four games, San Jose State lost the ball only three times on two fumbles and one pass interception. Through games of September 28, the Spartans are tied for eighth nationally in fewest times losing the ball.
A year ago, San Jose State finished at +1, a significant improvement from the 2017 season when the team had a minus-26 turnover margin figure.
First blocked kick of the season
San Jose State notched its first blocked kick of the season when linebacker Hadari Darden was credited with deflecting an Air Force extra-point attempt following a Falcons’ third-quarter touchdown.
The Spartans are one of 59 FBS schools to block a punt or a kick-scoring try in games played through September 28.
A San Jose State first since 2007
In the Air Force game, freshman Nick Nash became the first San Jose State quarterback since Adam Tafralis in 2007 to have rushing and passing attempts and catch a pass thrown by a teammate in the same game.
Nash was San Jose State’s leading rusher against Air Force with 62 yards on 11 carries and had the Spartans’ longest run of the game at 19 yards. He completed 5-of-7 passes without an interception for 82 yards and two touchdowns. In the first quarter, he caught a Josh Love pass for 4 yards.
Nash joins former San Jose State quarterbacks Tafralis, Scott Rislov in a 2002 win over UTEP and current University of Oregon offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo in a 2001 NCAA record-setting victory against Nevada as Spartan signal callers to display their offensive versatility rushing, passing and receiving in the same game since the 1976 season.
Since 1976, the feat now has been accomplished 16 times. Former San Jose State running back and current Arizona Cardinals running backs coach James Saxon did it four times, three times in 1987 and once in 1986.
Sharing the wealth
Twice this season in the Northern Colorado and Air Force games, at least 10 Spartans caught had a pass reception. In the Northern Colorado victory, 10 Spartans had a pass reception. At Air Force, 11 San Jose State players were credited with a catch.
photo from islandpacket.com: Duke quarterback Chris Katrenick (15) scores on a 9-yard touchdown run past Virginia Tech defender Alan Tisdale (34) and Jaylen Griffin (41) in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Blacksburg, Va.
On the NCAAF podcast with Michelle:
#1 The Duke Blue Devils totally dominated Virginia Tech all day on Friday. Duke quarterback Quentin Harris passed 20-27 for 163 yards and two touchdowns, Harris also carried for 100 yards and a touchdown in the 45-10 victory. The win puts Duke at 3-1.
#2 Arizona State improved their record to 4-1 with a win over the Cal Bears on Friday night. ASU quarterback Jayden Daniels threw for 174 yards, the Sun Devils running back Eno Benjamin literally carried the game for ASU scoring three touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards. ASU head coach Herm Edwards has really got this school moving forward. The Sun Devils have won four of their last five games.
#3 Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith who co-chairs on the NCAA group on the likeness, endorsement, and sponsorship money said that if the California bill goes into effect that will allow student athletes to get paid for playing and for likeness endorsements. Ohio State will not participate in any games against any California teams. Smith said those schools will not be NCAA members.
The San Jose State football team had hoped to win two games in a row on Friday night against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Did it happen? Nope.
SJSU got the party started with a body blow. DeJon Packer punched it in from 1-yard out and the Spartans scored a touchdown on the opening drive for a 7-0 lead at 10:50 of the first quarter. Matt Mercurio kicked in the extra point.
But Air Force rained on SJSU’s parade and pretty much never looked back. Timothy Jackson scored on a 7-yard run to tie the game 7-7 with 4:57 left in the first. Jake Koehnke kicked in the extra point.
The game was tied 7-7 after the first.
Despite Bailey Gaither making a noteworthy catch on the sidelines and DeJon Packer having as many touchdowns so far this season (3) as in his first two seasons combined, Air Force poured in the points in the second quarter with 14. Donald Hammond III threw a pass to Geraud Sanders for a 64-yard touchdown with 8:43 left in the second. Taven Birdow plunged in from 1-yard out for the touchdown with 5:30 left in the second. Jake Koehnke kicked in both of the extra points.
SJSU cut their deficit to 11, thanks to Matt Mercurio’s 25-yard field goal with 48 seconds left in the second. After that, Air Force drove to the 4-yard line, but Jesse Osuna recovered a fumble and it was the Spartans’ football.
The Spartans trailed 21-10 at halftime.
Air Force, however, was ruthless in the third quarter. The Falcons opened the second half with a touchdown. Christian Mallard ran for a 3-yard touchdown for his first score of the season at 12:05 of the third quarter. Mallard then rushed for his second score, a 7-yard touchdown, at 10:10 of the third. The Falcons also held the Spartans on the 1-yard line and took over on downs. Jake Koehnke’s first kick was blocked, but his second kick was a success for the extra point.
Once again, Air Force started things off in the fourth quarter. Taven Birdow ran for a 3-yard touchdown for a 41-10 lead with 7:48 left in the fourth. Jake Koehnke kicked in the extra point.
SJSU heated up late in the fourth, but it was too little, too late. Props to the Spartans for showing no quit though.
Nick Nash threw a pass to Andre Crump for a 30-yard touchdown to pull within 24 with 3:51 left in the fourth. The Spartans then got a 4th down stop on their own 22-yard line and it was their ball. Nash wrapped up the scoring with a pass to Derrick Deese Jr. for a 6-yard touchdown to pull within 17 with just 52 seconds left in regulation. Matt Mercurio kicked in both of the extra points.
According to Mark Soltau, Colby Parkinson didn’t see it coming.
Last November on Senior Day against Oregon State, Parkinson — a junior tight end — tied a school record by catching four touchdown passes from then junior quarterback K.J. Costello — all in the first half — in Stanford’s 48-17 win. Coming into the contest, Parkinson had 17 receptions and no touchdowns, but finished with six grabs for 166 yards.
Parkinson scored on a variety of routes, finding pay dirt from 5, 9, 28 and 75 yards.
“It was a great game and fun to be part of,” Parkinson said. “I don’t think I caught a ball twice on the same person.”
Leading into the game, junior tight end Kaden Smith and senior wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside had been Costello’s favorite targets. But Arcega-Whiteside didn’t play after sustaining an injury the week before at Washington.
“It’s just kind of how it evolved,” Parkinson said of his first half. “We always put in different plans for different people in certain games and we have matchups that we like. The ball was coming my way.”
After playing in Smith’s shadow, Parkinson showed he was a threat.
“We did some things to get him singled up,” said David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football. “I don’t know that he was enough of a name to have specialty coverage for. That game really proved how special he can be.”
The contest had special meaning for Parkinson, who grew in Simi Valley, Calif. That week, the devastating Camp Fire in Butte County and Woolsey Fire west of Los Angeles were raging in Northern and Southern California. Additionally, a shooting near his hometown in Thousand Oaks, took the lives of 12 people.
“It was almost sentimental,” Parkinson said. “It was pretty cool to hopefully give some of my friends and family back home something to watch.”
This season, the 6-foot-7, 251-pound Parkinson ranks second on the squad with 17 receptions for 178 yards, but has yet to score. With Arcega-Whiteside and Smith now playing in the NFL, opposing defenses have made stopping Parkinson a priority, often jamming him at the line of scrimmage and double-teaming him.
“You’ve seen it in the first four games – I’m not getting the same looks I was getting last year,” said Parkinson, who will try to help Stanford (1-3, 0-2 Pac-12) snap a three-game losing streak at Oregon State (1-2, 0-0 Pac-12) at 4 p.m. on Saturday. “It seems like they’re game-planning for me, which is definitely a compliment.”
The coaching staff is working hard to find ways to free him up.
“It’s incumbent on us to move him around and show his versatility,” Shaw said. “At the same time, if they want to take him away, other guys have to make plays.”
All Parkinson cares about is winning.
“I’m happy not to catch a single pass if that means other people are getting open,” Parkinson said. “It’s absolutely a team sport, especially in that way.”
Plagued by penalties and near misses, the Cardinal offense has only produced four touchdowns.
Parkinson is confident the offense is close to clicking.
“Absolutely,” Parkinson said. “I feel great at practice this week. I’ve kind of changed my attitude. It was easier for me last year having those established vertical threats like JJ and Kaden. We have great talent on this team. It’s been tough, but I’m excited about where we’re going.”
SLOW START: Stanford’s losses have come against No. 22 UCF, No. 21 USC and No. 13 Oregon, who are a combined 9-3. Although many consider the Cardinal’s first four games the toughest stretch in the country, Shaw offered no excuses.
“We haven’t been up to our standards,” Shaw said. “Injuries aren’t the reason for our record.”
Eliminating mistakes, better execution and making plays are the Cardinal’s keys going forward.
“I trust the mentality of this football team,” said Shaw. “I think we all are a little frustrated, which I think is a positive, because we should be frustrated. We’re not going to press and scrap a lot of things. We need to tweak some things and improve the things we’re doing.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
HANGING TOUGH: Costello is questionable for Oregon State. He injured his throwing thumb early in the game after hitting an Oregon helmet with his follow through on a pass.
“He fought through it the whole game and made some great throws late in the game,” Shaw said. “It’s hard to say how much it affected him.”
Asked if he considered inserting junior backup Davis Mills, Shaw said, “Honestly, I think there were only two errant throws the entire game. He put the ball on the money a couple times with guys in his face. It wasn’t like he couldn’t do the job.”
INJURY UPDATE: Junior offensive tackle Foster Sarell is probable and senior offensive tackle Devery Hamilton is doubtful.
Sophomore cornerback Ethan Bonner, senior cornerback Treyjohn Butler and junior strong safety Stuart Head could return to practice and might be available Saturday.
DEFENSIVE FORCE: Fifth-year senior outside linebacker Casey Toohill is first in the Pac-12 in sacks with four and second in tackles for loss with six. He leads the team with 28 tackles and has one forced fumble and two hurries.
“I thought we came out with more fire,” Toohill said of last week’s 21-6 defeat to Oregon. “That really should be our standard. I think we really need to bring the same juice every game.”
ALL OUT: Sophomore wide receiver Michael Wilson likes being physical and goes hard until he hears a whistle on every play. He developed that mentality in youth football.
“I just have the desire to out-work my opponent,” Wilson said. “Coach Shaw really wants that to be the theme of the Stanford football team. It has been in the past. I like to bring professional brutality. If you keep attacking over and over again, a lot of guys aren’t going to like that.”
Asked about the team’s offensive struggles, Wilson said, “People love to see big plays made and we want to make big plays. That’s why we put in all this work throughout the offseason.”
The danger is trying to force things.
“In a way, you kind of have to let the game come to you,” Wilson said. “I think when you try too hard to make a play, that’s oftentimes when you don’t. You have to have this calm way about it. We’ve got guys across the board that can make plays. Hopefully, it starts this game.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
BACK TO CLASS: Autumn quarter classes began Monday.
“It’s definitely gotten more hectic, but we’re Stanford men, and this is what we signed up for,” Wilson said. “I love it. School is a big part of why I came here. I love the challenge.”
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS: Toohill is impressed with Oregon State’s offense and knows stopping it will be a challenge.
“Great running backs and receivers,” Toohill said. “Like any Pac-12 offense, they can put up a lot of points. I don’t think their record reflects how good they are. There are no easy weeks in the Pac-12, so you always have to be on your game.”
Quarterback Jake Luton, now in his sixth year of college football, has thrown for eight touchdowns and hasn’t been intercepted. Running back Jermar Jefferson has rushed for 270 yards and averages 5.7 yards per carry, while wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins has snared five scoring passes and averages 15.1 yards per catch.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
NOTES: Shaw typically watches film of the last game at least three times by Sunday night … Shaw on playing at Reser Stadium: “Every time I think of Corvallis, I think of that third down chainsaw (played over the PA system). It’s unnaturally loud. It’s a great atmosphere, it’s loud and those guys are going to be fired up.” … Junior tight end Tucker Fisk and sophomore fullback Jay Symonds made their first collegiate catches against Oregon … Fifth-year senior running back Cameron Scarlett ranks fourth in the Pac-12 with 321 yards and has caught 10 passes for 88 yards.
QUOTE: “I’ve never seen a guy that has so much natural wiggle. He’s like a magician with his body.” — Michael Wilson on freshman running back Austin Jones
San Jose State quarterback Josh Love led the Spartans to a 31-24 comeback road win over Arkansas on September 21 and is now one of 185 national semifinalists for the 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Mazda.
Now in its 30th year, the award recognizes college football’s top scholar-athlete for combined academic success, football performance and leadership on the field and in the community. The National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame oversee the prestigious awards program.
Love, a senior from Mission Viejo, Calif., is in his third season as a starting quarterback for the Spartans. After three games, Love is realizing his best season at the major college level. He has completed 62.7 percent of his passes with only one interception for 815 yards and five touchdowns. More significantly, he led San Jose State on a fourth-quarter game-winning 75-yard touchdown drive at Arkansas after the Razorbacks tied the score at 24-24 with less than 3:00 remaining in regulation play.
Love, a business management information systems major, is a three-time Academic All-Mountain award recipient.
During his college career, Love has been very active in the team’s Beyond Football program. Most recently, he organized a presentation to the team by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). He is one of the many Spartans to participate in the Silicon Valley YWCA’s annual Walk A Mile In Her Shoes fundraiser to raise awareness that any form of violence directed towards women must end.
To be eligible for consideration, a football student-athlete must be a senior or graduate student, in one’s final year of athletics eligibility, possess a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale, be a significant contributor on the team, and demonstrate strong leadership and citizenship traits.
“These 185 impressive candidates truly represent the scholar-athlete ideal,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively.
“For more than 60 years, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete program has showcased more than 800 college football players who have been successful on the football field, in the classroom and in the community. And we are excited to celebrate the 30th year of the William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, which honors the best of the best. This year’s semifinalists further illustrate the power of our great sport in developing the next generation of influential leaders.”
Named in honor of the late Bill Campbell, former chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF’s Gold Medal, the Campbell Trophy Presented by Mazda is a 25-pound bronze trophy and increases the amount of the recipient’s grant by $7,000 for a total postgraduate scholarship of $25,000. This year’s postgraduate scholarships will push the program’s all-time distribution to more than $11.7 million.
“The NFF would like to personally congratulate each of the nominees as well as their schools and coaches on their tremendous accomplishments,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “We are extremely proud to highlight each semifinalist’s achievements, showcasing their ability to balance academics and athletics at the highest level. The NFF Awards Committee will have an incredibly difficult task in selecting the finalists from this outstanding group of candidates.”
From the 185 semifinalists, 12 to 14 finalists will be announced on October 30. Each finalist will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and travel to New York City for the 62nd annual National Football foundation Scholar-Athlete awards dinner in December.
Named in honor of the late Bill Campbell, former chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF’s Gold Medal, the Campbell Trophy Presented by Mazda is a 25-pound bronze trophy and increases the amount of the recipient’s grant by $7,000 for a total postgraduate scholarship of $25,000. This year’s postgraduate scholarships will push the program’s all-time distribution to more than $11.7 million.
In the history of the program, San Jose State wide receiver Tim Crawley was the Spartans’ first National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete in 2016.
