JJ Arcega-Whiteside was selected in the second round with the 57th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft on Friday night by the Philadelphia Eagles. A wide receiver from Inman, S.C., Arcega-Whiteside is the first Cardinal selected by the Eagles since Ed Reynolds in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
“JJ makes big catches that change field position and scores touchdowns,” Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw said. “He is a difference maker that can make highlight catches and that is one of those traits that translates really well from college to the NFL.”
A 2018 team captain and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, Arcega-Whiteside earned All-Pac 12 second team honors last season while tying a 41-year-old school record with 14 touchdown catches. He finished second in school history with 28 career touchdown receptions and third in school history with nine 100-yard receiving games. His 2,219 career receiving yards are the 12th-most all-time at Stanford and his 135 receptions rank 18th.
“His work ethic is unbelievable,” said wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy. “He wants to be a really good player. I think he’s only scratched the tip of his potential. Play after play after play after play, if you look at him throughout his career at Stanford, he just continued to make plays. He’s not only a great player, but a great person. The Eagles are getting a player who will not only improve the organization as a player, but even more so as a person.”
Arcega-Whiteside totaled 63 catches for 1,059 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior in 2018. His 14 touchdown catches led the Pac-12 and ranked No. 3 in the country. His 1,059 receiving yards were the fifth-most in Stanford history for a single season and his five 100-yard receiving games were the fourth-most in a given year.
In 2017, Arcega-Whiteside earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention after totaling a team-high 48 receptions for 781 yards and nine touchdowns. He totaled 24 catches for 379 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore in 2016, earning Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention.
Bobby Okereke was selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft with the 89th overall pick on Friday night by the Indianapolis Colts. An inside linebacker from Santa Ana, Calif. Okereke is the first Cardinal selected by the Colts since Henry Anderson in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
“Bobby has intrigued the scouts during the pre-draft process,” Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw said. “His length, speed and athleticism have truly put him on the radar for a lot of teams. From day one, he will probably be a starter on multiple special teams and will be battling to get on the field as a linebacker early in his career for the Colts.”
A 2018 team captain, Okereke was twice named All-Pac-12 honorable mention during his career. He played in 51 career games, totaling 240 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. He also had nine passes defended, one interception, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He added a touchdown and safety for the Cardinal.
“Bobby Okereke is an all-down linebacker,” inside linebackers coach Peter Hansen said. “He is long, he is fast, he has good hip flexibility and he can flip his hips and cover in space. He can tackle in space, too. He has extremely long arms so he can keep himself clean off blockers. He will fit in really well with the Colts.”
As a senior last season, Okereke was named a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy and was on the watch lists for the Butkus and Bednarik Awards. He started all 13 games, leading the team for a second straight year with 96 tackles (52 solo). He also had 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, five pass breakups and a safety.
In 2017, Okereke played in 14 games and had 96 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He also had one forced fumble and returned an interception for a touchdown at Washington State. As a junior in 2016, he started all 13 games he played and made 41 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks. He played in 11 games with seven tackles as a sophomore in 2015.
For San Jose State University tight end Josh Oliver, a dream came true on the second day of the 2019 NFL Draft as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first selection in the third round.
Oliver was the 69th overall selection in the Draft. He was the fifth tight end, the second from the 12-team Mountain West, and the second player from one of the three Bay Area schools that included Pac-12 Conference members Stanford and Cal to hear his name announced in the Draft so far.
“I like to pattern my game after Tony Gonzalez. As a freshman coming in (to San Jose State), my college coach showed me a lot of Tony Gonzalez tape and I’d like to do as much as he can,” Oliver said in his first interview with the Jaguars media. He will be united with new Jags offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, who had the same position at SJSU during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Oliver, the 6’5″, 250-lb tight end from Paso Robles, Calif., is the first SJSU player in 10 years to be chosen in the first three rounds of a Draft. In 2009, defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert, the 68th overall selection by the Chicago Bears, and cornerback Christopher Owens, the 90th overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons, were among the top 100 players drafted that year.
Oliver was a first-team All-MW choice as a senior in 2018. He caught a team-high 56 passes for 709 yards and four touchdowns. 38 of his receptions (67.8%) resulted in a first down, one of the top three percentages by a NCAA Division I FBS tight end last season. He concluded his college career playing in the 2019 Senior Bowl.
For SJSU, Oliver is the third tight end drafted by a NFL team since 1996. Brian Roche was a third-round draft choice, 81st overall selection, by the San Diego Chargers in 1996. In 2004, Courtney Anderson was an Oakland Raiders’ seventh round pick, 245th overall.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose State University and its Division of Intercollegiate Athletics will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the future construction of a new Football Operations Center on the east side of CEFCU Stadium, Home of the Spartans. The ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday morning, June 5 at 11:00 am inside CEFCU Stadium.
Conceived in 2016 as a centerpiece in the development of the university’s 62 acres of land at the South Campus, the Football Operations Center will be a multi-story structure centralizing all of Spartan Football’s needs into one state-of-the-art building. The new facility will enhance all facets of football operations and provide a first-class environment for our student-athletes to succeed in the classroom, in competition, and in life.
“The Football Operations Center will provide our football team, athletics department and the entire university state-of-the-art spaces to compete and learn. This critical project will provide much needed services for our football program and will be utilized by other sport teams and campus divisions. The center will provide enhanced game-day experiences for our fans,” said Marie Tuite, SJSU’s director of athletics.
“This project is a crucial footprint to the overall renovation and enhancement of facilities on South Campus. Although our football program will be the main tenants, building multi-use facilities is always our objective.”
The new operations center will include locker rooms, an auditorium, offices, spectator seating on the 50-yard line and a Hall of Champions event space. The total project would be a rebuild on the stadium’s east side and also provide support to the Spartans’ men’s and women’s soccer programs.
Currently, the project budget is listed at $40-million. To date, $24.7 million has been raised for the Football Operations Center.
The work slated to take place during the summer includes removing bleacher sections along the stadium’s east side and landscape in order to set the foundation for building. During this time, SJSU will initiate a formal bidding process to determine both construction and architecture firms.
After the 2019 football season, the next phase of work will include moving the hill and relocating the scoreboard including lighting currently located along the east side — all required preparation for the physical construction of the center.
When the Football Operations Center is completed, the Spartan football program would move out of the Simpkins Stadium Center, opened in 1993 on the 7th Street side of CEFCU Stadium, to the opposite side of the stadium.
“The Football Operations Center will be a game-changer for San Jose State University. We are building a winning program here and our new home will provide our players, coaches, and staff the opportunities to succeed on the field, academically, and through our Beyond Football program,” said SJSU football head coach Brent Brennan.
“It will show future Spartans that we have a vision and a plan for a winning football program that goes to bowl games and competes for conference championships.”
The groundbreaking ceremony is open to the public. Parking will be available in the Park & Ride Lot, located across the street from the 7th Street side of CEFCU Stadium.
To learn how you can support Spartan football, please visit sjsufootball.com or contact Josh Thiel, deputy athletics director for athletics advancement, at (408) 924-1697 or joshua.thiel@sjsu.edu.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose State University will play Western Michigan University in a non-conference home-and-home football series during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, respectively. Marie Tuite, the Spartans’ Director of Athletics, made the announcement for the university.
SJSU will travel to Kalamazoo, Mich. for the first time in program history for a Sept. 25, 2021 road game. The return game in San Jose, Calif. will be in CEFCU Stadium on Sept. 24, 2022.
When the Spartans face the Broncos on the road in 2021, it will be the first time these teams are competing against each other in football.
Western Michigan has been a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) since 1947. SJSU, a Mountain West member, has faced current MAC institutions: Miami (Ohio), Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan in its football history since 1979.
One of the biggest question marks entering spring practice was whether reduced hitting would delay the development of young and inexperienced Stanford Cardinal football players heading into fall camp.
After watching last Saturday’s Cardinal and White Spring Game, that doesn’t seem to be the case for the team.
Bodies were flying around Cagan Stadium, especially on defense, who recorded a 20-14 win by limiting the offense to two touchdowns. The defense recorded four sacks against four quarterbacks and played aggressively throughout.
“I like where our defensive backs and young linebackers are right now,” said David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football.
Due to injuries, especially on the offensive line, Shaw and his staff chose to limit physical contact and focus on technique and individual skill development this spring.
“We played fast and hard,” said freshman inside linebacker Ricky Miezan, who hopes to contend for one of two spots created by the departure of mainstays Bobby Okereke and Sean Barton. “All the work we put in this spring manifested itself.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Miezan and Jacob Mangum-Farrar are expected to battle converted outside linebacker Curtis Robinson, Andrew Pryts and Ryan Beecher for inside playing time.
“In the fall, I picked up so much from Bobby and Sean,” Miezan said. “The older guys kind of mentored us into what a Stanford linebacker is.”
For the record, Okereke led the team with 96 tackles each of the last two seasons.
“Not having as many live periods definitely helped, just focusing in on us and building the inside linebackers,” said Miezan. “We haven’t had that much game experience, so we have been focusing on techniques. We need to start with the basics and build from there.”
The nation’s third-ranked high school lacrosse player, the Alexandria, Va., native, didn’t play football until his junior year, but caught on quickly. As a senior, he made 55 tackles and earned all-state honors.
“I was a midfielder, so the back and forth running really helped with conditioning,” he said. “I feel I can stay out and endure a lot of plays and stay fresh. Lacrosse really helped with my side-to-side movement and agility.”
As a true freshman last season, Miezan appeared in four Cardinal games on special teams. He quickly learned that skill does always translate to success.
“You can be a great athlete, but you need to know the scheme to be able to go out there and play,” said Miezan. “That’s the number one thing: hone-in on the details and understand what you’re doing so you can play fast.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
New roles
Several young receivers stood out this spring, notably Connor Wedington, Michael Wilson and Simi Fehoko. Wedington was limited by injuries last year and appeared in four games and redshirted, while the 6’2″ Wilson played in all 13 contests with two starts, catching 14 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. The 6’4″ Fehoko returned after a two-year church mission and saw action in the last four games, grabbing one reception.
“It’s been so good to finally get back on the field and play the game I love,” said Fehoko, who teamed up with K.J. Costello for a 19-yard touchdown catch Saturday on a short crossing route.
“We’re young but we’re talented.”
Big contributions are also expected from Osiris St. Brown, Donald Stewart and Brycen Tremayne.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
“We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Shaw, looking to replace JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Trenton Irwin. “Michael and Connor had outstanding springs. Simi started off with an injury but was able to come back. I think the combination of guys we have right now is pretty exciting.”
So does cornerback Paulson Adebo. As a first-year starter, he led the nation with 24 passes defended and earned FWAA All-America second team.
“We have a chance to let them loose and do some good things,” he said of the Stanford wideouts. “We didn’t get to see that much of Connor last year, but I think he’s going to do some big things.”
Costello and the other quarterbacks spent extra time after practice working with the receivers to improve timing and chemistry. That will continue during voluntary workouts the next few months.
Fehoko and Costello have a long-standing connection.
“All the way back to high school,” said Fehoko. “We played in the Army All-American Game together. We’re close and we’re going to get there.”
Added Costello, “The second half of last season, every guy on the field, every route they ran, I just had insane confidence.”
Admittedly, it’s a process.
“Even with JJ, I remember barely missing on stuff for a year-and-a-half,” Costello said. “I’m going to do everything I can to help them develop. I want success from one-on-one and seven-on-seven to correlate to the team.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Not satisfied Adebo intercepted one pass and nearly had another in the spring game.
“I gotta finish the second one,” he said.
After establishing himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the country last year, Adebo is looking to step up his game.
“I think the big thing for me is just trying to keep being aggressive, having good eye control, and knowing that there are going to be a lot of double moves since I’m jumping routes,” he said.
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Running backs, tight ends praised Shaw singled out his running backs for their work this spring. A new starter is assured with the loss of Bryce Love.
“I like the way they are running right now,” he said, “there are a lot of things we worked on that we didn’t do (Saturday), but our guys are running hard.
“I think we used our tight ends well. Maybe not like we typically do, but our tight ends are in a good spot. I told them I really appreciate all they have done. I told them to execute and that’s what we did.”
Photo credit: gostanford.com
Sense of urgency Fall training camp begins August 1 and the season opener is August 31 against the Northwestern Wildcats at Stanford Stadium. The Wildcats (9-5) were Big Ten West Division champs last year and capped their season by winning the Holiday Bowl 31-20 over the Utah Utes.
The Cardinal opens Pac-12 play at perennial rival USC on Sept. 7, then travels to Orlando to face UCF, who has lost one game in two years.
“Our offense needs to be ready to go by day one,” Costello said. “Last year, I feel like we started late. We got into a groove the last half of the season. If we can do that for the bulk of the season, everything else will take care of itself.”
Good stick Costello, a scratch golfer, found time after the season to sharpen his game. He fired a career-best 3-under-par 69 at California Golf Club in South San Francisco.
Costello is a big fan of Cardinal alum Tiger Woods, who earned his 15th major championship on Sunday at the Masters. Costello was glued to his television.
.@kj_costello got to meet Tiger Woods during his freshman year…well, kinda.
Full effort
Stanford was short on offensive lineman this spring so Drew Dalman, Henry Hattis, Grant Pease, Dylan Powell and Foster Sarell played every down in the Spring Game. The team needed each of them on every play to make the game possible and they delivered. Tucker Fisk also played a key role for the offensive line as he filled in when needed during spring practices.
Familiar faces
Among the former players who attended the Spring Game to lend support were Toby Gerhart, Kevin Hogan, Brennan Scarlett, Frank Buncom, Kaden Smith, Trenton Irwin, Nate Herbig, Keller Chryst, Jake Bailey, Arcega-Whiteside, Okereke and Nick Wilson.
Many attended an alumni networking social the previous night. Gerhart, enrolled at Stanford Graduate School of Business, arrived wearing cleats and had gloves hanging out of his back pocket. He left early to play in an intramural football game for his GSB team.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Spartan Nation had a lot to look forward to Saturday as the San Jose State football team hosted a long list of pre-Easter festivities at CEFCU Stadium. The list began with a helmet and jersey sale at 11:00 am, a town hall meeting and youth football camp at 12:00 pm, a family fun zone at 12:30 pm, an Easter egg hunt at 1:15 pm, a brew fest at 1:30 pm, and alas, a spring game!
SJSU head coach Brent Brennan said: “It was just a really awesome day.”
The spring game was broken down into 10 segments with two breaks.
The first segment featured the first offense versus the second defense. Running back Tyler Nevens displayed his durability in his position and was a part of the Spartans’ offensive attack. Nevens rushed for a good amount of yards.
The second segment featured the second offense versus the first defense. A notable moment was when a deep pass was thrown through the air. The lucky fans in attendance who texted “C” for a deep pass won $100 gift cards to use at the SJSU bookstore.
The third segment featured the first offense versus the second defense. The Spartans offense was fired up and scored some touchdowns and field goals.
Brennan said: “The team put it in a lot of hard work and effort. Let’s hope they’ll keep this streak up.”
After the first break, there was the fourth segment, which displayed the second offense versus the first defense.
SJSU quarterback Josh Love said: “I feel really confident after all the work I’ve put in in the offseason as it helped me get comfortable with myself.”
The fifth segment was a little different as the third offense took on the third defense. Still, it was good all-around for both teams on the field.
Brennan said: “I thought the defense was lights out. It seemed like it was a little bit hotter today, but I thought they had some big hits and put some pressure on the quarterback. They all made plays.”
The sixth segment featured the first offense versus the second defense. The offense continued to put in the work with running and rushing plays. The defense made quite a few defensive stops, which was a positive thing.
SJSU defensive coordinator Derrick Odum said: “We’re working on a lot of things in practices. We’re going to start with our install a lot further down the line than we’ve ever had in the past, so that was really good, and if we could just polish up on a few things, we’ll be fine. I was excited to see the guys buying in and doing stuff.”
After the second break, there was the seventh segment, which displayed the second offense versus the first offense.
The eighth segment featured the first offense versus the second offense. Both offenses put on an offensive show and looked fairly promising to the offensive coaches on the coaching staff.
The ninth segment featured the second offense versus the first defense. Again, both teams appeared to be locked in like they were in previous segments.
SJSU safety prospect Tre Webb said: “I just have to work on knowing everything. I got to read the playbook inside and out. I have to be better — not only for myself, but also for the people around me.”
Finally, the 10th segment showcased the third offense versus the third defense. There was a Spartans touchdown late the game, which was like the cherry on top. Chance LaChappelle made a pass to Lenard, Jr. to close out the game. The defense edged the offense 26-24.
When asked how he’d characterize the Spartans’ defense so far, SJSU safety Jonathan Lenard, Jr. responded: “It’s everything. We’re swarming. We have these things called ‘blue line” and “100-100″ where you give 100 perfect effort, 100 effort of the time.”
Lenard added: “It’s also about the physicality. We like to play physical football.”
The Spartans open the 2019 regular season against the Northern Colorado Bears at CEFCU Stadium on Thursday, August 29. Brennan hopes this will be the season where his team kicks the door down and find ways to finish their games as a team.
The Stanford Cardinal football team concluded its spring session Saturday with a spring game at Cagan Stadium in Stanford, Calif. The Cardinal will not be in action until the start of training camp. The Cardinal last edged the Pittsburgh Panthers 14-13 in the Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve 2018.
Cardinal and White fans flocked over to Cagan Stadium to snag sweet posters of KJ Costello, Cameron Scarlett, Malik Antoine, Colby Parkinson, Jordan Fox, Casey Toohill, Paulson Adebo and Walker Little; and, of course, stuck around for the game as well as postgame autographs.
It was a beautiful day at Cagan Stadium. Cardinal head coach David Shaw and his players were all set for the game. The Cardinal turned heads when Connor Wedington flawlessly caught a pass in the early minutes of the game. Paulson Adebo then caught a perfect pass near the 10-yard line.
Meanwhile, some members of the Cardinal women’s basketball team were in attendance to watch their fellow Cardinal student-athletes battle it out on the field.
Dorian Maddox made a fast burst for a big gain, which was very fun to watch. Maddox was able to get past several defenders on the field. Also, Simi Fehoko found himself a little bit of space, just like Maddox.
The game ended in one of the greatest ways possible — a pass for a touchdown!
Five Stanford Cardinal football players were honored on Wednesday by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame as members of the 2019 Hampshire Honor Society. Jake Bailey, Sean Barton, Frank Buncom, Jesse Burkett and Dylan Jackson were recognized for their high achievements in the classroom and on the field.
In its 13th year, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society honors student-athletes who have:
• Completed their final year of playing eligibility in 2018; or graduated players who have remaining eligibility but will not return to collegiate play
• Achieved a 3.2 cumulative GPA throughout the entire course of undergraduate study
• Met all NCAA-mandated progress toward degree requirements
• Been a starter or significant contributor throughout the 2018 season
Jake Bailey (3.22 GPA; Science, Technology and Society), a punter from Solana Beach, Calif., was a three-time All-Pac 12 honoree during his career. He was also a two-time Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention honoree and finished as Stanford’s all-time career leader in punting average (43.81). He also kicked off for the Cardinal, in addition to his punting duties, and had 173 career touchbacks.
Sean Barton (3.49 GPA; International Relations), an inside linebacker from North Salt Lake, Utah was twice named to the Pac-12 All-Academic second team during his career. He finished with 141 career tackles (76 solo) with 10.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. He also forced three fumbles, had three fumble recoveries and an interception in his career.
Frank Buncom (3.31 GPA; Human Biology; minor in Communication), a free safety from San Diego, Calif., was a three-time Pac-12 All-Academic honoree during his career. He finished with 115 tackles (66 solo) in 39 career games with five interceptions and 17 passes defended. He also had one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a touchdown in his career.
Jesse Burkett (3.50 GPA; Japanese; minor in Computer Science), a center from St. Augustine, Fla., was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2017 and was CoSIDA Academic All-District three times during his career. He was also a four-time Pac-12 All-Academic honoree. He played in 42 career games and made 37 starts, earning All-Pac 12 honorable mention in 2018. He was also a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy last season.
Dylan Jackson (3.32 GPA; Political Science; minor in History), a defensive end from Maryville, Tenn., earned first team Pac-12 All-Academic twice and earned Pac-12 All-Academic honors a total of three times. He posted 84 tackles (33 solo) with 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one pass breakup and two fumble recoveries in 39 career games.
Stanford hosts the Cardinal and White Spring Game on Saturday at Cagan Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 pm PT and will be live on Pac-12 Networks. In addition to the Spring Game, fans can take advantage of all of Saturday’s events on campus during the Cardinalpalooza.
For the first time in the 13-year history of the National Football Foundation’s Hampshire Honor Society program, three San Jose State Spartans players from one team are receiving the prestigious recognition.
Quarterback Michael Carrillo, a master’s degree candidate in business administration; kicker Bryce Crawford, a communications studies major; and long snapper Harrison Hoffman, a business accounting major, are seniors from the 2018 Spartan team invited into the Society.
“It’s awesome. Those thee players are such incredible young men who did everything right all the time. It’s exciting to see them get recognized for their efforts academically,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan.
“We know how hard it is to balance the challenge of school and football and being a Division I athlete. Those guys all were exceptional. We were lucky to have them be important members of our football program.”
Football student-athletes from all NCAA and NAIA Divisions qualify for admission by maintaining a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average or better throughout their college careers, been significant players on their team during the 2018 season, and have completed their final year of eligibility.
“It means a lot. I value education a lot. To get the recognition at the end of all of it, all the hard work wasn’t for nothing. It’s pretty special,” said Hoffman, who first joined SJSU in 2017 and plans to work in public accounting after graduation.
“School is very important to me. It’s nice to get recognition when you work so hard for something.”
“It’s nice to be recognized for all the hard work we put in on and off the field. Here at San Jose (State), we put a lot of emphasis on school and making sure we excel in the classroom before we excel on the football field. It’s something I take a lot of pride in,” said Crawford, a 2018 nominee for the NFF’s Campbell Trophy, known as the “Academic Heisman.”
A record-number 1,643 student-athletes from 424 colleges and universities were named. The Society is an extension of the organization’s national scholar-athlete program. More than 10,000 student-athletes have been honored since the program’s inception.
Previous SJSU inductees include defensive end Travis Johnson (2012); guard Nicholas Kaspar and offensive tackle Jon Meyer (2013); linebacker Vince Buhagiar (2014); offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer (2015); linebacker Mark Amann and wide receiver Tim Crawley (2016); and offensive lineman Nate Velichko (2017).
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