How San Jose State Football Fans Should Remember QB Chevan Cordeiro
Cordeiro had a great run with the Spartans.
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Looking back at Cordeiro’s career.
It’s been a few days since Chevan Cordeiro stood outside San Jose State’s locker room and reflected on a career that spanned six years, 12,191 passing yards and two schools – Hawaii (four) and San Jose State (two).
Should SJSU fans do some reflecting of their own? They should view Cordeiro – one of two SJSU quarterbacks to reach back-to-back bowl games – as the one who helped turn the 2020 Mountain West Championship season into SJSU’s golden era.
Following that 2020 Mountain West Championship, when SJSU fans saw head coach Brent Brennan being rewarded with a record contract extension, it gave them hope.
Still, some were doubtful of SJSU’s dollar-backed ambitions to build off success.
In 2012, SJSU finished 11-2 and won the Military Bowl. By 2014 it was 3-9. In 2006, the Spartans finished 9-4 and won the New Mexico Bowl. It won a combined three games between 2009-10.
Then in 1990, SJSU finished 9-2 and won the California Bowl. By 1993 it was 2-9 and won a combined nine games from 1994-96.
You get the point.
A familiar fear crept in following the 2021 season. SJSU finished 5-7 and with bowl eligibility on the line was trounced by rival Fresno State 40-9 – at home.
Then San Jose State benefited off an unfortunate situation when Cordeiro transferred to SJSU from Hawaii to escape a toxic environment fostered by former UH head coach Todd Graham.
🌈🌴—> ⚔️🟡🔵#Committed #SPARTANUP pic.twitter.com/KgzC0wwuFV
— Chev🤫 (@iam_clcxii) December 12, 2021
“[When] I came from Hawaii to [SJSU] I was in a bad place mentally. I didn’t really like football,” Cordeiro said last Saturday.
The situation was so grim he debated retiring from football.
“When I got here the whole team took me in as a brother already. The first day I got there … doesn’t really matter about the wins and losses. The love of the game. I found that again. That’s what I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
That “love” was re-established in 2022 when he led SJSU to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – program’s first time reaching two bowl games in the span of three years since 1987. During this time, he broke a single-season rushing touchdown record (nine), finished with the third-most passing touchdowns (23) and the fifth-most passing yards (3,252).
Though his stats declined in 2023, it’s the season he should be remembered for.
When SJSU sank to 1-5 there was a tacit need for the offense to shift from pass-heavy to run-heavy. A lackluster pass game wasn’t all Cordeiro’s fault of course. During training camp, wide receiver Justin Lockhart – a 2023 Preseason All-Mountain West selection – sustained a season-ending injury.
With 2023 being Cordeiro’s last opportunity to raise his draft profile, few could blame him if he exhibited a poor attitude. It’s only human nature to be more focused on his agenda than the teams.
But he didn’t. And when SJSU running back Kairee Robinson became the face of the Spartans ascent from 1-5 to bowl eligibility and a shared Mountain West regular-season title, he showed little envy.
In post-game press conferences, he smiled and tapped the side of the podium while praising Robinson and the offensive line.
Maybe that’s the blessing of the wretched final chapters at UH?
Being around a positive culture was enough.
“The two years that I’ve been here I never thought that the best part would be the film room just joking around. They made it fun again,” Cordeiro said last Saturday as cameras illuminated his glossy, flush-crimson eyes.
#ICYMI despite not getting the win, local boy Chevan Cordeiro capped off his college career back where it all started in the Hawaii Bowl
Cordeiro blessed to play in front of family and friends@iam_clcxii @SanJoseStateFB @HawaiiNewsNow #HawaiiBowl #SpartanUp #HawaiiSports #HNN pic.twitter.com/Qw9sBZzLLt
— Kyle Chinen (@KyleChinen) December 25, 2023
Some may point to Cordeiro’s two bowl losses, 14-11 overall record and the fact ranks 10th in passing yards (5,809), eighth in passing touchdowns (42) and fifth all-time in completion percentage per 400 attempts (61.4%) and feel he doesn’t belong in the upper echelon of SJSU quarterbacks.
Sure, all-time ranks wise Cordeiro’s career doesn’t equate to being an SJSU Mount Rushmore figure. Those same people perhaps aren’t looking at SJSU’s penchant for disappointment and a key stat: his Touchdown: Interception ratio of 4.3 : 1. The next best? David Fales at 3 TD: 1 INT.
Therein lies how Cordeiro should be remembered: the quarterback who put SJSU in a position to win.
As a result, he raised the standard for the next SJSU quarterback.
Bowl eligibility is good but not good enough. Now it’s time to win one with the next quarterback.
