San Jose State Football: Three Questions For Spring Practice
The Spartans should remain in the mix as a Mountain West football contender next fall, but a few key concerns could shape their spring.
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Always another mountain to climb.
The San Jose State Spartans began their spring practice season last week and, following last year’s rebound, look to settle unfinished business as they seek another Mountain West championship. This year’s team will look much different following a number of key graduations, however, meaning that Brent Brennan and the rest of his coaching staff will have plenty of questions to sift through over the next month.
Spring Ball is here 🏈#ClimbTheMountain | #AllSpartans pic.twitter.com/frPXfqcjbn
— San José State Football (@SanJoseStateFB) April 4, 2023
What will the front seven look like with so many departures?
Viliami Fehoko is the biggest contributor that San Jose State will have to replace in 2023, but he’s far from alone in that regard. Of the seven players who started in the defensive front in last December’s Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — Fehoko, Cade Hall, Kyle Harmon, Alii Matau, Bryun Parham, Soane Toia, and Elijah Wood — only the last three return.
That departed quartet accounted for 26 of the Spartans’ 39 sacks last season, so one way or another we’re going to learn a lot more about some newish athletes who may be expected to step up in their stead. Sophomore linebacker Jordan Pollard, for instance, ended his first year in the 408 with a season-high 11 tackles. Toia and Jay Kakiva will provide veteran anchors in the trenches while Natano Woods, a former quarterback, and Tre Smith provide plenty of intrigue among a crop of young potential pass rushers.
What will the restocked running back unit look like?
There’s little doubt that Kairee Robinson can be a difference maker when he’s on his game: Over the past three seasons, the Antioch native has averaged 4.77 yards per carry and scored 12 of his 13 touchdowns in San Jose State victories. However, he’s averaged under four yards per carry in SJSU losses during that same timeframe, so Brennan went out and restocked the roster with a pair of very intriguing players who could help the offense find greatest consistency.
The biggest arrival, of course, is Montana State transfer Isaiah Ifanse. He left Bozeman as a former FCS All-American and the program’s all-time leading rusher, but he’s not the only impact athlete moving up a level to make waves in San Jose. That’s because Quali Conley also ran for over 1,000 yards at Utah Tech in 2022. Add redshirt freshman Jakob Galloway to that mix and you have one of the more interesting competitions anywhere in the Mountain West.
Is there a WR1 on the roster?
Chevan Cordeiro and Elijah Cooks proved to be one of the more exciting quarterback-pass catcher combos anywhere in the Mountain West last fall, but the latter is gone along with Isaiah Hamilton and Jermaine Braddock. The cupboard isn’t bare here, but who’s up to the task of becoming the offense’s number one option?
The most likely candidate is Justin Lockhart, the former Nevada transfer who had a very fine first year with the Spartans himself in 2022. Charles Ross and Malikhi Miller have demonstrated big-play potential over the past two seasons, as well, while others like Isaac Jernagin and Kejuan Bullard Jr. could be in line to take advantage of open competition as redshirt freshman. If the Spartans want to compete for the crown, their aerial attack can’t fall off too much so this group will be one to watch.
