San Diego State Football

When news broke on Tuesday afternoon that two-year San Diego State head coach Brady Hoke accepted the Michigan coaching gig—after signing a five-year extension with SDSU just weeks before—the hearts of Aztec fans were shattered, the remaining pieces chewed up by a starving pack of wolverines.

It was like the feeling an 8-year-old child who just lost a tooth gets after discovering the tooth fairy doesn't exist.

Hoke was a superstar in San Diego.

He made Aztec football the most relevant sport in California south of Orange County, worthy of more positive attention than the Padres and the Chargers.

His short-term success recently prompted a single donor to put up $5 million to help SDSU improve the on-campus facilities so he would sign a contract extension.

Even longtime Aztec men's basketball coach Steve Fisher, who has led his team to a school-best No. 6 ranking in the most recent ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, credited Hoke's success with the pigskin program as one of the main reasons why there has been so much hype surrounding the basketball team.

Hoke transformed SDSU football from a putrid program that could hardly fill half the seats at Qualcomm Stadium to a school-record setting, bowl-contending team.

SDSU went 9-4 this past season—Hoke's second on Montezuma Mesa—with all four defeats coming by a total of 15 points.

Each loss was to a ranked opponent, and three of the four were on the road.

He took the Aztecs to the Poinsettia Bowl—their first bowl appearance since 1998—where they destroyed Navy for their first bowl victory in 41 years.

Thus, you can understand why Aztec fans are likely mourning his departure.

But really, this isn't a time for Aztec fans to sit and sulk. Rather, it's a time to sing the praises of the Aztec god turned Michigan man.

Sure, he dined and ditched, but for the SDSU faithful, the meal was every bit worth it.

Hoke successfully planted the Aztec football seed in Southern California at a time when the other two predominant programs—USC and UCLA—are wilting.

Even without Hoke at the helm, the Aztecs will attract SoCal kids simply because they played in this year's postseason while the Trojans and Bruins were at home, playing with their Christmas presents.

And with defensive coordinator Rocky Long, who was the head coach at New Mexico for 11 years and is the school's all-time winningest coach, set to be promoted, the program will remain in fine shape.

At the very least, SDSU can stop thinking about terminating its football team like 19 of the other 22 Cal State universities have done.

You can contact Josh Hoffman at jhoffmedia@gmail.com.

So, I have been tracking down the Poinsettia Bowl over the week and first off, I have to say that the staff at Qualcomm Stadium are the real winners of this match because they crushed Mother Nature's wrath and turned back 1.5 million gallons of water.

Ten Commandments-worthy material, I tell you.

But after watching the San Diego State Aztecs destroy the Navy Midshipmen by the tune of 35-14, I have to wonder: Is this Ronnie Hillman guy the second coming of Marshall Faulk?

And I ask this because, as you all know, Faulk was—before Hillman arrived on the scene—San Diego State's last great tailback. He put up some very good records, but one of those records sunk faster than a battleship on Thursday night.

Hillman dashed for 228 yards—the same amount in a game against Missouri earlier this season—against Navy. It broke the old school bowl record of 164 yards rushing by Marshall Faulk in the 1991 Freedom Bowl, broke the previous Poinsettia Bowl record of 129 yards rushing by Navy's Adam Ballard in 2005 and set a new school single-season rushing record by a freshman.

"It was very surprising," Hillman said of his efforts which also marked the sixth time this season he gained at least 150 yards. "But the O-line, like I said, you could put a high school senior back there and he would have 1,000 yards behind this line. I can't say enough about them."

Nonetheless, with 1,532 yards under his belt, Hillman became just the second tailback in history to rush for over 1,500 yards as a freshman at San Diego State.

These numbers have to make you think: This guy may not just be the next Marshall Faulk, he may be even better than Marshall Faulk.

Hillman is better than Faulk in one category: He has won a bowl game. Faulk evens that out with a Super Bowl ring.

Besides the honor of winning Super Bowl XXXIV, we all know the reputation Faulk has had as an NFL player. Seven Pro Bowls, three-time first-team and second-team All-Pro respectively, his No. 28 jersey retired on the rafters of the Edward Jones Dome and so on and so forth.

While, admittingly, it's much too early to say if Ronnie Hillman can not only equal those plaudits but exceed them, it's performances against teams like Navy that make you wonder: Boy, this kid might be better than Marshall Faulk.

Navy is a run-oriented team and San Diego State outrushed them.

Maybe the Middies could have used Hillman on their team. This young lad is the real deal.

28 carries, 228 yards and three touchdowns. You know, you don't win Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year for nothing; you must have done something right.

I think the country is going to have to get used to watching Hillman, who won offensive MVP honors. Although, credit must come from him staying humble and pointing out that the defense also pitched in.

"Defense, again," Hillman said after the game. "It was a statement. They did a great job, stopping them the whole game."

If you think you've seen enough of the next Marshall Faulk, well, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

College bowl season is here and the next game on Santa's list is the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

The game features two talented teams in the Navy Midshipmen (9-3), and the San Diego State Aztecs (8-4).

It will be a home game for the Aztecs however since the game will be played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.

Still expect the Midshipmen faithful to travel in support of one of the nation's top rushing offenses. It is also Navy's third bowl game in San Diego in six years.

Navy's triple option, lead by senior quarterback Ricky Dobbs, will likely present the game's most unique match up considering the field will likely be rain-soaked by kick off.

Navy's rushing attack is ranked fifth in the nation as the Midshipmen average a shade under 289 yards per game on the ground.

The Aztecs rank only 63rd in rushing offense but they certainly hold their own through the air, ranking 11th in the nation in passing offense while racking up over 300 passing yards per game.

Both teams score over 31 points per contest and hold their own defensively.

As mentioned before Navy's unique offensive approach which tends to eat up plenty of clock and keep the opposing offense on the sideline will likely be the difference between these two evenly matched squads.

Not to mention, just when they have ran you to death, they can break the game open with a big pass play over the top.

San Diego State is more than capable of slowing the Midshipmen attack though, and will be extra energized to play in front of their home fans in a December bowl game two days before Christmas.

Keep your eyes on quarterback Ricky Dobbs, leader of Navy's superb ground attack, and San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley, who has thrown for over 3,500 yards and 26 touchdowns this season.

Both will have a huge impact on the game and look to lead their respective teams to Poinsettia Bowl glory.

Prediction: Navy wins 31-23

Patrick Clarke is a student at Towson University and a writing intern for Bleacher Report.

The San Diego State Aztecs are enjoying success, and they in large part have their head coach, Brady Hoke, to thank.

Because of the success the Aztecs have had this season, Hoke is getting noticed around the college football landscape—so much so that he was being looked at as a candidate for the head coaching position at the University of Minnesota, as well as Indiana.

Hoke took his name out of the running and told San Diego State he was going to be loyal to their program.

This also may have been a preemptive strike, as Hoke might have been interested in the Michigan job if in fact it does come open, which it's been rumored to after the school makes a decision about Rich Rodriguez's future.

Due to all that and the possibility Hoke could be courted by other schools, San Diego State awarded him with a brand new five-year extension, which was completed on Sunday. The details of the contract are not yet known, but there is a press conference scheduled for 1:30 pm Pacific to announce the new deal.

What is known, according to an article from Brent Schrotenboer of the San Diego Union Tribune, is it will pay Hoke more than the $700,000 he was due to make next season, and it will also extend the length of his contract from 2013 to the 2015 season.

The one thing that Brady Hoke can claim is leading the team to its very first bowl appearance in 12 years, as the Aztecs will take on Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl.

San Diego State almost made national news when it looked as if they had traveled to Missouri and knocked off the Tigers on the road. They had taken the lead with under two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers pulled off a miraculous win, mostly blamed on the lack of tackling by the Aztecs defense.

It was a disappointing loss, but one that opened a lot of eyes in San Diego.

Their 8-4 season included wins over then-23rd-ranked Air Force, almost upsetting third-ranked TCU on the road and losing a heartbreaker to Utah, 38-34.

Despite losing two of their final three games, the Aztecs are still very much a team to watch in the Mountain West for years to come. Having a head coach like Brady Hoke will bring them some big years in a city that needs something to look forward to.

This is a great move for San Diego State to lock up a head coach that is finally bringing success to a program that hasn't seen much of that since running back Marshall Faulk donned the red and black.

Who's to say that the Aztecs won't challenge Boise State for the top spot in the Mountain West within a few years? The way things look now, they are going in the right direction to do just that.

Unfortunately for San Diego sports, this announcement comes on the heels of the San Diego Padres losing All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez after being traded to the Red Sox and the San Diego Chargers getting embarrassed by the Oakland Raiders in San Diego.

Who would have ever thought the San Diego State football would be the only San Diego team that would see a postseason game in 2010?

The San Diego State Aztecs let a potential win slip away against the Utah Utes, losing 38-34 in a contest marked by deep bombs, tipped touchdowns and uncharacteristically wet conditions in San Diego.

Jordan Wynn, an Oceanside native and starting Utah QB, was able to rally his team to victory, capped by a fourth down touchdown run from the one-yard line.

SDSU quarterback Ryan Lindley threw for 528 yards and four touchdowns, but also added three crucial interceptions.

Wide receivers Vincent Brown and DeMarco Sampson accumulated a combined 20 catches for 338 yards and three touchdowns. Ronnie Hillman was only able to come up with 54 yards on 14 carries. He did have a touchdown, however.

San Diego State has now lost by a combined nine points to two ranked teams. Two weeks ago it was TCU, and now it's Utah.

The Aztecs still remain bowl eligible, which is remarkable considering the recent plight of the Aztecs over the years. Brady Hoke will no doubt win the Mountain West Conference comeback coach of the year.

The Aztecs cap the season by hosting UNLV next Saturday. 

Had San Diego State been victorious, it would have finally broken into the BCS Top 25. The Aztecs have been on the outside looking in with two consecutive losses.

As projected now, the Aztecs will either play in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl against Western Michigan or take on Navy in the San Diego County Credit Union Bowl.

I will have updates as soon as the bowl selections become apparent, but it's a guarantee the Aztecs are bowl bound.

Ronnie Hillman will be a back to watch next year, especially with the addition of Boise State in the Mountain West. The Aztecs will get a chance to play them next year, but where the game will be played hasn't been announced as of yet.

The TCU Horned Frogs played host to the Aztecs of San Diego State last Saturday, nearly shocking the college football world.

After jumping out to a 14 to zip lead, the Aztecs had what looked to be an early advantage. The game started so surprisingly that the offensive line coach for TCU suffered a heart attack late in the first quarter. Thankfully for him and his family, he is in fair condition at a Texas hospital.

In what looked like the upset of the year, TCU had other ideas. After SDSU took an early lead, TCU took five of their next six drives for scores to take a 34-14 lead at the half. The Aztecs didn't even accumulate a first down during the Horned Frogs attack.

During half-time, the consensus was that TCU was just off to a shaky start, and that the San Diego State Aztecs were who they thought they were. The Aztecs had other ideas.

The Aztecs outscored TCU 21-6 in the second half, with all three touchdowns coming in the final 16 minutes of the game. TCU, however, was able to man the ship, sending SDSU home with its first loss in the last five games, defeating them 40-35.

Ryan Lindley and Ronnie Hillman played horribly, accounting for their worst performances of the year. TCU has a defense that will do that to any team. Ask Utah.

Let's look at some positives.

Lindley finished only 11 of 26, but did connect on two touchdowns, both to wideout Vincent Brown. Brown had 146 yards receiving off of only four catches.

Hillman couldn't get the legs churning against arguably the nation's best defensive team. He finished with just 53 yards on 13 carries, with no touchdowns.

The Aztecs racked up 300 yards on offense, just the second team to break the 300 mark against TCU this year. The first was SMU back in September.

The 27th ranked Aztecs, who are consistently a win away from breaking into the top 25, actually improved their chances with a close loss to TCU. The Horned Frogs had their gap in the BCS standings close to less then a tenth of a percentage point, with Boise State coming that much closer to jumping them in the rankings.

The Aztecs will host the free-falling, No. 23-ranked Utah next Saturday at Quallcom Stadium in San Diego. If SDSU can pull the upset, they will most likely break into the top 25, as they have been on the outside looking in for three straight weeks.

The win streak now sits at four, as the San Diego State Aztecs sneaked away with a 24-19 win last night in San Diego.

The Aztecs pulled away with a 16-yard pass form Ryan Lindley to Brandon Sullivan, putting SDSU up 24-13 with just over eight minutes to play.

The Rams held a three-point lead when LB Mychal Sisson stripped quarterback Ryan Lindley, racing 90 yards for a touchdown.

The story of the night, once again, was Ronnie Hillman and his amazing freshman season.

Hillman added to his already eye-popping ground game, rushing 31 times for 151 yards and a touchdown. Hillman is now eighth in Division I-FBS with 1,056 rushing yards this season.

Favored by over two touchdowns, no one expected the Rams to compete down to the wire, but that's exactly what happened.

Rams QB Pete Thomas threw a screen pass with two minutes remaining to pull within five, but a failed two-point conversion allowed the Aztecs to gain possession and run the clock out.

The supposed Mountain West game of the week was nothing more than a blowout, as TCU crushed Utah, 47-7.

TCU will host San Diego State next Saturday in Texas. I'd expect for TCU to remain at No. 3 after Oregon discarded Washington and Auburn played what was essentially a scrimmage against Chattanooga.

The Aztecs (7-2, 4-1 MWC), who were already bowl eligible, will now hope to break into the top 25, thanks to losses by seven top 25 teams.

For two straight weeks, the San Diego State Aztecs, (6-2, 3-1), have received votes from all the major conferences to be ranked in the top 25.

The total of nine votes this week makes SDSU not only the third team from the Mountain West conference to gather votes in the AP polls, but the first time the Aztecs have been mentioned in such a poll since September 4, 2004.

San Diego State's local college newspaper stated this on their website goaztecs.com:

"Poll recognition highlights an exciting week for the Red in Black in which SDSU beat Wyoming 48-38 to improve its record to 6-2 on the year, becoming bowl eligible for the first time since the 1998 campaign."

The Aztecs look to win their fourth straight game, something they haven't accomplished sine 2002.

The Rams of Colorado State come to San Diego, bolstering a 3-6 record, and 2-3 in the Mountain West.

Running back Ronnie Hillman has been ruled as active for this Saturday's game.  Hillman sits at No. 10 in the country in yards per game with 113.

RB Brandon Sullivan, filling in for Hillman last week in Wyoming after an injury, is not a bad No. 2 option; Sullivan recorded only 15 yards rushing, but smashed his way to pay dirt three times, all from the one-yard line.

Quarterback Ryan Lindley was limping the entire game in Wyoming, which affected his mobility, as the stat sheet shows.  He went just 16-32. 

The up side?

Lindley recorded a season high 365 passing yards.  Veteran senior receiver Vincent Brown recorded five catches for 144 yards.

The San Diego Daily Aztec news publication, which is passed out among students on campus, featured a summarized interview with Hillman and Lindley: The message is that they are ready to suit up this Saturday, for what is the Hall of Fame Game, at Qualcomm stadium.

Look for an increased Aztec crowd, as I've heard rumors of tailgate parties: This game may trump last week's Chargers blackout, as it's featured on MTN T.V in high-definition. In fact, the Aztecs have been broadcast locally every weekend.

As for the remainder of the schedule, SDSU faces the following teams:

11/6/10: Colorado State at San Diego State- Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA - 7:00pm PST

11/13/10: San Diego State at TCU- Fort Worth, Texas - 1:00pm PST

11/20/10: Utah at San Diego State- Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA, 7:00pm PST

11/27/10: UNLV at San Diego State- Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego CA, 5:00pm PST

To wrap it up for this Saturday, let's look at the stat leaders for San Diego State:

QB Ryan Lindley- 142/265, 2255 yards, 15 TD's, 7 picks (No. 15 in the nation in passing yards)

RB Ronnie Hillman- 157 carries for 1955 yards, 11 TD's. (Career long run of 93 yards this season)

WR Vincent Brown- 41 catches for 722 yards, 3 TD's

WR DeMarc Sampson- 41 catches for 821 yards, 6 TD's

SDSU 2010 team stats:

No. 20 in the nation, averaging 451 yards of offense per game.

No. 22 in scoring with nearly 35 points a game.

No. 40 in total yards per game allowed on defense, with opponents racking up 351 yards.

SDSU is No. 72 in penalties per game, averaging 6.5.