Game Three: Ohio State 27, San Diego State 6 (final)

[Clarity]

---

[thackattack]

Haven't heard much about this game, with good reason since the Redhawks and Longhorns come first. My guess is they're a bit depleted on the defensive side with the loss of their linebackers, Morrison especially. Lynell Hamilton is a good one, and Dlugolecki has experience now, but the defense has lost a lot. Looking at the preview for last year, they've lost 6 starters from last year's defense, most of them in the back 7. Not a good sign when you're facing Ginn, Holmes, Gonzo, Lyons, Hall, and co.

[IronBuckI]

Fox Sports write up on the Aztecs. Looks like it could be another long year for these guys.

[BB73]

nctimes.com

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=250 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=photo align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD class=photo width=250>

• Aztec quarterback Kevin O'Connell during Saturday's scrimmage at Qualcomm Stadium.
  <SMALL>Stan Liu/For the North County Times </SMALL>
  

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



O'Connell gets the nod as Aztecs' QB

By: MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer SAN DIEGO ---- The rehabilitation from offseason shoulder surgery and the sweat and grind of intense summer workouts finally produced the verdict Kevin O'Connell was seeking. The La Costa Canyon High graduate was named San Diego State's starting quarterback on Sunday.

The sophomore nosed out redshirt freshman Darren Mougey and will be the starter when the Aztecs open the football season against UCLA on Sept. 3. A key component in coach Tom Craft's decision was O'Connell's past starting experience.

"Darren Mougey had a great spring, and he's been really good here in the fall with Kevin O'Connell," Craft said. "Based on the fact that they're real close, Kevin O'Connell, because of his five games (starting) experience is the guy that gets the nod.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=photo align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"I think both of them have big ceilings right now because they're young football players. They give us a dimension athletically that we're looking for in the passing game. I really look at this thing as a real positive."

O'Connell always appeared to be slightly ahead of Mougey in the closely contested competition. He had asserted himself as a team leader over the second half of last season and Sunday's decision gives him the opportunity to further grow into that role.

"It helps to know that you're the guy and that you've been called on by the coach and by the coaching staff," O'Connell said. "The quarterback position is a position where there's a lot of pressure on you and your teammates look to you to kind of keep your cool during that pressure.

"So if I'm looked upon as a leader, I'm going to take that role and I'm going to thrive on it."

O'Connell missed spring drills after his shoulder operation, and Mougey took advantage with a strong spring in which he outplayed senior Matt Dlugolecki, who is now the team's third-string quarterback.

Mougey completed a higher percentage of passes in two recent scrimmages (65.4 percent to O'Connell's 51.4 percent) but was unable to wrest the job from O'Connell.

"It's a little disappointing," Mougey said. "Everybody wants to be the guy, and everybody wants to play. But Coach thinks this is best for the team and we're in a fortunate situation as a team.

"We have three great quarterbacks that are ready to play and step in any time and help this team win games."

Craft said he will seek opportunities to insert Mougey into games. O'Connell and Mougey had been receiving an even workload in practices but O'Connell will now get at least twice the number of practice repetitions as Mougey, according to Craft.

AZTECS NOTES ---- Freshman OL Trask Iosefa failed to qualify academically, according to Aztecs coach Tom Craft. Iosefa could join the program in the spring if he can attain a qualifying test score. Remaining in limbo are freshman WR Roberto Wallace, an Oceanside High product, and junior TE Steve Schmidt. ... The Aztecs conduct their final two-a-day practice sessions today; 8:40 a.m. and 4 p.m.

[ScarletBlood31]

im so physced for this game, because ill be there! actually this is my first Ohio State game so yeah its gonna be sweet.

[Perfect140]

well im goin to this game, and its gonna be a good game, and that might surprise a lot of people with someone saying that, but when we played San Diego State, the year we won the 'ship, we only beat them by 3 points. Now that Nugent is gone, Tressel can't play it close and conservative anymore. So, if he goes at them right away expect this game to be a blowout. If he plays it conservative, then expect it to be another great game that comes down to the wire against another non-BCS school.

[ScarletArrow]

First order of business...don't come out flat after such a huge emotional loss against UT.

Second...pick a QB and stick w/ him. I don't care who, I appreciate both, I just don't want a rotation.

Third...run, run, and run some more - get the ground game ramped up for the conference opener.

[BrutusBobcat]

I'm tired of reading Texas recaps, so it's time to do a little homework on San Diego State.

So far in 2005, the Aztecs are 0-2, with losses to UCLA (44-21) and to Air Force Academy (41-29).

Despite the lopsided scores, the Aztecs have shown decent offensive production. Quarterback Kevin O'Connell (so.) became the starter midway through last season, and has started this season by throwing for 431 yards, going 43/65 (66%) with a pair of TDs and a trio of INTs. Overall, the Aztec offense is clicking off over 400 yards per game.

SDSU gave up three sacks to UCLA.

Their top receiving target is 6-2, 200 pound senior Jeff Webb, who has 13 catches for 167 yards and a TD. Their main rushers are 6'1" 220lb Lynell Hamilton (so.) who has 39 carries for 148 yards (3.8 ypc) and 3 TDs, and the QB O'Connell, who became the first QB in SDSU history to run for 100 yards in a game last year against BYU. He has 102 yards on 26 carries this season (3.9 ypc)