photo by Kyle Tran
Two hundred and seventy-seven days. That is the last time the San Jose State football team stepped foot on the gridiron.
After a long offseason and the retooling of the roster, the Spartans will be back in their quest to capture another Mountain West Championship.
“I’m excited to see how our players respond to gameday,” head coach Brent Brennan said. “I’m excited to see what our defense does with all of our experienced players . . . I’m really just excited to see us play.”
SJSU followed up its 2020 Mountain West Championship year with a relatively disappointing 2021. The team finished the year with a 5-7 record and did not qualify to play in a bowl game.
The Spartans also lost key players from their 2020 championship run, most notably quarterback Nick Starkel and tight end Derrick Deese Jr.
But this year has the potential to be different.
The Spartans replenished their roster and landed key players in the transfer portal.
The coaching staff has also stayed intact as Brennan and Derrick Odum, associate head coach and defensive coordinator, are returning for their sixth seasons.
Besides the loss of coach Aric Williams to Montana Tech, the Spartans added Chip Viney from the University of Oklahoma to head the cornerback group.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Spartans gained a key player in former University of Hawaii quarterback Chevan Cordeiro.
The former two-star high school recruit threw for 2,973 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Cordeiro adds a dynamic element to the Spartans offense as he is capable of making plays through the air and on his feet.
Joining Cordeiro on the SJSU offense is former Nevada wide receiver Elijah Cooks. Cooks caught 76 passes for 926 yards in 2019 for the Wolfpack.
One area where the Spartans might have struggles this year is the offensive line.
Outside of senior center Anthony Pardue and offensive tackle Jaime Navarro, the line is relatively young and will need to look to improve with game experience as the season progresses.
Pardue said he is actively helping the younger players get acclimated to the SJSU offense through practice.
“Just focusing them on the game plan and taking every rep and practice like it’s a game,” said Pardue, regarding what he’s doing to help younger players.
On the defensive end, the Spartans will have three All-Mountain West preseason all-conference players.
Outside linebacker Kyle Harmon will play a big role on the Spartan defense. Last season, Harmon was third in the nation in total tackles with 133 and started all but one game.
Senior Cade Hall and junior Viliami Fehoko will fortify the defensive line for the Spartans. The pair combined for 76 tackles and 11 sacks in the 2021 season.
Shamar Garrett, running back and punt returner, said the focus for this season will be to stay “in the present.”
“We take it one game at a time right now, that’s the focus,” Garrett said.
The Spartans will have a rough stretch of games after their home opener. They will face Auburn, Western Michigan and Wyoming in a three game stretch.
SJSU lost to Western Michigan by 20 points last season and Auburn was just outside the AP Preseason Top 25 poll this year.
The Spartans will face the Portland State Vikings on Thursday in their home opener. According to OddsSharks.com, which is a sports betting website, the Spartans are 17.5 point favorites in their matchup against the Vikings.