SJSU searches for 1st win of the season

The San José State football team is looking to earn its first win of the season after a bye week and a loss to No. 8 Texas.

The Spartans are scheduled to face a strong Idaho squad, ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), that enters with a 2-1 record.

After dropping their opener, the Vandals have won two straight and will be San José State’s only FCS opponent this season.

SJSU is led by senior quarterback Walker Eget, who has two passing touchdowns and three interceptions this season.

The Vandals are led by sophomore quarterback Joshua Wood, a transfer from Fresno State who recorded 195 passing yards and one touchdown last season as a backup.

Wood has started the season with four passing touchdowns, one interception, and 433 passing yards.

He’s also a dual threat, rushing for 273 yards on 28 carries with two touchdowns on the ground.

Spartans head coach Ken Niumatalolo praised Wood, acknowledging that his defense will face a tough challenge.

“Got a real athletic quarterback, we’ve seen it before with talented young men,” Niumatalolo said.

The bye week has given the SJSU time to regroup after its second 0-2 start in the last three years, as it tries to avoid beginning 0-3 for the first time since the 2018 season, according to an SJSU schedule webpage.

“Some of the glaring things that we need to work on, we’re trying to get better at, with the number one being turnovers,” Niumatalolo said. “When I looked at it before, we were second to last, but that was a week ago, so we’ve got to get that rectified.”

The Vandals have been a cleaner team this season, committing only three turnovers in their first three games, while the Spartans have already committed seven turnovers in their first two games.

SJSU offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann expects the game will be physical on offense because of Idaho’s aggressive defense.

“They’re a tough group of guys. They run to the football, they play hard,” Stutzmann said.
“They play with their hair on fire. They’ve shown some different things week to week.”

​​This season, the Vandals’ defense has allowed just five touchdowns through three games, while their offense has scored eight, according to team statistics.

“I think they do a really good job of using their talent and putting them in position to make plays, so it’s going to be a really big test and a challenge for us, but we’ll be up to it,” Stutzmann said.  The Spartans’ defense must also look to stop the Vandals’ run game, as Idaho recorded 704 rushing yards through its first three games.

SJSU defensive coordinator Derrick Odum emphasized that the Spartans must make every down count in order to stay out of third-and-short situations.

“Being better on earlier downs so we give ourselves a manageable third down, one that we can hopefully get off the field on,” Odum said.

The Spartans’ third-down defense has been a bright spot this season after struggling in that area last year, when opponents converted 46.2 percent of their attempts.

This year, they have cut that number down to just 16.0 percent.

SJSU sophomore Danny Scudero has been a bright spot, recording 249 receiving yards over the first two games.

“It’s a fun offense to be a part of, definitely something that helps me grow as a player,” Scudero said. “Understanding the game of football and learning coverages helps me become a better player overall, and the production is all there.”

Scudero led the nation in receiving yards through the first two weeks with 249, establishing himself as the Spartans’ top receiver following triple crown winner Nick Nash’s departure to the NFL.

The Spartans will wrap up the final two days of their bye week before hosting the Vandals on Saturday, September 20, at 2:00 p.m. at CEFCU Stadium. It will be Idaho’s first road game of the season.