Week 8 Takeaways From San Diego State vs. Nevada
San Diego State pulled off a 23-7 win over Nevada
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San Diego State moved to 4-3
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San Diego State pulled off a 23-7 road victory against Nevada in Week 8. This was San Diego State’s second consecutive win.
This has been a season filled with ups and downs for the Aztecs, but Week 8 was one of the best games this season. All three units performed well on Saturday and it could be an indication of how the season will end for San Diego State.
Earlier in the week, Brady Hoke made some changes on offense and it seemingly paid off against Nevada. Here are key takeaways from last night’s win:
Jalen Mayden Is The Answer At Quarterback
San Diego State named Mayden the starting quarterback for this week’s game and he delivered. This was Mayden’s second start of the season. In the win, he passed for 156 yards and completed 48% of his passes. Mayden was a factor in the running game with a 32-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
The offense sputtered when Braxton Burmeister, Will Haskell, and Kyle Crum were playing quarterback this season. For the first time, the offense is playing with fluidity when Mayden is the leader.
Another Strong Game From The Running Backs
While Mayden accounted for the only rushing touchdown, the running backs gave him support in the rushing attack. Chance Bell led the team in rushing with 55 yards on 12 carries. Jordan Byrd had 10 carries for a total of 30 yards. The running backs proved that they could gain key yardage.
Brady Hoke Made The Right Decision
San Diego State’s defense has been tasked with carrying the entire team’s load for most of the season. Thankfully for the Aztecs, the offense has started to help out the defense by scoring points. Hoke, who is a defensive-minded coach, had to make an important decision on the quarterback position. In the offseason, Mayden made the transition from quarterback to safety. In recent weeks, Hoke was forced to bring Mayden back as the offensive leader.
He moved Burmeister to wide receiver and named Mayden the starting quarterback. That turned out to be the right decision for this team moving forward. With two wins in a row, the final month of the season has a positive outlook for San Diego State.