San Diego State Football: Aztecs surge back to top of MWC in 2018

Offense

After throwing just four interceptions all year as a junior, Christian Chapman returns for his fourth season as the San Diego State quarterback. Chapman has tossed just 11 picks in 32 appearances, including six as a sophomore starter. He will look to top the 2000-yard passing mark for the first time in his career as the Aztecs try to get back to the top of the conference.

The quarterback will have plenty of weapons at his disposal. Perhaps the biggest addition last season was prodigal son Fred Trevillion. Originally an Aztec recruit as a safety in 2014, Trevillion transferred to Southwest Mississippi College and spent a year playing receiver before returning to San Diego State. He caught 12 passes for 327 yards and a pair of scores in 2017, and the flanker will certainly get more work this year.

A young offensive line will go through some more growing pains in 2018. They ranked 10th in the conference and 86th nationally in sacks allowed. But they are far more experienced this year than they were in 2017, and even slight improvement could be enough to give Chapman more time to find open receivers.

Focusing on Juwan Washington

Of course, no position has been more important in the San Diego State offense in recent years than running back. And as much as increased production from the aerial attack would be welcome in San Diego, the team remains focused on running the ball. They will once again have to adjust to losing a major talent.

Rashaad Penny earned a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft after finishing fifth in the Heisman voting in his only season as a starter with the Aztecs. After three years behind all-time FBS leading rusher Donnel Pumphrey on the depth chart, Penny broke out in 2017 with 2248 rushing yards, more than 3000 all-purpose yards, and 28 total touchdowns.

Penny demonstrated that San Diego State could become a next-man-up school where running backs excel. Juwan Washington gets the chance to prove that next. Smaller than either Pumphrey or Penny, Washington is a 5-foot-7 runner that posted 1,200 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in his first two seasons of limited action.