San Diego State Football: Aztecs looking to rebound, contend in 2019

Backfield will be primary focus on offense

Ryan Agnew is back for his redshirt senior season in San Diego, and he looks ready to take on the full-time starting role after stepping in for Christian Chapman last year. Agnew went 6-1 in his seven starts last year in relief, throwing for 1,651 yards and 10 touchdowns on a 51 percent completion rate.

The quarterback will hope to improve on those numbers over the course of a full year. He lost a couple of key parts in the receiving game, but big-play man Tim Wilson Jr. remains at San Diego State after breaking out for 25 or more yards on six of his 19 catches last season. With Kahale Warring gone, tight end Parker Houston could break out in his senior year.

The offensive line should be strong, even after losing both starting tackles from last season’s squad. Rocky Long’s crew added a couple of great transfers in former Oregon guard Jacob Capra and former BYU tackle Jacob Jimenez to a unit that returned a combined 69 starts among the group.

Focusing on the backfield

That depth along the line should be music to the ears of ever running back on the Aztecs roster. Last year, San Diego State finished 74th nationally in rushing offense — a far cry from the days of Donnel Pumphrey and Rashaad Penny. For the first time since 2009, SDSU had no running backs top the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Juwan Washington, though, was just one yard shy of hitting quadruple digits in rushing yards. If Washington is healthy after suffering through toe and collarbone issues last season, he could be the next breakout star.

Washington, however, returns to a loaded unit of talented backs that will press him for carries and playing time. Chase Jasmin showed strong potential in spurts last year and could develop into another strong backfield presence for the Aztecs. Unless Long and offensive coordinator Jeff Horton opt for a radical committee approach, one if not both of these two backs should top 1,000 yards in 2019.