San Diego State running back Kenan Christon’s ankle injury is more severe than originally believed.
Christon will not only miss the Aug. 31 season opener against Texas A&M-Commerce but could be sidelined until midseason.
Christon had surgery this week on the ankle and is expected to be out 6-8 weeks, according to sources.
A six-week recovery would put Christon back on the field in time for SDSU’s fifth game of the season, an Oct. 5 home game against Hawaii.
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If he needs eight weeks to recover, Christon would return during the Aztecs’ second bye week and wouldn’t play until the seventh game, at home Oct. 26 against Washington State.
Christon was originally diagnosed with a high ankle sprain after being injured Aug. 10 when a defensive player rolled on his left foot in the first half of SDSU’s intrasquad scrimmage at Snapdragon Stadium. He left the field that day wearing a boot and on crutches.
Two days later, Christon was spotted at practice wearing a boot and using a scooter to keep his ankle elevated. He has not been seen since during the portions of practice open to the media, including Monday’s workout.
Practice is closed the remainder of the week. SDSU coach Sean Lewis will not be available for comment until Monday of next week.
Christon, who starred in football and track and field at Madison High School, was second on the Aztecs in rushing last season with 378 yards.
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He is SDSU’s top returning pass catcher after totaling 29 receptions for an additional 201 yards and also returned kicks for the Aztecs.
Injuries to Christon, junior Cam Davis and true freshman Cincere Rhaney means SDSU’s robust running backs room is down to three scholarship players.
Davis has been slowed by a leg injury. Rhaney is out for the season after having surgery for a torn ACL suffered during a summer workout.
The Aztecs remain solid at the position, however, led by graduate transfer Marquez Cooper, senior Jaylon Armstead and sophomore Lucky Sutton.
Cooper is the NCAA’s active career rushing leader after back-to-back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Armstead and Sutton combined for more than 600 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago.
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Christon’s absence could open the door for Cooper to get more carries, although SDSU running backs coach Darian Hagan said during training camp two weeks ago that “you roll with the hot hand and sub accordingly.”
“Right now, it’s all by committee,” Hagan said. “Everybody gets a chance to go in there and show what you can do. … As long as you’re consistent. Consistency will outplay competition any day of the week.”
Watch lists
All of the preseason national watch lists have been announced and the Aztecs have nine players mentioned across seven lists.
Cooper appeared on both the Maxwell Award (best overall player) and Doak Walker Award (top running back) lists and Christen was included on the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) list.
Wide receiver Mekhi Shaw is a Wuerffel Trophy (community service combined with athletic and academic achievement) nominee.
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Long snapper Ryan Wintermeyer is among those considered for the Patrick Mannelly Award (top long snapper).
Cornerback Bryce Phillips and defensive end Marlem Louis both were included on the East-West Shrine Bowl list.
The Polynesian Play of the Year list includes three Aztecs, defensive tackle Tupu Alualu, and offensive linemen Myles Murao and Ross Ulugalu-Maseuli.
Season ticket update
Just more than 9,600 season tickets have been sold with 10 days remaining before the 2024 season opener. That is fewer than 100 more than last week, when the Aztecs reported 9,535 in season ticket sales.
SDSU had surpassed its goal of 9,300 season-ticket sales, but it appears the Aztecs will fall short of matching last season’s total of 10,307.
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Game week mode
SDSU moves into game week mode on Sunday, when the countdown begins to the program’s 102nd season opener. The Aztecs will have Mondays off, then follow a morning practice routine during the week, just as they did during training camp. Practice time will move from mid-morning to early morning, concluding by 11 a.m.
When camp opened, Lewis said: “I think it brings a really good continuity and consistency to the kids’ schedules. We’re able to get them up, get them fed, go through the majority of all of our mandatory football activities.
“Then make sure that they’re pointed in the right direction to go be great citizens and achieve great things on campus.”
Four suspects were behind bars Friday for allegedly beating a man to death two months ago during a fight at Linda Vista Park.
Arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murder in connection with the violent death of 59-year-old Ruben Rimorin were Juan Garcia Alavez, 21, Juan Manuel Lopez, 26, Brian Reyes, 20, and Franklin Joseph Tuell, 21, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Rimorin was found gravely injured about 3:45 a.m. Oct. 18 on a sidewalk in the 6800 block of Osler Street, just west of the park, SDPD Lt. Chris Tivanian said. Paramedics tried in vain to revive the victim before pronouncing him dead at the scene.
It remains unclear what sparked the deadly fight.
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The suspects were being held at San Diego Central Jail without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Friday afternoon.
National City’s Pepper Park can soon expand in size by nearly 50%, thanks to a ruling this week by the California Coastal Commission to approve the National City Balanced Plan.
The approval of the plan at the CCC’s Wednesday meeting, developed by the Port of San Diego, means that not only will the popular park have the ability to increase in size, big changes are coming for commercial, recreation and maritime uses on the National City bayfront.
“We are grateful to the California Coastal Commission for its support of the National City Balanced Plan,” said Danielle Moore, chair of the Board of Port Commissioners. “The progress we have made has been anchored in tireless collaboration with the community, business leaders and, of course, the city of National City. It’s about bringing more recreational opportunities to the bayfront while also streamlining and strengthening maritime operations, and we are eager to bring these projects to life.”
Other components of the balanced plan include:
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Realigning Marina Way to serve as the buffer area between commercial recreation and maritime uses
The closure of Tidelands Avenue between Bay Marina Drive and West 32nd Street, and West 28th Street between Tidelands Avenue and Quay Avenue, around six acres, to increase terminal efficiency by eliminating redundancies
The development of a recreational vehicle park, tent sites, cabins and the “ultimate development of up to two hotels with up to 365 rooms, as well as dry boat storage,” a port statement read
A connector rail project to connect the existing rail and loop track located on the National City Marine Terminal to additional rail car storage spots at the existing Burlington Northern Santa Fe National City Yard east of the National Distribution Center
The Board of Port Commissioners must accept the CCC’s certification, then the port and city can begin the process of completing the above projects.
“I am proud of the work we have done to help create a lasting legacy for National City, the Port of San Diego, and the entire region,” said Port Commissioner GilAnthony Ungab. “Nearly a decade in the making, this plan balances the interests of the community and many other stakeholders, addresses public access, maritime, and recreation uses, and expands waterfront access in my community.”
The National City Bayfront is 273 acres of waterfront land and 167 acres of water, and includes the National City Marine Terminal, Pepper Park, Pier 32 Marina, the Aquatic Center and pieces of public art.
Mayor Todd Gloria announced an initiative Wednesday intended to expand housing options in neighborhoods by integrating small-scale residences such as townhomes, rowhomes and cottages into an area’s existing character.
The Neighborhood Homes for All of Us initiative is also intended to support community land trusts — nonprofit organizations that acquire land to create permanent affordable housing.
“Since Day 1 of my administration, I have been focused on building more homes that San Diegans can actually afford — and getting them built faster,” Gloria said at a news conference Wednesday. “‘Neighborhood Homes for All of Us’ is the latest piece of that puzzle. This innovative program will break down the barriers that have gotten in the way of building the type of housing that I believe is ideal for young families and first-time homebuyers for whom the dream of homeownership has long felt out of reach.”
Around 80% of land zoned for housing in the city is restricted to single-family homes, which continue to increase in price, Gloria said. And a significant portion of new housing being built consists of apartment buildings with primarily studio and one-bedroom units, leaving working-class families fewer and fewer options for homes.
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Neighborhood Homes for All of Us is intended to increase the housing supply and allow community land trusts to keep housing affordable in disadvantaged communities for low- to middle-income families.
“San Diego is an incredible place to raise a family, and more families need the opportunity to do that in San Diego’s existing, highly desirable single-family neighborhoods where their kids can learn and play in a great community,” City Planning Director Heidi Vonblum said. “But today, that comes at a price that is out of reach for too many. Integrating more options for families requires careful and thoughtful planning, with input from existing and future community members across the city, to ensure these new home opportunities for San Diego’s families are built in ways that best enhance and benefit San Diego’s amazing neighborhoods.”
The initiative will roll out in two phases. In the first phase, beginning this week and continuing through next summer, San Diegans can help determine what the neighborhoods can look like. The public will be able to see renderings showing small-scale neighborhood homes within San Diego’s existing communities, along with new regulations that “provide a clear pathway for building these homes,” according to a statement from Gloria’s office.
Phase 1 will also include an open house and ways for the community to provide feedback and concerns.
Phase 2, scheduled for the second half of 2026, will be for city staff to develop regulations allowing for the building of more neighborhood homes in a way informed by the public feedback.
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The initiative is partly funded through a Regional Early Action Planning grant from the San Diego Association of Governments.
