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.”
The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
In a memo the NBA sent to its team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the league revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.”
Conley’s home was broken into on Sept. 15 when he was at a Minnesota Vikings game and jewelry was taken, officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Portis said his home was broken into on Nov. 2 and has offered a $40,000 reward for information related to the incident. The homes of Mahomes and Kelce were broken into within days of each other last month, according to law enforcement reports, and the NFL issued a similar warning memo to its teams this week.
The NBA memo, relaying information from the FBI, said the theft rings “are primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags.”
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The NBA, which has also been giving guidance to team security personnel, recommended that players install updated alarm systems with cameras and utilize them whenever leaving the home, keeping valuables in locked and secured safes, remove online real estate listings that may show interior photos of a home, “utilize protective guard services” during extended trips from the home and even suggested having dogs assist with home protection.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing, but I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing,” Mahomes recently said. “But, obviously, something you don’t want to happen to anybody, but obviously yourself.”
One of the break-ins involving the Chiefs players happened on a game day — Oct. 7 — and Portis was also playing a game when his home was robbed.
“They took most of my prized possessions,” Portis said.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tyler McGhie had 27 points in UC San Diego’s 72-67 win against La Salle on Thursday.
McGhie also added seven rebounds for the Tritons (3-2). Nordin Kapic scored 18 points and added 10 rebounds. Hayden Gray had 14 points and shot 4 for 8 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 6 from the free-throw line.
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The Explorers (4-1) were led by Corey McKeithan, who recorded 21 points. Jahlil White added 13 points and seven rebounds.
The second half featured five lead changes and was tied five times before UC San Diego secured the victory. Kapic scored 13 second-half points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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