San Diego, CA
Healthier Aztecs host Division II Cal State San Marcos in basketball exhibition
The San Diego State assistant coaches were talking after practice a few days ago, and newbie Ryan Badrtalei from UC Irvine was wondering how many fans would show up for Wednesday night’s preseason game against Division II Cal State San Marcos. A couple hundred, maybe?
He was floored when they told him 12,414-seat Viejas Arena would be two-thirds full.
“For an exhibition?” Badrtalei said.
It might be even more than that.
The arena is practically sold out for all games between season-ticket holders and the student section, the program is coming off a trip to the national championship game and the Sweet 16 (or “7-and-UConn in the NCAA Tournament,” as head coach Brian Dutcher likes to say), and there’s no television or radio coverage of the 7 p.m. tip.
There’s also an added aura of tantalizing mystery surrounding the 2024-25 edition of the Aztecs.
When you have eight new players, when your most experienced returnee is out hurt, when you’re replacing all five starters, when you’re not picked to finish first or second in the Mountain West for the first time in more than a decade, the unknowns outweigh the knowns.
Fans will be interested to see how it all fits together.
So will Dutcher.
“We’re still trying to learn a lot of our set plays,” Dutcher said. “I mean, we know where we’re going but we have to think about it. We just have to move without thinking, and that takes time. It’s the timeline on everything. We’re working every day, we’re getting better. But I don’t think we’re where we need to be yet.
“We’re nowhere near midseason form with a bunch of new guys. We still have some tendencies where we look really new, but we have good talent and our health is about as good as it could be, and I’m encouraged by that.”
Dutcher still hasn’t yet had his full roster together for even a single practice since July, but he has everyone available Wednesday night except senior guard Reese Waters, his top returning scorer (9.6 points) and the only Aztec on the Mountain West preseason all-conference team. That’s a welcome improvement over the Oct. 20 closed-door scrimmage at preseason No. 22 UCLA, when he had eight healthy bodies and six were freshmen or sophomores.
Transfer guard Nick Boyd has been medically cleared after spending two-plus months in a protective boot on his injured left foot (and missing the UCLA scrimmage) and is expected to start. He technically will have a minutes’ restriction, but Dutcher said that shouldn’t be an issue given his tentative plan to sub in groups of five and use his bench liberally.
Dutcher will be watching everyone, of course, but he’ll pay particular attention to the 6-foot-2 point who led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four two seasons ago and had 12 points against the Aztecs before Lamont Butler’s dramatic buzzer-beater.
“He’s been so limited, it’s still a mystery what he’s going to be for us,” Dutcher said. “These guys who have been practicing with us since July, when he got hurt, I’ve seen a lot of them. I haven’t seen enough of Nick over the last few practices to know exactly what I have with him on the floor yet.
“All coaches want a comfort level in knowing what they have. Nick is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I’ve seen really good play from him. But over an extended period of time with the other guys in game minutes, I’m excited to see that.”
Also expected to start are sophomore BJ Davis, redshirt sophomore Miles Byrd, redshirt freshman Magoon Gwath and Middle Tennessee grad transfer Jared Coleman-Jones.
Davis’ spot presumably would be occupied by Waters, who suffered a stress fracture in his right foot and is out another five to seven weeks (and perhaps longer).
The 6-2 guard from Modesto Christian High School appeared in only 12 games (for 67 total minutes last season) and scored 14 points, then doubled that in the UCLA scrimmage.
“We’re a defensive program, but you turn your head at a guy who puts up that kind of points against UCLA,” Dutcher said. “He’s earned his way to start there and see what he’s like. Then I’ll have choices to make, because I have really good players.”
Also available is USD transfer Wayne McKinney III, who missed the UCLA scrimmage with a tweaked hamstring. He’s expected to back up Boyd at the point.
Sophomore forward Miles Heide is the only member of the bench who played significant minutes last season. He’ll be joined in the second unit by McKinney, Brown grad transfer Kimo Ferrari and Las Vegas freshmen Taj DeGourville and Pharaoh Compton.
It’s a lot of new for a program that has excelled by getting old and staying old.
“There’s a public identity for this team that people might not know,” said Byrd, the most experienced returnee. “But this team knows its identity. I think you’ll see the same type of basketball that we’ve played (in the past) but with a little faster-paced offense. We’re still going to play hard, we’re still going to rebound and defend.
“Three of our oldest guards didn’t play in the UCLA scrimmage. That’s just got to show you a lot, honestly. We had three young guys and Kimo, and we were able to compete at Pauley Pavilion against a good, experienced team like UCLA. I’m excited.”
Phelps inducted
Milton “Milky” Phelps, an SDSU star from yesteryear, will be inducted into the Small College Basketball National Hall of Fame on Friday in Lakeland, Fla. Phelps was the leading scorer on a team that reached the national championship game in 1939 and 1940 and won a national title in 1941.
Back then, SDSU was known as San Diego State College and it played in the National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament, the predecessor to the NAIA. Phelps was a three-time All-American and the first player in school history with 1,000 career points.
His No. 22 is one of three retired men’s jerseys that hang in Viejas Arena, along with Michael Cage’s No. 44 and Kawhi Leonard’s No. 15.
Phelps is one of seven players who are part of the 2024 induction class, along with four coaches and one contributor/player. The Small College Basketball Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo., and services the college levels below Division I.
Phelps died in 1942 in a Naval training exercise in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Originally Published:
PACIFIC BEACH (CNS) – Two San Diego police officers who were on foot in a Pacific Beach intersection were struck tonight by a car operated by a wrong-way driver who was believed intoxicated.
The crash occurred at 8:25 p.m. Saturday in the intersection of Thomas Avenue and Mission Boulevard, San Diego Police Department Officer Anthony Carrosco told City News Service.
The suspect’s Honda Civic was eastbound in westbound lanes when it struck the on-duty officers, Carrosco said. It was unclear what the officers were doing in the roadway.
One officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken by ambulance to a trauma center, he said. The other officer was not injured.
The man driving the Honda was arrested for suspicion of felony DUI, Carrosco said. The man’s name and age were not immediately released.
The intersection was closed for the investigation, he said.
Copyright 2025, City News Service, Inc.
Sez Me …
We should have known better. I’m an idiot for not guessing that making sense out of the College Football Playoffs would be about as pleasurable as getting a colonoscopy with a rusted rake left out in the snow.
As far back as I can remember — and those of us over 50 know this Unsocial Media’s Generation’s memory goes back a week — I’ve been shouting from the rooftops that we must have a college football playoff.
(Although I will admit to not spending much time on rooftops lately, now that TV antennas have gone the way of the carburetor.)
A four-team tournament was a good start, but obviously not large enough. When it went to 12, it appeared to be the ideal number. Those who bitched over not making the final four now were going to get a chance to prove themselves on the field of play.
The big deal today is Notre Dame being left out of the top 12, with James Madison and Tulane getting in because the system allows conference champions. Notre Dame is independent, thus no conference — in football only.
This is a real shame.
As you know, I’m no fan of the Irish. Up to this minute, they’ve been privileged beyond belief. Both ND and Miami finished with 10-2 records, but the Irish lost to the Hurricanes in the opener, and by the time the selection committee made its final list, it took head-to-head into account. Which is the way it should be, when both teams finish with the same records.
Pouting Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, whose school has chosen not to appear in a menial (for them) bowl game, says few schools ever have had a more successful run than ND.
The programs the Irish beat in that 10-game span had an overall record of 55-65. Historic.
Despite all that, ND was one of the few teams that seemed capable of winning the national title. It certainly belonged in over Alabama, but the SEC has special powers.
The Irish will be in it soon enough. I suspect the tournament will balloon to 16 teams. The problem now is that with NIL and rampant portal transferring, we have parity as we’ve never had it before. And that’s not a good thing. It will be much harder for the James Madisons of the world to make it.
But this isn’t basketball. It doesn’t deserve to be in.
The Dukes lost 28-14 to Louisville, their only power conference opponent (and not a good one). And they’re a three-touchdown underdog to Oregon in the tournament. Notre Dame and Oregon would be close.
But that’s just too damn bad. …
Indiana’s Curt Cignetti is the most dour head football coach at any level I’ve seen. You can sit this guy down in front of “Blazing Saddles” and he’s watching “Camille.” …
Curt isn’t winning the national title, but he’s done a helluva job at Bob Knight’s school. Come to think of it, he’s Bob without the chair. …
The Eagles’ Nick Sirianni, who is leaning at the tape as the worst head coach to win a Super Bowl, worked all week with the Philly offense. Jalen Hurts had a 31.2 passer rating vs. the NFL Team That Used To Be Here on Monday night. Smokey Gaines, where are you? That’s 31.2 more than a dead man. …
Daiyan Henley tackling Tony Jefferson after his overtime pick vs. the Eagles was wise. But because it was OT, even if Jefferson had fumbled it away and Philly recovered, the game would have been over. No extra possessions allowed in OT. …
Philip Rivers, 44, who last played football in 2020, should stay as far away from the NFL as humanly possible, perhaps have another child. Alas, he can’t help himself. …
Philip has been signed by the Colts, moving his Hall of Fame eligibility up five more years — which could mean a few more kids. …
But he’s going to play. Probably Sunday. You know that. …
In fact, I’m certain Philip eventually will become the first great-grandfather to play in The League. …
Philip has to be in better shape than Justin Herbert, no? …
Jim Harbaugh is right. Herbert is a superhero. …
Patrick Mahomes is a great quarterback. But he is a lousy quarterback under pressure. Always has been. Except there’s more pressure now. Still, if the Judases give him time to throw Sunday, adios J’s. …
With that offensive line protecting Herbert the way Sarajevo cops guarded Archduke Franz Ferdinand, it remains a wonder the Judases can win a game. But it’s December, when defense matters. …
Told you. Joe Burrow is Andrew Luck waiting to happen. …
The only games the NFL should play on Christmas Day are the ones the athletes and coaches bought for the kids to open. …
Todd Bowles, we know you can cuss. Try coaching better before driving the bus over your players. …
Bill Johnston, for 39 years publicist for the NFL Team That Used To Be Here, and serving for the last nine with the Padres, is retiring. He learned from the best, Rick Smith, a bulldog, and Bill had that attitude as he battled relentlessly beside wife Ramona through her two-decade battle with Huntington’s Disease. One of the finest men I’ve known. …
Sherrone Moore has been fired as Michigan’s football coach because of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Sherrone then lost it and got thrown in stir for stalking and home invasion. Lane Kiffin still has time to change his mind and go to Ann Arbor. …
The Michigan job is near the top. Great history. Unlimited resources. …
USC’s Makai Lemon was the best receiver I saw all year. So he won the Biletnikoff Award. Amazing. Others agreed with me. …
The Padres have signed reliever Daison Acosta. Now there’s one with some teeth. …
The Padres and Diamondbacks will meet in Mexico City April 25 and 26? Why? Plenty of Mexican food here, and Richardson’s in Phoenix is the best Mexican in America. OK, international games are stupid. …
Now in his second year in the Fox booth, Tom Brady is getting better as he tries to earn all of that 10-year, $375 million salary. It’s what happens when Bill Belichick tells him what to say. …
Happens every week. During Steelers-Ravens, the officials screwed the Ravens into Fort McHenry. …
Officials finally got something right. They called 19 accepted penalties on the pathetic Falcons Thursday night vs. the Bucs. Atlanta still won. …
Hey, Bicycle Mayor and His Ham & Eggers: Have you taken a ride south on Kettner toward the I-5 South onramp, featuring the Rick Schloss bump? Hope you have four-wheel drive. What a disgrace. Welcome to San Diego, rental car users. …
Jeff Kent was a good baseball player. I never considered him a Hall of Famer. Still don’t. …
Army-Navy. Fastest game. As though Randy Jones were pitching. …
I was at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, which, I believe, makes me eligible for the FIFA Peace Prize. …
How can whistles be that clean?
San Diego, CA
San Diego State Edge Plans to Enter Transfer Portal After Rob Aurich Takes Nebraska Job
Nebraska’s defensive line overhaul under new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich is already appearing to create potential landing spots for veteran defenders across the country.
Less than a week after news broke that Aurich would be Nebraska’s next defensive coordinator, San Diego State junior and former three-star edge August Salvati announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal when it opens in January.
While it instantly creates a potential connection between the soon-to-be senior and his former coach, Salvati becomes a name to watch for a Nebraska program that is believed to be taking an aggressive approach to shoring up both lines of scrimmage over the offseason.
For the veteran defender, the move comes after his most productive collegiate season to date. With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about the Clearwater, FL native
In 2025, Salvati totaled six tackles, 3.5 sacks, and one interception during the regular season while helping Aurich boast the nation’s No. 7 total defense for the year. His snap count was modest, but the production still stands, as Salvati’s sack total would instantly become a team-high on Nebraska’s squad during the same timeframe.
To put in the context the stark contrast between the Husker’s and Aztec’s ability to affect the passer, Salvati’s 3.5 sacks raked fifth highest on his team this fall. Three other San Diego State defenders totaled more than 6.5 sacks alone.
With that in mind, Salvati’s role under Aurich in the Golden State was situational, and he appears to be looking to parlay his success this year into a more impactful one in 2026. For a Nebraska program that needs all the help they can get, the veteran defender likely becomes attractive to Matt Rhule’s staff.
Salvati’s career mirrors that of many players in the modern era of college football. Out of high school, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound defender took his talents to Kilgore College in Texas. There, his first season of collegiate ball became a resounding success. Salvati totaled 29 tackles, 7.0 sacks, and a fumble recovery on his way to earning SWJCFC honors.
He then transferred to Florida Atlantic in 2024. In his lone season in Boca Raton, Salvati appeared in one game without recording any stats. After the season, that is where his timeline connects him to Aurich. Entering the transfer portal around this time last year, the, at the time, junior moved across the country to join Aurich’s Aztec squad, and the rest is history.
Under Aurich, San Diego State took a tremendous jump. In a season that saw the Aztecs go 9-3, Aurich oversaw a defense that allowed just 266.7 yards per game while holding opponents to 12.6 points on average.
His group slashed its yardage allowed by more than 154 yards per game en route to shutting out three different opponents on the year. The Aztecs also excelled in the area that Nebraska’s defense struggled in this fall. The Huskers totaled 19 sacks in 12 regular-season games, compared to the Aztecs’ 32. San Diego State also recorded the best red zone defense in all of college football, whereas Nebraska was slotted second-to-last.
On paper, the hire appears to be one in which Rhule struck gold. Every stop that Aurich has been, his teams have improved, and players have developed into all-conference level athletes. That’s yet another area the Huskers have struggled at in recent years. But from Aurich’s addition and impending announcements regarding Nebraska’s defensive line coaching position, the Huskers seem to be attempting to turn the page in that regard.
Whether Salvati does indeed end up in Lincoln next fall, or is just another name potentially linked to the Huskers’ program, Nebraska’s defense seems to be in good hands moving forward. Aurich has repeatedly proved himself to be resourceful and now has the resources needed to make an even bigger jump. Believe it or not, the Huskers are significantly more aligned in the NIL and revenue-sharing era of college football than any of their new defensive coordinator’s previous stops.
While that doesn’t mean the Huskers now have an unlimited budget, it does mean Aurich will not be limited while making additions over the coming months. He’s shown he can turn role players into NFL Draft picks, and now he’ll be asked to do the same at Nebraska.
For now, Aurich gets himself adjusted to Lincoln, but before you know it, he’ll be adding his first wave of reinforcements to his squad. The transfer portal opening date is just under three weeks away; expect more news to be had as soon as it hits.
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