San Jose State loses, Tomey to retire

2009 San Jose State Spartans ... Head Coach: Dick Tomey

2009 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 6-6
2009 Record: 1-8

9/5 at USC L 56-3
9/12 Utah L 24-14
9/19 at Stanford L 42-17
9/26 Cal Poly W 19-9
10/3 OPEN DATE
10/10 Idaho L 29-25
10/17 at Fresno St L 41-21
10/24 OPEN DATE
10/31 at Boise St L 45-7
11/8 Nevada L 62-7
11/14 at Utah St L 24-9
11/21 Hawaii
11/28 New Mexico St
12/5 at Louisiana Tech

2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 5-7
2008 Record: 6-6

8/30 UC Davis W 13-10
9/6 at Nebraska L 35-12
9/13 SDSU W 35-10
9/20 at Stanford L 23-10
9/27 at Hawaii W 20-17
10/4 OPEN DATE
10/11 Utah State W 30-7
10/18 at NMSU W 31-14
10/24 Boise St L 33-16
11/1 at Idaho W 30-24
11/8 La Tech L 21-0
11/15 at Nevada L 41-17
11/21 Fresno St L 24-10
11/29 OPEN DATE

San Jose State Spartans

Nov. 14
at Utah State 24 … San Jose State 9
Robert Turbin ran for 190 yards and became the first Aggie rusher to go over the 1,00-yard mark since 2001, and he scored from six and 35 yards out in the first half with the first score coming after a successful fake field goal set up the offense. San Jose State fought back with a Lamon Muldrow touchdown catch from two yards out and a field goal, but the Aggies put it away with a 40-yard Chris Ulnski field goal and a six-yard Derrvin Speight run.
Player of the Game: Utah State RB Robert Turbin ran 24 times for 190 yards and two touchdowns
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan La Secla, 18-34, 216 yds
Rushing: Lamon Muldrow, 14-46, 1 TD, Receiving: Jalal Beauchman, 4-71
Utah State: Passing: Diondre Borel, 7-18, 50 yds
Rushing: Robert Turbin, 24-190, 2 TD, Receiving: Michael Smith, 3-13 
What It All Means: And that’s it for the Dick Tomey era. A success early on, Tomey struggled to get the offense working over the last few years while the defense couldn’t pick up the slack, and now he’s retiring. Not only is the D bad, but it’s the worst in America against the run allowing 289 yards per game. Fortunately, Hawaii and New Mexico State are up next, and they can’t run. The bigger issue is an offense that can’t score with just 23 points in the last three weeks. The running game has to do something against the bad defenses down the stretch.

Nov. 7
Nevada 62 … at San Jose State 7
Four different Wolf Pack players ran for over 100 yards as part of a 517-yard, eight touchdown rushing day from the offense. It was the first time since 1984 (Army) when a team had four runners hit the century mark in one game. Colin Kaepernick ran for scores from 19, 15, and four yards out on the way to a 20-0 Nevada lead, and the machine kept on rolling with Vai Taua tearing off a 70-yard scoring dash with 13 seconds to play in the half. Kaepernick connected with L.J. Washington for a 46-yard score on the way to a 55-0 lead before San Jose State finally got on the board with a one-yard Patrick Perry run. Nevada converted 11-of-12 third down conversion attempts.
Player of the Game: Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick completed 9-of-14 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown, and he ran 11 times for 115 yards and three scores.
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan LaSecla, 19-28, 226 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Patrick Perry, 5-15, Receiving: Kevin Jurovich, 6-110
Nevada: Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 9-14, 122 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Vai Taua, 12-144, 1 TD, Receiving: L.J. Washington, 3-71, 1 TD 
What It All Means: The Spartan defense is going from bad to worse, but that’s because the competition has stepped up. Over the last two games, SJSU has lost to Boise State and Nevada by a combined score of 107 to 14, and Utah State is up next. While that might seem like a breather, the Aggies can run the ball extremely well and should gouge the Spartan front seven. Jordan LaSecla has to get the passing going in a hurry or there will be problems getting another win.

Oct. 31
at Boise State 45 … San Jose State 7
Kellen Moore connected with his brother, Kirby, for a 61-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, and after San Jose State scored on an 11-yard Marquis Avery scoring grab to tie it at seven, it was all Boise State with 38 unanswered points helped by a one-yard Kellen Moore touchdown run, an 18-yard pass to Mitch Burroughs, and an eight-yard pass to Austin Pettis. Kyle Wilson put the game well out of reach with a pick-six from 27 yards out. SJSU was held to just 223 yards rushing.
Player of the Game: Boise State CB Kyle Wilson made five tackles with a tackle for loss with an interception for a score.
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan LaSecla, 10-20, 79 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Josh Harrison, 1-39, Receiving: Kevin Jurovich, 6-69
Boise State: Passing: Kellen Moore, 21-33, 278 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Doug Martin, 6-63, 1 TD, Receiving: Austin Pettis, 5-63, 1 TD 
What It All Means: The lack of offense continues to be a problem, and there was no chance of staying with Boise State with an offense that’s averaging 277 yards per game. Jordan LaSecla is trying to make things happen with the passing game, but he’s getting no help whatsoever with the ground attack. The defense did a decent job of hitting BSU QB Kellen Moore, but it’s going to have to come up with its best game of the year to stay with Nevada’s running game next week. The Spartans are 118th in the nation against the run.

Oct. 17
at Fresno State 41 … San Jose State 21
Fresno State explodes with a 24-point second quarter with Ryan Mathews tearing off a 59-yard touchdown run and Marlon Moore catching a 23-yard scoring pass. Moore scored from four yards out in the fourth as part of a 34-point Bulldog run, which was finally stopped with nine seconds to play on a 59-yard Josh Harrison catch.
Player of the Game: Fresno State RB Ryan Matthews ran 20 times for 233 yards and a score
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan LaSecla, 17-27, 143 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Lamon Muldrow, 15-73, Receiving: Jalal Beachman, 5-56, 1 TD
Fresno State: Passing: Ryan Colburn, 7-12, 117 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Ryan Mathews, 20-233, 1 TD, Receiving: Seyi Ajirotutu, 4-61 
What It All Means: SJSU has to be considered among the most disappointing teams in America, albeit on a smaller scale. The defense has been stunningly bad with no ability to slow down the run and no pass rush. However, the team is doing a decent job in turnover margin, and it’ll have to start capitalizing on all the mistakes a little more. It could get ugly with Boise State and Nevada up next unless the offense finds something that consistently works.

Oct. 10
Idaho 29 … at San Jose State 25
DeMaundray Woolridge scored on a five-yard dash with 1:10 to play to give Idaho the win. The Vandals committed 11 penalties and four turnovers, but they were saved by three Trey Farquhar field goals to get up 22-14. But the Spartans game back in the fourth quarter on a 38-yard Marquis Avery touchdown catch and a 20-yard Tyler Cope field goal for the lead, and then it was up to Brian Reader. The Idaho backup only completed one pass for 11 yards, but he directed the final drive that led to the game-winning score.
Player of the Game: Idaho RB Princeton McCarty ran 16 times for 125 yards and a touchdown.
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan La Secla, 31-43, 302 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Jordan la Secla, 9-19, 1 TD, Receiving: Kevin Jurovich, 8-75
Idaho: Passing: Nathan Enderle, 14-26, 216 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Princeton McCarty, 16-125, 1 TD, Receiving: Max Komar, 5-73
What It All Means: The team just isn’t clicking. Idaho might have given away four turnovers and might have committed 11 penalties, but San Jose State chipped in with nine penalties and three turnovers that turned out to be killers. The offense didn’t start to work until it was too late, while the defense didn’t come up with the stop needed when it could’ve ended the game with a big play in the final minutes. The team can’t score, and that’s a huge problem with road games at Fresno State and Boise State up next followed up by a date with Nevada. A 1-7 start has to be expected with the way things are going.

Sept. 26
at San Jose State 19 … Cal Poly 9
San Jose State had lost three in a row to Cal Poly, but Lamon Muldrow put an end to that with 184 yards on the ground highlighted by a 71-yard dash that led to a two-yard touchdown run that put the game away. Jordan La Secla added two scoring passes for the Spartans as part of 19 unanswered points after spotting the Mustangs nine on a 53-yard Jono Grayson run and a 30-yard Chris Pinto field goal.
Player of the Game: San Jose State RB Lamon Muldrow ran 20 times for 184 yards and a score.
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan La Secla, 18-32, 172 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Lamon Muldrow, 20-184, 1 TD, Receiving: Kevin Jurovich, 7-108
Cal Poly: Passing: Tony Smith, 10-25, 135 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Jono Grayson, 15-138, 1 TD, Receiving: Dominique Johnson, 6-93
What It All Means: Considering the rushing attack was among the worst in America over the first three games, getting 184 yards out of Lamon Muldrow is a really big deal. The less Jordan La Secla and the passing game have to do, the better, but against Idaho in two weeks the offense is going to have to produce with a balanced attack; Idaho is playing well. The defense has to start playing up to the potential. At the moment, this isn’t a Dick Tomey-type of D; there’s no pass rush and the front seven is getting shoved around. However, Tanner Burns had a good game with 11 tackles.

Sept. 19
at Stanford 42 … San Jose State 17
Toby Gerhart ran for two short scores in the first half and Corey Gatewood returned an interception 23 yards for a score on the way to a 28-7 lead. Chris Owusu returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown and caught a 22-yard touchdown pass in the third, and Richard Sherman returned a punt 48 yards for a touchdown. San Jose State managed just 228 yards of offense.
Player of the Game: Stanford RB Toby Gerhart ran 24 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan La Secla, 17-30, 155 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Lamon Muldrow, 5-35, Receiving: Kevin Jurovich, 9-103
Stanford: Passing: Andrew Luck, 9-12, 170 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Toby Gerhart, 24-113, 2 TD, Receiving: Ryan Whalen, 3-63 
What It All Means: The running game is never going to produce, but that’s been a given from the start. But being dead last in the nation? That has to change, and it has to start with the O line. The Spartans have to win with defense and passing, but the air attack isn’t exactly high-octane and the defense is having way too many problems with physical offensive fronts. On the plus side, Kevin Jurovich is playing well as the lone weapon to count on.

Sept. 12
Utah 24 ... at San Jose State 14
Utah got a big push from a game San Jose State, needing 17 fourth quarter points to put the game away. Jereme Brooks took off for a 51-yard scoring run early in the fourth to give the Utes the lead for good, and Eddie Wide all but put it away with a  15-yard scoring dash. San Jose State kept the head on with a Marquis Avery one-yard scoring catch, but the Utes were able to breathe easily with a field goal in the final seconds. The two teams combined for 18 penalties.
Player of the Game: Utah QB Terrance Cain completed 18-of-31 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown, and he ran ten times for 69 yards.
San Jose State: Passing: Jordan La Secla, 22-34, 269 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Brandon Rutley, 2-10, Receiving: Kevin Jurovich, 8-146
Utah: Passing: Terrance Cain, 18-31, 248, 1 TD
Rushing: Matt Asiata, 20-94, 1 TD, Receiving: Jereme Brooks, 5-98, 1 TD
What It All Means: Welcome back, Kevin Jurovich. The Spartans have no running game and Jordan La Secla was fine at quarterback in place of Kyle Reed, but it helps to have a No. 1 stud target like Jurovich, who caught seven passes for 113 yards, to rely on. However, with just 22 yards of rushing offense, the attack is one dimensional and needs to find something that works to balance things out before jumping into WAC play in three weeks. SJSU can beat Idaho, but it can't beat Fresno State without some changes.

Sept. 5
at USC 56 … San Jose State 3
Matt Barkley was awful … for four series. After sputtering and coughing with fumbles and misfires, the Trojan offense got it in gear after San Jose State took a 3-0 lead on a 41-yard Tyler Cope kick. USC scored 56 unanswered points with Stafon Johnson scoring from four and two yards out and Joe McKnight scoring from six and 54 yards away. Barkley settled down and threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Rhett Ellison and finished with a sharp 15-of-19 day with no mistakes.
Player of the Game: USC RB Joe McKnight ran 14 times for 145 yards and two scores.
San Jose State: Passing: Kyle Reed, 9-17, 66 yds
Rushing: Patrick Perry, 14-48, Receiving: Kevin Jurovich, 5-64
USC: Passing: Matt Barkley, 15-19, 233 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Joe McKnight, 14-145, 2 TD, Receiving: Damien Williams, 3-67 
What It All Means: The Spartans weren’t going to challenge USC and make the game competitive, but the big problem was how the passing game didn’t work at all. Kyle Reed couldn’t make anything happen, even with his great receiving corps, and Jordan La Secla didn’t have much more success. Again, it was USC, and the dogs weren’t exactly called off, but if SJSU is thinking about being a player in the WAC race, it needs to find something that works offensively soon. On the plus side, everyone else from here on will look like they’re going in slow motion.