San Diego State wide receiver Jesse Matthews will replace teammate Jordan Byrd as the Aztecs punt returner for this week’s game against Hawaii.
“I think it will be Jesse,” head coach Brady Hoke said during Tuesday’s weekly Zoom media conference. Hoke said “having the ability to have either one of those guys back there, feel really good about it.”
But ball security has become an issue on punts and SDSU doesn’t want to take half the season to rectify the situation the way it did two years ago when muffs cost the Aztecs dearly in one game and concern in at least a couple others.
Byrd has muffed punts in two of three games this season, including one in the fourth quarter of last week’s 28-17 loss to San Jose State.
The turnover came with SDSU trailing 21-17 with 3:32 remaining and eliminated any chance for a comeback when the Spartans promptly scored a clinching TD.
“Jordan, obviously, got a little anxious,” Hoke said. “I think he was trying to make a play, to be honest with you.
“From that standpoint, we like the aggression that he has, but we’ve just got to have better follow through at the end.”
Byrd remains in the mix at running back, where he has collected 116 yards on six carries that include a 73-yard touchdown run against Utah State. Byrd has returned seven punts for 34 yards this season (4.86 average). He has elite speed that could make for game-breaking returns, but securing the ball is a priority. Byrd and Matthews returned 12 punts apiece last season, with Byrd averaging about a yard more than Matthews — 7.75 yards to 6.5 yards. Neither player had a touchdown return.
So it is the sure-handed Matthews — a sophomore who leads the Aztecs with 10 receptions for 173 yards — with the opportunity to handle punts again.
“I’m pretty comfortable back there,” Matthews said. “I just want to be able to get the job done.
“I’m glad they have their trust in me to be back there. I’m just going to try to field every punt cleanly and do the best I can.”
Asked the key to being a good punt returner, Matthews said, “Just have confidence in yourself, really. When there’s 11 guys flying at you, it’s a little nerve-wracking.
“But just having the confidence in your fundamentals, knowing the protection is going to hold up and, ultimately, catching the ball and making the play if there is one to make.”
a chance to review the loss to the Spartans, which included three fourth-quarter turnovers, what did Hoke learn?
“We’ve got to play 60 minutes,” he said. “We’ve got to take care of the football. Anytime you lose turnover margin, you’ve got a chance to lose the game and that’s part of what happened the other night.
“We’ve also got to be more sound on some of the things we’re teaching. Our details have got to be better. The good thing is our guys came out (Monday), had a heck of a practice. A lot of energy.”
QB development: Carson Baker had his most challenging experience since becoming SDSU’s starting QB this season, turning the ball over twice against the Spartans with a fumble on a backward pass and an interception.
Asked how Baker seemed in practice this week, Hoke said, “Bake’s a sophomore. He’s learning. We’ve talked about how you’ve got to manage the offense before you can master it.
“It’s a learning experience every day. He’s sharp. He’s smart. (Offensive coordinator) Jeff (Hecklinski) will do a great job with him.”
Defending Hawaii: Sophomore Chad Cordeiro led the Warriors in rushing with 116 yards and two rushing touchdowns in an opening-week win at Fresno State and threw for a career-high 410 yards and four TDs in last week’s home win over New Mexico.
SDSU senior defensive back Tayler Hawkins believes Cordeiro has an advantage since he just faced a New Mexico team that runs the same 3-3-5 defense as the Aztecs.
“They kind of get the same look two weeks in a row,” Hawkins said. “That’s definitely an advantage they have.
“Plus, we kind of struggled with a running quarterback (backup QB Nick Nash) against San Jose State last week.
“The fact he can run and pass is something we definitely need to buckle down on.”
So what do you do to keep him in the pocket?
“Put a spy on him or contain him more at the line of scrimmage,” Hawkins said. “Our defensive ends have to be very disciplined this week keeping him inside the pocket.”
Kenney writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune