SJSU Spartans Are Preparing for Mitch

[Iceland12]

SAN JOSE -- Injured Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner's status is uncertain for Saturday's game against San Jose State, but the Spartans will still have to prepare for the player who last year powered the Golden Gophers' win over SJSU.


Leidner crushed the Spartans on the ground in a 43-24 win in Minneapolis a year ago when he rushed 24 times for 151 yards and four touchdowns, numbers that remain career highs for the 6-foot-4, 237-pound sophomore.

But the Gophers quarterback is dealing with multiple injuries ahead of this week's rematch at Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported he suffered a broken bone in his left big toe in Saturday's 30-7 loss to TCU after spraining the medial collateral ligament in his left knee the week before.

"For all we know, (Leidner) could be 100 percent," Spartans coach Ron Caragher said. "For all we know, the backup (Chris Streveler), who came in and did an admirable job throwing a touchdown pass, he could be the guy.

"I think we focus on being able to play at the level Spartan football aspires to play at, knowing that either one of those guys could be up and could be ready to go."

Leidner's powerful build and running ability isn't all that dissimilar from SJSU quarterback Blake Jurich, who is 6-4 and 235 pounds. With the Spartans on a bye last week, they were able to spend time having the first-team defense face Jurich and the first-team offense.

"We didn't necessarily put in their offense, but there are some similarities," Caragher said. "We didn't impose the tackling part because I don't want our first defense tackling Blake Jurich during a bye week, but we did all the way up until that part and got our guys into position, and so there definitely is some carry-over"..

http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_26538961/sjsu-spartans-prepare-minnesotas-leidner

 

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National leader in punt return average: In games played through September 13, San Jose State is the Football Subdivision (FBS) national leader in punt return average at 36.5 yards per return. The Spartans have just two returns, both against North Dakota, in the first two games. San Jose State called for a fair catch on each of the two Auburn punts.
Spartans make it 10-2 when rushing for 150: San Jose State opened the 2014 season with 150 yards rushing in the North Dakota win. Since 2011, the Spartans are 10-2 in games in which they gained 150 or more yards rushing. The two losses were to Navy in 2013 and UCLA in 2011.

Tyler Ervin among active FBS career leaders:  Tyler Ervin is one of eight active Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) players with four or touchdowns by punt and/or kickoff return in games played through September 13. Among the eight, Ervin is one of four players with a return for a touchdown in each category and two or more in the other.

Jurich among nation’s most accurate: San José State quarterback Blake Jurich is one of 15 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) passers to complete at least 70 percent of his passes through games played as of September 13.

http://www.sjsuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/091414aaa.html

 

[MNVCGUY]

National leader in punt return average: In games played through September 13, San Jose State is the Football Subdivision (FBS) national leader in punt return average at 36.5 yards per return. The Spartans have just two returns, both against North Dakota, in the first two games. San Jose State called for a fair catch on each of the two Auburn punts.
Spartans make it 10-2 when rushing for 150: San Jose State opened the 2014 season with 150 yards rushing in the North Dakota win. Since 2011, the Spartans are 10-2 in games in which they gained 150 or more yards rushing. The two losses were to Navy in 2013 and UCLA in 2011.

Tyler Ervin among active FBS career leaders:  Tyler Ervin is one of eight active Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) players with four or touchdowns by punt and/or kickoff return in games played through September 13. Among the eight, Ervin is one of four players with a return for a touchdown in each category and two or more in the other.

Jurich among nation’s most accurate: San José State quarterback Blake Jurich is one of 15 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) passers to complete at least 70 percent of his passes through games played as of September 13.

http://www.sjsuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/091414aaa.html

lol - What a worthless stat. They have 2 punt returns against a lower division team. That is grasping at straws a little on their part though I am sure we do the same thing all the time as well.

 

[Iceland12]

lol - What a worthless stat. They have 2 punt returns against a lower division team. That is grasping at straws a little on their part though I am sure we do the same thing all the time as well.

It's not easy filling a SJSU blog.

 

[Iceland12]

lol - What a worthless stat. They have 2 punt returns against a lower division team. That is grasping at straws a little on their part though I am sure we do the same thing all the time as well.

It's not easy filling a SJSU blog. Speaking of which:

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/2014/09/15/san-jose-state-football-grading-the-week-53/

* If you hadn’t heard: Kickoff for the Minnesota game is 1 p.m. Pacific. The Spartans caught a break in that regard — it could have been a morning start on the body clock …
Result: Bye
Grade: N/A
Comment: The only story of the bye week was an encouraging one for the Spartans: QB Blake Jurich missed no time as the result of the forearm injury suffered at Auburn.
That means SJSU survived the trip to The Plains with one bad loss and a few bumps/bruises.
Not bad — not bad at all, especially when you consider what could have gone wrong and what the Spartans received in return:
The $1.55 million paycheck means so much to the athletic department and SJSU’s ability to compete in the Mountain West over the long haul.


Next up: at Minnesota
The matchup: Look for the Gophers to hit SJSU in the gut early, then gauge the response.
*** Minnesota ran for 353 yards last year against the Spartans’ soft 3-4 defense. I expect SJSU to have considerably more fortitude in the 4-3 alignment installed by DC Greg Robinson.
Enough fortitude to handle the Gophers’ line – they average 313 pounds per man — and bowling ball tailback David Cobb? We’ll see.
*** The Spartans will have more playmakers on the field with the return of tailbacks Jarrod Lawson and Thomas Tucker. Lawson was suspended for two games (violation of team rules) and Tucker didn’t play at Auburn (foot injury).
SJSU must have the threat of a running game in order to take the pressure off Jurich and open up the downfield passing lanes.
*** Minnesota recorded two cupcake wins early (Eastern Illinois and Middle Tennessee), then got hammered at TCU on Saturday (30-7), due in large part to five turnovers, including three interceptions by sophomore quarterback Mitch Leidner.
The Gophers are a mediocre team in a mediocre conference. I’m not sure the Spartans are equipped to win, but a close game entering the fourth quarter should come as no surprise.
SJSU opened as a 9-point underdog, but the line has dropped to 7.5.
That seems about right: If the Spartans don’t give Minnesota easy points (through turnovers and big plays on special teams), they can be competitive.

 

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Won't let me highlight it, but take a look at that payout again. The Spartans got $1.55 million for playing at Auburn.