San Jose State
San Jose State

San Jose State Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 01:47 EST

The question posed to San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre at the start of spring drills was whether the loss of Tate Forcier was casting a shadow over a three-man quarterback competition that promises to stretch into the summer months.

Forcier started at Michigan in 2009, served as the primary backup to Denard Robinson in 2010 and was expected to start for the Spartans this fall after enrolling at San Jose State in 2011, but Forcier withdrew from school last semester. The Spartans might have been explosive offensively with Forcier throwing to a stable of talented receivers, but MacIntyre believes they can be successful with the quarterbacks on their roster.

"From the outside looking in, yes, we don't have a starter, a guy who has played at the Division I level, but we have guys who have a lot of reps in our system," MacIntyre told the San Jose Mercury News. "I don't think (Forcier's departure) casts a shadow."

The competition between quarterbacks Dasmen Stewart, Blake Jurich and David Fales got underway when the Spartans opened spring practice March 6. They will hold 15 practice sessions, culminating with the annual spring game on April 13. Stewart appeared in four games last season and started two, completing 21-of-52 passes for 158 yards. Jurich has recovered nicely from shoulder surgery and "is throwing the ball like he was when we signed him," MacIntyre told the Mercury News.

MacIntyre has expressed his belief in both Stewart and Jurich, but he has to be intrigued by what he's seen from Fales. The transfer from Monterey Peninsula College enrolled early in order to participate in spring drills and has taken the opportunity to establish himself as a possible frontrunner for the starting job. Fales completed 16-of-22 passes for 257 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 122-play scrimmage held March 23. The Mercury News reported that Fales was throwing the best passes "by far," describing them as "accurate, tight spirals with good velocity."

MacIntyre, who recently received a contract extension through the 2017 season after leading the Spartans to a 5-7 record in 2011, will take his time evaluating the quarterbacks and is not likely to name a starter until this summer. Four players are being held out of contact drills during spring practices due to injuries: RB David Freeman (arm), LB Keith Smith (wrist), LB Vince Buhagiar (shoulder) and S Bene Benwikere (wrist).

Freeman, who started his college career at Washington, missed most of last season with a broken arm. The Spartans are counting on Freeman and Minnesota transfer DeLeon Eskridge to fill the void created by the departure of Brandon Rutley, who rushed for 903 yards last season despite being slowed

by injury.

The Spartans also have to find six new starters on defense. One of the defense's biggest losses is two-time first-team All-Western Athletic Conference safety Duke Ihenacho, but coaches feel senior Cullen Newsome is a capable replacement after serving in a backup role last season.

"He played (in the 2011 regular-season finale) against Fresno State, had 11 tackles and was phenomenal," MacIntyre told the Mercury News. "He was a walk-on, and as we were walking off the field I told him, 'You've earned a scholarship.'"

--San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre recently made two additions to his coaching staff, naming Brian Lindgren offensive coordinator and Fred Guidici special-teams coordinator/running backs coach. Lindgren previously served as offensive coordinator at Northern Arizona, where the Lumberjacks averaged more than 28 points and 410 yards total offense under his watch over the past four years. He replaced John DeFilippo, who took a job with the Oakland Raiders in February. Guidici, a San Jose State graduate, previously coached at Santa Clara, Stanford and Menlo College in addition to brief stints with

the Raiders and the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League.

--Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson recently met with San Jose State officials and toured the school's athletic facilities, sources told the San Jose Mercury News. San Jose State, which competes in the Western Athletic Conference, has been identified as a potential target should the Mountain West choose to expand in the coming months. The Spartans would follow Hawaii and Fresno State, each of which recently left the WAC for the Mountain West.

SPRING MOVERS:

CB/RB Tyler Ervin -- The sophomore multipurpose player is proving to be quite useful. He has established himself as one of San Jose State's top cornerbacks and tailbacks, and he is seen as the team's best option for kickoff and punt-return duties. San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre still

isn't sure exactly how he'll use Ervin, but he told the San Jose Mercury News: "I wish I had five of him."

QB David Fales -- The 6-3, 225-pound junior is quickly establishing himself as one of the team's top passers. He posted impressive numbers in a 122-play inter-squad scrimmage March 23, completing 16-of-22 passes for 257 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

RB Ben Thompson -- The 6-2, 227-pound sophomore was used primarily as a special-teams player as a redshirt freshman last season, but he is competing for a backup role at running back this spring. Thompson was the leading rusher with 78 yards on nine carries in a March 23 scrimmage.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Coach (Mike) MacIntyre came in today and said it was an open competition. When I first got here, I had to get used to the playbook. (Dasmen Stewart and Blake Jurich) were a little more fluid, but I don't feel like I'm noticeably behind." -- Junior QB David Fales, to the San Jose Mercury News, on the team's three-way quarterback competition.

2012 OUTLOOK: The Spartans made unmistakable progress in 2011 in their second season under coach Mike MacIntyre, going 5-7 overall and 3-4 in the Western Athletic Conference after winning a total of two games over the previous two seasons. They want to take another step forward this season and

appear to have the personnel with seven returning starters on offense, five returning starters on defense and more depth than they've had in years. There are playmakers on both sides of the ball, but the big question is whether the Spartans have a quarterback capable of leading them to victory.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: San Jose State's offense could be rather good if the Spartans can find a quarterback to replace departed senior Matt Faulkner, who led the Western Athletic Conference in passing at 286.3 yards per game while completing 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,149 yards last season. Standout RB Brandon Rutley is gone, too, but David Freeman, who began his career at Washington, and DeLeon Eskridge, a Minnesota transfer, appear capable of filling that void. San Jose State returns seven starters on offense, and whoever wins the quarterback job will have a host of capable pass catchers. The Spartans return their four leading receivers from last season: WR Noel Grigsby (886 yards), TE Ryan Otten (739), WR Chandler Jones (566) and WR Jabari Carr (576).

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The Spartans have holes to fill with just five returning starters on defense, but there are capable players waiting in the wings. DE Travis Johnson, DT Travis Raciti, LB Keith Smith and S James Orth return, giving the Spartans a good nucleus to build around. Johnson was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference selection after recording 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss as a junior in 2011. Smith and Orth are both three-year starters. The Spartans have to replace two-time first-team

All-Conference S Duke Ihenacho -- and that's no small task -- but in a testament to the program's improved talent and depth, senior Cullen Newsome is seen as a ready replacement after serving as a backup last season.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Tyler Ervin gives San Jose State a good return man, and Harrison Waid is more than capable of handling kickoff and punting duties, but the Spartans have a big void to fill on special teams. They are searching for a replacement for outgoing senior Jens Alvernik, who made 18 field-goal attempts last season to break a single-season school record. Waid made 2-of-5 field-goal attempts last season and may be capable of doing it on a full-time basis. Coaches will also look at freshman Alex Anastasi.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

QB David Fales -- Fales, a transfer from Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, Calif., enrolled in school early in order to participate in spring practice and already is asserting himself as a candidate for the starting job. He passed for 4,635 yards and 37 touchdowns in two seasons at Monterey Peninsula.

RB Jalynn McCain -- At 5-foot-10 and 220 pounds, McCain possesses a nice blend of power and speed. He was listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals and ESPN and was named one of Dave Campbell's top 25 running backs as a senior at George Bush High School in Richmond, Texas.

OT Fernando Villanueva -- The 6-foot-7, 285-pound lineman reportedly spurned offers from Washington State, Utah and Utah State to play college football in his hometown following a standout career at Independence High School in San Jose. Villanueva initially committed to Washington State but

reconsidered, saying he felt San Jose State was more committed to him. Villanueva will be evaluated as both an offensive and defensive lineman when he arrives this summer.

ROSTER REPORT:

--The Spartans added a second running back to their 2012 recruiting class when they signed Alvin Jelks, who earned All-State honors at Hartnell College in nearby Salinas, Calif. Jelks rushed for 2,552 yards and 28 touchdowns in two seasons at Hartnell. San Jose State previously signed Jalynn McCain, a 5-11, 220-pound three-star prospect from George Bush High School in Houston, Texas, described by San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre as "very fast" and "very powerful."

--San Jose State also announced a key addition on defense when Eric Finefeuiaki signed in early February. Finefeuiaki is expected to play outside linebacker at San Jose State, but he was a first-team All-State defensive back at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Calif., last season. He was credited with 64 tackles and 24.5 tackles for a loss.

MacIntyre said Finefeuiaki is "extremely active and athletic, an excellent blitzer and a very good tackler in the open field."

--Freshman QB Joe Gray is sitting out of spring practice sessions in order to focus on academics, according to the San Jose Mercury News. He is expected to join the team for training camp this summer.