Two seasons at the University of Texas gave junior safety JD Coffey III a glimpse of college football at its highest levels, but it didn’t guarantee the junior safety a starting spot when he transferred to San Diego State before the spring semester.
Coffey played in seven games off the bench this season, collecting five tackles, before getting his first collegiate start Saturday afternoon against Utah State.
SDSU coaches renewed competition for starting spots during an off week a week ago. Coffey was the only player to move into a starting role.
True freshman Marcus Ratcliffe (Cathedral Catholic High School) had started all eight games at the “Aztec” safety position — basically playing center field — this season before Coffey replaced him against the Aggies.
The 6-foot Coffey got in a lick on Utah State tight end Broc Lane on the game’s first play, a pass from Aggies quarterback McCae Hillstead that fell incomplete.
Coffey made his first tackle during Utah State’s second series.
The next time the Aggies got the ball, Coffey was the first player in on a third-down stop completed by teammate Cody Moon.
As Utah State prepared to punt, Coffey left the field in obvious pain. SDSU strength coach Adam Hall gave Coffey a fist bump as he sat on the sideline and a trainer inspected his left shoulder.
Coffey shook it off and was smiling moments later talking with his teammates.
Ratcliffe subbed in for him on the next series before Coffey returned for more.
Coffey is the 16th player this season to make his first collegiate start for the Aztecs. He was highly-regarded two years ago coming out of Texas’ Kennedale High School, the same school that produced former SDSU running back Juwan Washington.
NorCal D-lineman commits
SDSU received a verbal commitment this week from Kodi Cornelius, a 6-foot-1, 290-pound defensive lineman for Petaluma Casa Grande High School.
Cornelius, who announced his commitment Thursday on social media, had 10 sacks in Casa Grande’s first four games this season, according to MaxPreps.com. He is the 11th player from the Class of 2024 to commit to the Aztecs. Four of those players are defenders. The other three all are defensive backs.
The NCAA’s early signing period is Dec. 20-22.
Notable
Running back Lucky Sutton’s 62-yard run in the first quarter was the Aztecs’ longest run from scrimmage in nearly three years. Former running back Greg Bell had a 62-yard touchdown run against Hawaii on Nov. 14, 2020, at SDSU’s home away from home in Carson.
• Tight end Mark Redman’s 9-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was his first touchdown catch since getting two TDs in the season opener against Ohio.
• SDSU has had a lot of success using Jack Browning on fake kicks the past couple seasons — including a 13-yard TD run at Hawaii two years ago ago — but Utah State sniffed out a fake 30-yard field goal with 3:56 remaining in the first half and stopped Browning for a 2-yard loss. In the fourth quarter, Browning was stopped on fourth-and-3 for no gain on a fake punt. That dropped Bowning’s rushing average from 24 yards a carry (3-for-72) to 14 yards a carry (5-for-70).
• When Utah State scored on a 50-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, it ended a 97-minute, 15-second streak by SDSU’s defense withhout allowing a TD.
• The in-house attendance of 14,693 at Snapdragon Stadium was the second-smallest crowd of the season. Only the Boise State game had fewer with 14,356. SDSU’s average for six games this season is 17,601 in the 32,500-seat stadium.
