Scouting San Jose State

The San Jose State Spartans have some talent on their football team, and I expect a dogfight this Saturday when the Aggies travel to SJSU.

Here’s what you can expect from the Spartans going into Saturday’s game:

Offensively, the team runs a two-quarterback system.

Matt Faulkner is listed as the starter and the team is more apt to throw with him in the game. The Spartans have some talent at wide receiver — Noel Grigsby (5-foot-11, 170), Chandler Jones (5-foot-11, 174) and Jabari Carr (6-foot-180) all look good. Faulkner originally signed with Fresno State before heading to Mount San Antonio College and then SJSU.

The Spartans other quarterback is Dasmen Stewart and they become a running team with him in the game.

SJSU runs plays out of a pistol formation — quarterback three yards behind center, running back directly behind him. The team will also line up in an I-formation when close to the goaline or when trying to work the ball out from deep in their own territory.

They have an athletic offensive line — not too big.

Defensively, the Spartans have a big-time defensive back in senior safety Duke Ihenacho. Keith Smith was a good, young linebacker for them last year — WAC Freshman of the Year — and he returns as a starter. SJSU returned 11 starters on their defense from a season ago.

Expect San Jose State to blitz the Aggies this week after what UTEP did to NMSU last week.