Five Things to Watch: Aztecs open fall camp eager for improvement

San Diego State coach Sean Lewis wore a suit and tie two weeks ago to Mountain West football media days in Las Vegas.

“This is big business,” Lewis said during a radio interview at the event. “We’re in the business of winning ballgames.”

The Aztecs are ready to get down to business, with fall camp opening Wednesday in preparation for a season that is just four weeks away.

Players and coaches are aiming for significant improvement over last year’s 3-9 finish in Lewis’ SDSU debut.

Lewis is expected to be dressed more comfortably at practice as the Aztecs get to work.

Here are five things to watch:

1. Quarterback competition

Junior transfers Jayden Denegal (Michigan) and Bert Emanuel Jr. (Central Michigan) will resume the starting quarterback competition that began in the spring.

The 6-foot-5 Denegal was a backup at Michigan the past three years. He starred at Apple Valley High School, throwing for more than 4,600 yards and 69 touchdowns while rushing for 14 TDs.

The 6-3 Emanuel hails from Houston. The son of former NFL receiver Bert Emanuel was sidetracked by injuries at Central Michigan, where he was noted more for his running (carrying 145 times for 844 yards and 12 TDs) than his passing (27 of 51, 439 yards, and 5 TDs/3 INTs).

Denegal emerged from spring workouts listed first on the depth chart, so he has the edge coming into fall camp.

“Jayden and Bert have done a tremendous job,” Lewis said. “I think they’ve earned the respect of their peers, which is really, really important. Now we get to go into camp and figure out who’s going to be the guy and who’s going to help the team win.”

The starter is expected to be identified soon after the team’s Aug. 14 scrimmage at Snapdragon Stadium. The Aztecs open their season Aug. 28 at home against Stony Brook.

Lewis said it’s important “that we’re able to know, hey, this is the guy and clearly identify these roles so that the team knows.”

2. The O-line

SDSU’s offensive struggles last season can be traced to inconsistent play along an offensive line depleted by injuries and transfers that had a penchant for penalties.

At times, the Aztecs practiced with only seven or eight healthy linemen. The ranks have been replenished, with the position group swelling to 16 players. Only one of them dresses out at fewer than 300 pounds. Half of them stand 6-6 or taller.

Left tackle Christian Jones and center Ross Ulugalu-Maseuli are returning senior starters. Senior Joe Borjon is recovered from torn knee ligaments suffered in last year’s season opener and expected to start at right tackle.

Seniors Bayo Kannike (Utah Tech) and Dallas Fincher (Michigan State), juniors Kalan Ellis (Syracuse) and Cam May (Howard) and sophomore Mason “Yeti” Baker (American River College) are transfers competing to start and/or add depth to the unit.

Senior Tyler McMahon, who started eight games at right guard last season, has left the team for personal reasons.

3. The D-line

With the entire starting secondary and linebacker corps returning, the biggest question is up front.

Getting pressure on the quarterback will be a point of emphasis.

Junior edge Trey White did his part last season, ranking among the nation’s leaders with 12½ sacks. The player with the next most among returners is junior edge Ryan Henderson, who had 2½ sacks.

Juniors Krishna Clay and Brady Nassar, who had 41 and 26 tackles, respectively, also return up front and are poised to take a step forward.

The key will be how much contribution comes from a handful of transfers, including senior Niles King (Grand Valley State) and juniors Malachi Finau (Hawaii) and August Salvati (Florida Atlantic).

4. Playmaking receivers

Sophomore Jordan Napier (43 catches, 440 yards, 4 TDs) is the only proven commodity in the receiving corps.

“We’ve got to develop playmakers at the wide receiver position,” Lewis said. “Obviously, we know Jordan Napier, but there’s not any other production that’s returning.”

Senior transfer Myles Kitt-Denton (Northwestern State) emerged in the spring, earning a first-string spot at slot receiver. Junior transfers Jacob Bostick (Texas A&M) and Donovan Brown (Monroe University) also bear watching, along with a pair of local products, sophomore Jerry McClure (Mater Dei Catholic High School/UCLA) and redshirt freshman Will Cianfrini (Carlsbad High School).

Cianfrini was progressing in the spring before being slowed by a hamstring injury. He is healthy now.

“All these guys need to continue to develop,” Lewis said. “For our style of play, where we’re going to have three, four, five wide receivers on the field at any given time, you’ve got to have enough playmakers out on the edge to make it meaningful.”

5. Familiar faces

The graduation of workhorse running back Marquez Cooper, who rushed 292 times last season, opens up an opportunity for plenty of carries.

More often than not, it will be a local product taking handoffs.

SDSU’s top three running backs on the depth chart are San Diegans — junior Lucky Sutton (Cathedral Catholic High School), junior transfer Christian Washington (Helix High School/New Mexico/Coastal Carolina) and senior transfer Byron Cardwell Jr. (Morse High School/St. Augustine High School/Cal).

Sutton and Washington were first and second on the depth chart coming out of camp. Cardwell was a 2,000-yard high school rusher who is trying to get a college career derailed by injuries back on track.

There’s another familiar face in SDSU’s defensive secondary, where junior safety Josh Hunter has returned after testing the transfer portal. Hunter had 31 tackles last season.