The failures of the San Diego State football program since 1998 can be blamed on many things: lack of resources and leadership, questionable hiring, recruiting and player commitment.
Each would seem to have at least one thread in common – accountability, or lack thereof. If there aren't enough members of the team taking responsibility for team problems, those problems can and usually do persist.
Which is why head coach Chuck Long has installed “leadership training” for senior players. It involves dividing the Aztecs into six teams of around 15 players, each headed by about three senior leaders. Each player gets a point per week but loses points for negative behaviors, such as being late to meetings or falling behind in the classroom.
“When you have accountability like that within your own team, now they start to do all the right things,” Long said.
Long said it also forces the seniors into “leadership roles and having them take ownership of the team.” If younger players slack off, senior leaders are expected to get after them for hurting their team's point total.
The competition started in the spring and will go through the end of the year. After yesterday's morning practice, the senior leaders held a draft to select this year's newcomers. The winner at the end gets bragging rights.
“It brings accountability on the seniors and the other players,” said starting senior guard Mike Schmidt, who leads one team along with senior defensive lineman Siaosi Fifita and senior cornerback Vonnie Holmes.
“It shows you that if you mess up, your whole team is affected by that. You get guys to look up to the seniors more, and it just brings the team together. It's good times, and it's real competitive.”
Long said the team's accountability is “much higher” than it was his first season in 2006. It's all part of the larger team-building exercises Long has tried since then. Besides accountability, the idea is to build trust and relationships. That first year, the Aztecs played softball together, competed against each other in Olympic-style games and took a trip to the Navy SEAL training base. This year, they opened camp with practices at Camp Pendleton.
Notes
Yesterday's morning and afternoon workouts marked the end of two-a-day practices. The Aztecs practice once this morning before swinging into game-week mode next week. SDSU opens Aug. 30 against Cal Poly.
“I'm sorry to see it end,” Long said. “We've had a lot of good team building throughout. That's what camp is for, and this has been by far the best one we've had.”
Fifita is listed as a starting defensive tackle but might not be able to come back from a knee injury before the opener. It might be a game-time decision, Long said. SDSU probably will rotate a lot of players on the line regardless of whether he's ready. Junior Jonathan Soto's natural position is defensive end, where he's a starter, but he'll be called on at tackle in Fifita's absence. Incoming transfer tackle Darias Jones is 80 pounds heavier than the 270-pound Fifita and Soto, but is still catching up after starting camp late. He might be taken out on third downs early in the season.
“We have to be patient with him,” defensive coordinator Bob Elliott said.
First-team defensive tackle Ernie Lawson is expected to practice today after being held back recently with an ankle injury. The availability of first-team safety Corey Boudreaux (knee) also might be a game-time decision, Long said.
Sophomore kicker Bryan Shields has shown a strong and accurate leg recently after battling a hip flexor injury. Reedley College transfer Lane Yoshida also has impressed since last week but probably has the edge over Shields on kickoffs.
“It could be a situation where we start somebody and see how he does, and if it doesn't work out, we go to the next guy,” Long said. “We've got to have at least two ready.”
Brent Schrotenboer: (619) 293-1368; brent.schrotenboer@uniontrib.com
