San Diego Toreros
Overall Rank: #40
#1 Pioneer League
San Diego is heading into the 2020 season looking to continue its run of dominance throughout the Pioneer League. The Toreros have won 37 straight conference games and will be looking to break the FCS record of 39 set by Duquesne and will be taking aim at Oklahoma’s conference win streak record of 44. Head Coach Dale Lindsey has done an excellent job of building a problem that is highly competitive on an annual basis.
2019 Record: 9-3, 8-0
2019 Postseason: FCS Playoffs vs. Northern Iowa 3-17 L First round
Coach: Dale Lindsey (63-19 at San Diego, 63-19 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Tyler Sutton
Defensive Coordinator: Bobby Jay
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Terrence Smith, RB, 473 yards
Passing: Mason Randall, QB, 19 yards
Receiving: Dalton Kincaid, TE, 835 yards
Tackles: Kama Kamaka, NB, 72
Sacks: Kevin Glachjen, DL, 4.0
Interceptions: Cassius Johnson, CB, 3
Other Key Returnees: RB Emilio Martinez, WR Alex Spadone, S Hunter Nichols, DL Nick Friedel, DL Jacob Bergstrom, DB Michael Hawkins, OL DJ Wright, OL Luke Lacilento, OL Trent Forster, OL Aidan Valencia, OL Nolan Bisogno, NT Myles Wilson, DL Muhindo Kapapa, WR Christian Brown, K Brandon Eickert
Key Losses: RB Jojo Binda Jr., QB Reid Sinnett, WR Michael Bandy, CB David Tolbert, WR Michael Armstead, CB Daniel Tolbert, P Tanner Kuljian
Offense:
One of the biggest storylines to follow for San Diego heading into fall camp will be the quarterback battle to replace Reid Sinnett. Mason Randall is the only returning quarterback who has seen any game action as he completed 1 of 2 passes for 19 yards during the 2019 season. Terrence Smith returns at running back and he will be expected to take on a bigger responsibility within the offense for the Toreros. The best friend of an inexperienced quarterback is a quality running back so look for Smith and Emilio Martinez to dig in behind a very experienced offensive line and pound away running the football. Tight end Dalton Kincaid is the top returning pass catcher from 2019 as he caught 44 passes for 835 yards and eight touchdowns. Alex Spadone will lead a quality group of wide receivers that should be able to pick up the slack for the lost production of Michael Bandy.
Defense:
San Diego was solid defensively in 2019 as they limited teams to just 22.6 points per game and 361.1 yards of total offense. The defense put forth a great effort in the FCS Playoffs as they limited Northern Iowa to just one offensive touchdown and 268 yards of total offense. That type of defensive effort as time goes on in the playoffs should pay dividends for the Toreros in future years. Kevin Glajchen is the top returning pass rusher as he had four sacks along with 7.5 tackles for loss. Jacob Bergstrom and Nick Friedel will also return for San Diego along the defensive front and if they can bump up their production that will be a big boost as opposing teams will be providing extra attention to Glajchen. Kama Kamaka and Cassius Johnson are two strong playmakers in the secondary that will be looking to build upon strong 2019 seasons. Kamaka led the team in tackles with 72, including 9.5 tackles for loss. Johnson had three interceptions and should be the number one cornerback in 2020 with the departure of David Tolbert and his six interceptions.
The Bottom Line:
A trip to UC Davis will set the tone for the 2020 season as San Diego dropped a hard fought 38-35 decision in 2019. Two weeks later, the Toreros will head up to Cal Poly in another key contest for building up their postseason resume. The conference schedule is pretty balanced as the toughest matchup should be on October 24 when Dayton comes out to San Diego in a rematch of a 50-38 shootout last season. Bottom line, if the Toreros can quickly solve the quarterback situation, they should be able to cruise to another 9-2 or 10-1 regular season and return to the FCS playoffs.
Projected Postseason: FCS Playoffs
2019 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 177.4(36th in nation, 5th in conference)
Passing Offense: 297.6 (11, 1)
Total Offense: 475.0 (6,1)
Scoring Offense: 38.5 (5, 2)
Rushing Defense: 151.3 (48, 2)
Pass Defense: 209.8 (47, 6)
Total Defense: 361.1 (41, 3)
Scoring Defense: 22.6 (28, 2)
Turnover Margin: 0.92 (8,1)
Sacks: 1.17 (111, 7)
Sacks Allowed: 1.08 (11, 4)
