Some quick hits following San Diego State’s FanFest scrimmage Thursday night at Snapdragon Stadium:

• Starting quarterback Jayden Denegal and backup Bert Emanuel Jr. both were 6-for-13 in the scrimmage. Denegal passed for 55 yards. Emanuel passed for 134 yards, most of it on an 86-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Myles Kitt-Denton in the second quarter.

“When the call came in I had a feeling I’d be able to do something with it,” Kitt-Denton said. “Bert made a great pass, the line held up, I just did what I was trained to do, took the ball and tried not to hit my head on the goal post.”

• Junior quarterback Kyle Crum had the other touchdown pass of the workout, pulling back a handoff and tossing a 12-yard pass to freshman tight end Jack Lua.

• Kicker Gabe Plascencia made a 57-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive, but missed a 39-yard attempt to the right later in the period. Backup kicker Nick Clegg made a 41-yard in the first quarter.

• There was no tackling and plays were whistled dead when a defender brushed (or breathed hard) on a ball carrier. That made it impossible to assess what a running back could have done with a second or third effort on a carry or whether a quarterback could escape a sack.

• SDSU lost two players — senior transfer offensive lineman Dallas Fincher (hip) and senior cornerback Jelani Whitmore (knee) — to season-ending injuries in recent days in practice, which coach Sean Lewis said played a part in the decision not to tackle.

“Those were two guys that were going to be very, very crucial contributors for us,” Lewis said. “That all led into, obviously, the decision to do what we did tonight and make sure that we’re doing right by the team. … These guys (on defense), as Deshawn alluded to, they want to go hit. And the offensive guys want to answer that bell as well. Sometimes as they head coach you’ve got to say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to do what’s best and keep the long-term focus in mind as well.”

• McCuin on playing touch instead of tackle: “We’ve established ourselves in terms of being able to tackle and being able to be physical. I think (having) that competitive maturity, just stay within the game. Being on defense, I would love to tackle. But we’re getting close to Game 1, so I’m not mad at it.”

• Kitt-Denton on whether he would have been tackled on his touchdown if tackling was allowed: “Absolutely not.”

• It was last year’s scrimmage when running back Kenan Christon suffered a foot injury that ended up sidelining him for the season. So no surprise that junior running back Lucky Sutton, the projected starter, played only briefly in the first quarter.

“He’s really good, and I don’t want anything to happen to him,” Lewis said. “I need him to be good in 14 days (for the Aug. 28 season opener against Stony Brook).”

• Senior cornerback Deshawn McCuin picked off a tipped pass during Emanuel’s first series. McCuin returned it 40 yards to the end zone, though a quick whistle sounded when he was at the 10-yard line.

“That was most definitely a Pick Six,” McCuin said. “It’s been a long time coming for me. It was so good to get out and be back with the guys and play the game I love.”

• The scrimmage ended after redshirt freshman transfer safety Hunter Haines intercepted a pass by freshman quarterback Draiden Trudeau.

• The biggest cheer of the evening came moments after the scrimmage ended when Lewis told junior walk-on wide receiver Mikey Welsh that he was getting a scholarship. Welsh was mobbed by teammates, who congratulated him from midfield to the end zone as a “SCHOLARSHIP EARNED” graphic with his picture was posted on the video boards.

“He’s a relentless worker,” Lewis said. “He’s constantly improved his craft. He went through some adversity last year (with an injury) and stayed the course with the surgery that he had to have and came back with a boulder on his shoulder and a willingness to earn it and prove it.

“He’s one of the most technical route runners that we have, but most importantly he’s one of those glue guys that really make a program go. … He’s just a tremendous teammate. He’s a guy that shows up each and every single day. We’re going to take care of our own in the building first and foremost.”

Originally Published: August 14, 2025 at 9:56 PM PDT