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2009 San Jose State Football Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd

sjsu 102209 Three straight losses to end the 2008 season kept the San Jose State Spartans from going bowling. Find out where I have them finishing in the WAC and if they fit in the bowl picture this season in this NCAA football betting preview. Take advantage of our special $500 match bonus at BetUS!

Offense – The San Jose State offense just didn’t get the job done in 2008, scoring only 18.7 points per game (106th nationally). But the good news is that I expect the offense to be a more productive unit in 2009. Accurate senior quarterback Kyle Reed returns under center. He completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,563 yards and nine touchdowns last season. He has the luxury of throwing to a deep and talented receiving corps, which should get a big boost from the return of senior Kevin Jurovich. Jurovich was a second-team All-WAC selection in 2007 after setting a San Jose State single season record with 85 catches, but he missed most of last season with mono and the offense missed him. The Spartans will also rely on a somewhat forgotten player to revive the running attack with All-WAC running back Yonus Davis no longer around. That player is Patrick Perry, who came up big on the 2006 New Mexico Bowl Championship team. Perry has missed the past two seasons with a serious knee injury, but is confident he can still perform at a high level. San Jose State fans know the weakness its offensive line has been, but the line should be winning the battle of the trenches more times than not in 2009. Four starters return from last year’s team and I count six total offensive lineman returning with at least 10 games of starting experience. Our readers get a 20% cash sign up bonus at Bookmaker!

Defense – Defense was the San Jose State calling card last season when it ranked 21st nationally in yards allowed (311.7). While the Spartans return six starters from that unit, All-WAC tackle Jarron Gilbert is not one of them. The Spartans don’t have another player who can handle the interior as well as Gilbert, but their is enough depth remaining for them to once again boast one of the league’s best defensive fronts. The defense will get a boost from the return of 2nd-Team All-WAC defensive end Carl Ihenacho. He was leading the country in sacks with seven through seven games before breaking his thumb. The linebacker unit should be one of the best in the league as well, led by Carl’s younger brother Duke Ihenacho. Duke has such a nose for the football, much like a Troy Polamalu, that he is expected to play more of a roaming safety position this season. He was a 1st-Team All-WAC selection in 2008, leading the league with five picks and taking two of those back to the house. The secondary is where the question marks are as the team will miss corners Coye Francis and Christopher Owens, who were both selected in the NFL Draft. Sophomores Peyton Thompson and Alex Germany are the likely replacements.

Prediction: 6th WAC – The schedulers didn’t do the Spartans any favors with their first two games against BCS bowl champions USC and Utah. As long as the injuries don’t pile up in those games, they should actually serve as nice preparation for league play. The Spartans may need to spring an upset or two along the way, but a bowl game is not out of the question. Bet the WAC at BetUS and get up to 145% in sign up bonuses!

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