There were many questions heading into SDSU’s gridiron home opener last weekend. Would quarterback Ryan Lindley be as effective without last year’s NFL caliber wide receivers? Would running back Ronnie Hillman avoid the sophomore jinx and continue to be as productive in powering the ground game? Can any of the new crop of receivers get open and catch the ball? Will the multiple tight end formations create frequent mismatches?  Can the defense and special teams be counted on?

   The 34,384 Aztec fans on hand were glad to find out that all of these questions and several others were answered with a resounding yes and an impressive 49-21 victory over Cal Poly.

   If the opponent Cal Poly sounds familiar it should. This is the same lower division team that twice embarrassed SDSU by using their unconventional triple option offense to befuddle and upset the Aztecs in 2006 and 2008. Once again the Mustangs put up a good fight and kept it close for a while, but ultimately and as it should be, the bigger, faster and more talented athletes of SDSU overwhelmed their lower division opponent.

   “It was a great win, especially when you consider the history of this series,” said Aztec s Head Coach Rocky Long. “The last two times, they’ve walked into the stadium and walked out with a win. They’re a quality football team too and they’ll compete for their conference championship. It was a big win, but we can get a whole lot better than we were tonight. It’s fun to start that way, but that was the worst game on our schedule. I hate games where everybody expects you to win, especially when they haven’t done it in the past.”  

   Perhaps the biggest questions heading into last weekend concerned the passing game. Senior Ryan Lindley demonstrated why he is a top NFL prospect completing 15 of his 27 passes for 203 yards four touchdowns and not a single interception. Sophomore wide out Dylan Denso led the way with four receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns. Speedster Colin Lockett hauled in three passes for 82 yards and a touchdown then added a second TD on an electrifying 94-yard fourth quarter gallop. Coming off his brilliant freshman campaign, Gavin Escobar got 2011 underway catching four passes for 36 yards and a touchdown.

   Running behind a veteran offensive line, Hillman (189 yards and two touchdowns) and Walter Kazee were a formidable one-two punch.

   Whatever questions remain are mostly on the defensive side of the ball. Allowing a lower division team 284 yards of offense and 21 points is good enough to beat this opponent, but won’t be later on in the season when the big boys roll into town.

   The Aztecs fly to West Point this weekend where they will take on Army on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 9:00 a.m. (PST) on cable 4. The cadets also run a triple option variation and are coached by Rich Ellerson, the man who orchestrated the aforementioned upsets when he coached at Cal Poly.