At the conclusion of last year’s disappointing 4-8 SDSU Aztec football season wide receiver DeMarco Sampson had every reason to believe that his days of playing for the red and black were over. After all, he had already been granted a fifth year of eligibility due to the injuries that kept him off the field as an underclassmen. But when the ruling came down from the NCAA office the Aztecs and Sampson received some great news. They learned that Sampson, a second team All-Mountain West wide-out a year ago had been granted a sixth year of eligibility. That news combined with Vincent Brown’s decision to delay his entry into the NFL draft pool until April 2011 gives the Aztecs what on paper looks like the best receiving tandem in the conference and one of the best in the nation. 

     A year ago, Sampson, the former Castle Park Trojan led the Aztecs in catches with 62 receptions for 851 yards and eight TDs. Imagine how many he might have with a healthy Vincent Brown drawing double coverage to the opposite side of the field and the ever improving Ryan Lindley tossing him the ball. The thought of it harkens back to the glory days of Air Coryell.

     With the bitter taste of last year’s late season collapse still on everyone’s mind, the Aztecs were excited to get back to work this week. They are focused on getting their 2010 campaign underway with a win September 4 in their home opener against Louisiana’s Nicholls State.

   Sampson is ready to roll.

   “I am very excited for the opportunity to play with VJ (Brown). He is at least one of the top ten receivers in college football. Having him on the other side will leave the door wide open for me. We also have a lot of young guys coming up that are really good playmakers. Nico (Dominique) Sandifer is one of them. He did well for us last year and he has made some big strides. He is quicker, stronger and his hands have gotten a lot better. I am very excited to see him play this year.”

   Having been on losing teams for each of his five seasons with San Diego State, Sampson and his teammates think that 2010 will finally be the Aztecs break-out season. No nonsense head coach Brady Hoke is entering his second year at the helm and he has worked hard to rediscover the winning tradition that made Aztec Football of the 1960s and 1970s fun and entertaining to watch.

   Fielding a team that is bigger, stronger and deeper in talent should produce some results. While the Aztecs may still struggle against the traditional powerhouses on their schedule (TCU, BYU, Missouri and Utah) the remaining eight games should all be competitive.

   San Diego State opens their 2010 season against Nicholls State on Saturday September 4 at Qualcomm Stadium.