SAN JOSE STATE FOOTBALL
San Jose State Football Sports New Look For 2010

Athletics director Tom Bowen, left, with new football coach Mike MacIntyre.
photo: Terrell Lloyd

When the 2010 college football season opens this fall, San Jose State University will have a new man in charge. Mike MacIntyre brings an impressive blend of college and National Football League experiences, enthusiasm and vigor to the Spartans in his first head coaching job.

The new San Jose State head coach comes to the Spartans after two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Duke University. MacIntyre was named the 2009 American Football Coaches Association Football Bowl Subdivision National Assistant Coach of the Year.

"I felt the peace, excellence and the commitment here to get the job done," the 45-year-old MacIntyre said when he accepted the position in December 2009. "My passion for young people is the reason I'm coaching college football. I love mentoring young people."

"Our job is to help them be successful now on the football field and in the classroom so they understand hard work, integrity and pushing themselves beyond a limit will carry them to success when they face tough times ahead in life."

His new assistants include one-time Saint Mary's College head coach Tim Landis; offensive line coach Gary Bernardi, who has 30 years of FBS coaching experience; defensive secondary coach Charles Clark, a recent University of Mississippi graduate; former San Francisco 49ers All-Pro defensive tackle Bryant Young as the defensive line coach; and, John DeFilippo, the New York Jets assistant quarterbacks coach in 2009. Kent Baer, Brent Brennan, Kinji Green and Terry Malley return from the 2009 staff.

Discipline and conditioning were the cornerstones of a spirited spring practice session. Seventeen starters and 24 more returning letter winners were among 80 players looking to make a positive first impression in spring practice.

Offensively, the Spartans have Jordan La Secla, who passed for 1,926 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2009, competing with junior college transfer Matt Faulkner and redshirt freshman Dasmen Stewart at quarterback. Three of the four top pass catchers, leading rusher Lamon Muldrow, and four linemen who have 10 or more previous major college starts, are back for 2010.

Defensively, safety Duke Ihenacho became just the fourth San Jose State player to be named a two-time, first-team All-Western Athletic Conference player last season. Defensive line and linebacker are positions that are likely to see significant personnel changes due to a top-heavy senior class a year ago.

When preseason drills commence in August, the Spartans must prepare for a 13-game season. There are seven 2009 bowl teams, four of whom won 10 or more games a year ago, starting with defending national champion Alabama on September 4.

WAC champion Boise State tops the six opponents coming to Spartan Stadium. The Broncos will be there on October 16 followed by rival Fresno State on October 23. Southern Utah on September 18, UC Davis on October 2, Utah State on November 13 and Louisiana Tech on November 27 round out the 2010 home schedule.

Ticket information for any and all of the six home games is available at www.sjsuspartans.comor by calling the San Jose State Athletics Ticket Office at (408) 924-SJTX.