SAN JOSE – Tama Amisone will become the first true freshman to start at quarterback for San Jose State in more than a quarter century when he lines up under center Saturday night against arch rival Fresno State.
Amisone steps in for Walker Eget, the senior whose college career is over after he suffered a leg injury in last week’s 25-3 loss at San Diego State. Eget, who was in his fifth season with the program but first as a full-time starter, leads the Mountain West in passing yards and he’s fourth with 17 touchdown passes.
The last true freshman to start at quarterback for the Spartans was Marcus Arroyo, who took over in the third game of the 1998 season at then-No. 22 ranked Oregon.
These Spartans (3-8, 2-5 Mountain West) are heading into their final game of the season and have lost five of their past six games. San Jose State hasn’t had a passing touchdown since midway through its win over Hawaii on Nov. 1. The Spartans have been out-scored 106-29 in the past three games, all losses.
Amisone was being used early in the season in designed run packages as a switch of pace from Eget’s pocket-passing skillset. SJSU planned to sit Amisone the rest of the season to save his eligibility, but once Eget suffered an injury against Wyoming six weeks ago and Xavier Ward went 3 of 10 for 15 yards and an interception in relief, an audible was called to add the graduate of Hawaii’s Kapolei High School in the mix. Amisone, the first player in the history of Hawaii high school football to pass for 2,500 yards and rush for 1,000 in a season, has appeared in seven games.
“We had to make the decision of burning the red shirt and saying he’s got to play,” offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann said. “It’s been a little bit of a rollercoaster of emotions for him too.”
Amisone came in to play for three full quarters in the 25-3 loss to San Diego State and played on the final drive in the 55-10 blowout against Nevada, scoring the Spartans’ only touchdown on a 12-yard run. Last week Amisone rushed 13 times for 75 yards and was 15 of 27 passing for 105 yards – all career highs.
Stutzmann said he plans on tweaking his Spread and Shred offense’s game plan to better suit Amisone’s needs as a dual-threat quarterback.
“You would like to say it’s not going to change but it will change quite a bit,” Stutzmann said. “But we’re still going to do what we do and this is going to be a good test to see what he’s able to operate in the drop back game.”
Amisone will get to have a full game to target wide receiver Danny Scudero, who is currently second in FBS with 1,234 receiving yards. He trails Connecticut wide receiver Skyler Bell, who has already played all 12 games, by 45 yards.
Scudero also needs to keep ahead of USC’s Makai Lemon who has racked up 1,124 receiving yards with one game to play.
This is the second straight season that SJSU has had a receiver among the leaders in the nation. Nick Nash led FBS in receiving yards (1,382), receptions (104) and receiving touchdowns (16) in 2024.
With one game remaining, Scudero’s 2025 already ranks fifth all-time for single season receiving yards in school history. Scudero is one spot behind Noel Grigsby in 2012 (1,307 receiving yards) and one spot ahead of Guy Liggins in 1987 (1,204 receiving yards).
“Because of the success of Nick Nash and Justin Lockhart we were able to recruit Danny Scudero,” SJSU head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “It’s a testament to our recruiting program that if you come here, you’re going to catch the football.”
But with the current landscape of college football with the transfer portal and NIL, the coaching staff knows that other schools have their eyes on Scudero, a sophomore who transferred from Sacramento State this season.
“In the next few weeks we’re probably going to have to recruit him again,” Stutzmann said.
Heading into the 88th installment of the Battle of the Valley, Fresno State (7-4, 4-3) is coming off of a 28-17 loss to Utah State that all but ended their conference championship hopes. But, the Bulldogs are looking to go into their bowl game with some positive momentum and look to get their first victory in San Jose since 2021.
Last season, Fresno State defeated SJSU 33-10 in Fresno.
“We want the trophy back,” Niumatalolo said. “But the big emphasis that I’ve tried to place with our guys is to focus on us and send our seniors out the right way.”
The challenge that Fresno State presents for SJSU is the number two ranked scoring defense in the Mountain West (19.7 points allowed per game) headed by linebacker Jadon Pearson whose 88 total tackles it tied for seventh in the MW and defensive lineman Finn Claypool who boasts 6.5 sacks which is good for fourth in the conference.
Fresno State’s offense also has a dynamic one-two punch in the backfield with running backs Rayshon Luke and Bryson Donelson. The duo has combined for 1,218 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
“They’re explosive, they can run but they are also very physical backs too,” Niumatalolo said. “So we have to do a great job with our fits and leveraging football.”
San Jose State isn’t quite sure what quarterback it will face on Saturday night. Fresno State has started E.J. Warner, son of NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and Carson Conklin this season, but head coach Matt Entz didn’t name a starter against the Spartans.
Making this meeting more meaningful, this is the last time schools will meet as conference opponents. Fresno State is joining the new-look Pac-12 next season.
“Hopefully we can send them off with a different type of gift,” Stutzmann said.
But don’t fear. The teams will continue to face each other. Six meetings are scheduled over the next nine years, including 2026 in San Jose.