Three thoughts after San Diego State’s 56-24 loss at Boise State on Friday night at Albertsons Stadium.

1. Realistic hopes

SDSU’s lopsided loss to Boise State marked the first time this season the Aztecs were completely outplayed.

Even contests against current and former Pac-12 members Oregon State, Cal and Washington State were one-score games at halftime.

The Broncos led 35-10 after two quarters. They were never challenged before or after intermission.

“Unfortunately, on a night where our best was needed,” SDSU coach Sean Lewis said after the game. “Thats on me, as the head man, making sure we’re prepared, that our mindset’s in the right spot and that we are ready to go.”

Lewis said an assessment needs to be made on how the short week and preparation leading up to the game was handled, saying, “I’ve got to be better, so we can put these kids in position to be successful. … Know that we can be better and we will be better as we go forward.”

That the Aztecs (3-5, 2-1 MW) were undefeated in the Mountain West coming into the game was a circumstance of the schedule more than a measure of their competitiveness in the conference.

They were picked eighth in the preseason media poll. Improving on that prediction seems doable with games remaining against New Mexico (Friday), UNLV (Nov. 16), Utah State (Nov. 23) and Air Force (Nov. 30).

Boise State (7-1, 4-0) and UNLV (6-2, 2-1) are regarded as the class of the conference.

SDSU is expected to be a double-digit underdog against the Rebels, but could/should be favored in the other contests. While challenging for the Mountain West title was never an expectation, a 6-6 season and bowl berth was — and still is — a good goal.

Six wins would be an improvement over last year’s 4-8 finish. A bowl game would be SDSUs 14th in 15 seasons.

The Aztecs now need to win three times in four games to get there. What could come back to haunt them is the 22-21 last-minute loss at Central Michigan. A victory there, where they had the game in hand, would have provided some wiggle room down the stretch.

The first season of a new coaching staff is a mixed bag.

Of SDSU’s 10 head coaches who preceded Lewis during SDSU’s Division I era (since 1969), five debuted with winning records.

Claude Gilbert went 9-1-1 in 1973, though he had the good fortune of taking over when Don Coryell left for the NFL.

Denny Stolz went 8-4, won the WAC and took the Aztecs to the 1986 Holiday Bowl his first season, though it could be argued he did it mostly with Doug Scovil’s players. Scovil was fired after going 5-6-1 in 1985.

Rocky Long went 8-5 in 2011 after Brady Hoke left for Michigan following a 9-4 season.

Typically, the incoming coach has been tasked with assembling a team following a losing season. Tom Craft went 4-9 in 2002 after inheriting a 3-8 team from Ted Tollner. Hoke went 4-8 in 2009 after the wrong Long (Chuck) went 2-10.

That 2009 season included a 55-12 home loss to No. 6 TCU. It was among six losses in which the Aztecs allowed at least 30 points. In 2010, things turned and SDSU began the programs most unprecedented run of success.

The challenge this time around is even greater because of two huge wild cards previous coaches didn’t have to deal with — NIL and the transfer portal.

It used to be you could chalk up Year 1 as a rebuilding year. In this era, every year is a rebuilding year.

San Diego State quarterback Danny ONeil passes under pressure against Boise State. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via AP)

2. Staying with O’Neil

SDSU starting quarterback Danny O’Neil stuck around until the bitter end in Boise.

To his credit, ONeil threw a pair of 30-yard touchdown passes to wide receivers Jordan Napier and Mekhi Shaw in the fourth quarter.

Those scoring drives nearly doubled O’Neil’s passing numbers, from 81 yards through three quarters to 155 yards for the game.

SDSU trailed 49-10 entering the fourth quarter, so why was O’Neil even in there?

The true freshman from Indianapolis missed one game this season following an injury to his left knee that still requires a brace. O’Neil also had a brace on his left (non-throwing) shoulder against the Broncos. That was a reminder of an injury suffered a week earlier against Washington State that briefly forced ONeil out of the game.

Backup quarterback Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson spelled O’Neil in the second quarter against the Cougars.

Why not call in a reliever for a blowout in Boise?

Lewis said he never considered it.

“He’s shown his toughness, shown his resilience,” Lewis said. “Obviously, by the way that he finished and the way that he was driving the offense, being able to stay in the fight, I think that’s important … With the production he put down at the end of the game, those guys all rally around him and those are all lessons that we need to continue to move forward and grow from and learn from.”

3. Booming punt

Tyler Pastula said before the season he was ready to fill the shoes of former SDSU punters Matt Araiza and Jack Browning.

“This is why I’m here,” Pastula said during training camp. “Not to take anything away from the offense or the defense because they’re great, too, but to have two guys who are NFL-worthy, filling their shoes is a pretty big deal.

“I feel like I can do it. It’s going to be tough, but I’m here for it, and I’m ready.”

Pastula has been up to the task all season, and did it once again at Boise State when he boomed a 79-yard punt in third quarter against the Broncos.

It was tied for the sixth-longest punt in SDSU history, marking the second time this season Pastula has etched his name into the Aztecs record book.

Pastula, a graduate transfer who split four years between Delaware and Albany, had a 75-yard punt at Wyoming that tied for the 10th longest punt in school history.

Pastula came into the weekend ranked 12th in the nation with a 45.61-yard punting average.

If he maintains that, Pastula would rank fourth in school history for single-season punting, behind Araiza (51.19 in 2021), Noel Prefontaine (46.54 in 1996) and Browning (46.10 in 2022).

Box: The longest punts in SDSU history

89 yards: Brian Stahovich at Wyoming, Oct. 30, 2010*

86 yards: Matt Araiza at San Jose State, Oct. 15, 2021*

82 yards: Noel Prefontaine at New Mexico, Oct. 19, 1996*

81 yards: Matt Araiza at Air Force, Oct. 23, 2021*

80 yards: Mike Saxon at BYU, Nov. 13, 1982*

79 yards: Matt Araiza at Hawaii, Nov. 6, 2021*

79 yards: Tyler Pastula at Boise State, Saturday*

78 yards: Michael Hughes at UNLV, Oct. 8, 2005*

77 yards: Matt Araiza vs. New Mexico State, Sept. 4, 2021

76 yards: Joe Duke vs. San Diego Marines, Nov. 21, 1959

75 yards: Matt Araiza vs. New Mexico State, Sept. 4, 2021

75 yards: Tanner Blain at Wyoming, Dec. 3, 2016 (MW title game)

75 yards: Michael Hughes vs. Wyoming, Nov. 3, 2007*

75 yards: Tyler Pastula at Wyoming, Oct. 12, 2024*

*conference game