USD running back J.T. Rogan has been sharing a journal with 619 Sports of his training for NFL Pro Day.  This weekend, J.T. participated in a pro day at USD, and he will do so again at SDSU next weekend.  In his latest journal post, J.T. talks about the NFL Combine and how his training has prepared him for these key dates:

The NFL scouting combine and the pro days that collegiate football players have are unique events. As was documented by the NFL network, how fast somebody runs, how high they jump, how quick somebody is can really be fascinating coverage. All over America, any college football player that aspires to play professionally understands that he must undergo extensive athletic testing either at the NFL combine, a pro day or at both.

There is a terrific amount of hype surrounding the entire process. The elite athletes tell NFL teams what drills they will and won’t be performing at these extravaganzas and how much money they’d like to make when they are officially welcomed into the NFL. The combine and the pro day act as one huge sales pitch for anyone trying to make it big.

The argument is often made against the importance of the 40 yard dash, “When do you ever run 40 yards in a straight line?” To the NFL decision makers (i.e. scouts, GMs, etc.) the more appropriate question is “Who runs 40 yards fastest in a straight line?”

The NFL is a business and it is about job security as a player and it is about job security as an executive. It is difficult to draft, support and/or employ players that don’t perform as well statistically as others.

There are players like Chris Johnson where people can point to the combine. He ran fast and he still runs fast, to the tune of over 2,000 yards in a season. However, for every Chris Johnson there is a Darrius Heyward-Bey. Sometimes you just won’t know how good a football player is until he puts on the pads.

I watched the NFL combine paying particular attention to the running backs, and this year’s class appears to be average in its depth of talent.

Below are the primary tests at the NFL combine, where 31 running backs participated. The best performance is listed along with the minimum performance necessary to finish in the top 1/3 of running backs at that given drill. My projected numbers are listed as well.

Drill Fastest Top Third     My Projection

40 yard Dash 4.35 sec. (C.J, Spiller) 4.58 sec. 4.60

Bench Press 26 Reps (Lonyae Miller) 18 Reps        13 Reps

Vertical Jump 41 in. (Montario Hardesty) 36 in. 32 in.

Broad Jump 10’4” (Montario Hardesty) 9’10” 9’0”

3 Cone Drill 6.75 sec. (Jahvid Best) 6.98 sec. 6.80 sec.

20 yard Shuttle 4.06 sec.(Dexter McCluster) 4.33 sec. 4.20 sec.

I have done all that I can do to prepare myself for my opportunity. I trained relentlessly and with focus. My uncle, Sean Karl Rogan, has reinvested in me as he always does so as to allow me to reach new maximums for my strength. For the record, Sean ended up benchpressing 225 lbs. 22 times placing him neatly in the top 3 for running backs and making him stronger than every quarterback and wide receiver in the draft.

I will actually be performing these tests at our pro day, Mar. 5th at the University of San Diego and then again at San Diego State University at their pro day on Mar. 12th. SDSU receives a better turnout of NFL scouts so attending both is beneficial.

The Chargers are low on running backs and here’s to hoping they can find one in their own backyard.

Mitch Blackburn (SDSU photo)

LINDA VISTA–Down 4-0 in the 7th, and having been shut out for their last 16 innings, the San Diego State Aztecs rediscovered their offense at just the right time.  The Aztecs scored four in the 7th and five in the 9th to cap a dramatic comeback at Cunningham Stadium, rallying past the 19th ranked USD Toreros for a 9-5 victory.

“I’m proud of our guys,” said head coach Tony Gwynn after the game, “they hung in there.  It would have been easy to hang their heads after punching out (11) times, but they didn’t, they hung in there, and got some big hits in the 7th and 9th innings.”

USD starter Kyle Blair had the Aztecs twisted in knots through six, striking out 10 batters, with six caught looking.  Even worse for SDSU, Blair walked four batters and hit another but none of those runners had come around to score.

The Toreros had built a 4-0 lead on a pair of run scoring hits by James Meador and some solid fundamental baseball.  The Aztecs turned the game, and weekend series, around with big hits and great relief pitching.

Read more, and hear interviews with Tony Gwynn and Mitch Blackburn, after the jump:

In the seventh, Blair walked two more, with Chris Wilson and Josh Chasse reaching base.  With one out, Mitch Blackburn finally broke through with a double to left-center field, scoring Wilson and chasing Blair from the mound.

Cory Vaughn, Brandon Meredith and Brandon Decker celebrate the Aztecs' win (619 Sports photo)

Reliever Matt Hauser entered the game and was greeted by Jomel Torres’ soft floater for an RBI single, making it 4-2 USD.  Torres then stole second base (his second steal of the game), and Brandon Meredith followed with his first big run-scoring hit of the season, a game-tying two-run double down the right-field line.

Given a second look at the game, the Aztecs rode the right arm of Kegan Sharp to victory.  The senior reliever from Poway High and Palomar College entered the game in the fifth and didn’t allow a hit until the 9th inning.  He wound up working 3 2/3’s innings with one hit and one run allowed, walking two and striking out three.

“He’s the star of the game today,” said Gwynn, “(Kegan) put the zeros on the board that gave us the opportunity to come back and win.”

Listen to Tony Gwynn’s postgame interview:

Download audio file (022810-tony-gwynn.mp3)

In the ninth, Blackburn again sparked the SDSU rally against Toreros’ closer Matt Thompson, lining a one-out single to center field.  Torres (2-for-3, two walks, 2 SB, RBI, 2 RS) then singled past second base, with Blackburn running through a stop sign to easily make third base.

Listen to Mitch Blackburn’s postgame interview:

Download audio file (022810-mitch-blackburn.mp3)

The Aztecs then took advantage of a rare USD miscue.  Brandon Meredith lofted a high fly ball down the line in short right field.  Toreros’ outfielder James Meador had a long run and would have had a very tough play to make at the plate, but in his haste to do so Meador dropped the ball for a sac fly and error.

Given a 5-4 lead, SDSU broke the game open from there with some quality at-bats.  Cory Vaughn was hit by a pitch and Jordan Van Hoosier followed with a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-4.  Blair Moore then grounded to shortstop, and when Zach Walters bobbled and had only one play at first base, another run came home to score.

Chris Wilson then greeted reliever Chris Jensen with a two-run single to left, capping the five-run 9th inning rally.  Steven Moranda finished the game on the mound for San Diego State after Sharp tired in the bottom of the 9th, allowing Meador’s 3rd hit and RBI of the game but nothing more.

After an inauspicious 0-4 start that included the injury to Ryan O’Sullivan, the Aztecs had a much-needed bounce-back 3-1 week.  USD, meanwhile, has seen their 3-0 start dissolve into a 4-4 record that includes three home losses.

More importantly for Tony Gwynn’s Aztecs, the bullpen has overcome a rocky start and started to show some promise.  John Pecoraro, Ryan Wynveen and Kegan Sharp have all excelled over the past few games, giving pitching coach Eric Valenzuela the flexibility to survive with a rotation shredded by injuries.

Drew Leary, thought to be a closer candidate at the start of the season, made his first career start for SDSU on Sunday and worked four innings, allowing five hits and four runs.

The fourth game of the Black and Blue Series, scheduled to be played at Tony Gwynn Stadium, will be made up at an undecided future date.

NOTES: SDSU pitching coach Eric Valenzuela had a wild weekend that included his wife Betty giving birth to twin boys Benjamin and Noah overnight on Friday.  Betty went into labor two weeks early, adding perfect chaos to a weekend that was already filled with the stress of returning to USD.  Valenzuela had spent the past six years as Rich Hill’s recruiting coordinator and pitching coach before leaving for SDSU.  Mother and babies are doing well…SDSU returns to action Tuesday night at 6pm when they travel to Riverside to face the UC Riverside Highlanders for the second time in 8 days.

Jordan Van Hoosier had two hits in the SDSU shutout loss

After a thrilling Aztecs win in Thursday’s game one of the cross-town rivalry, the Toreros fought back in a tough pitchers duel to record the 2-0 victory on Friday.

USD got a big game out of top lefty pitcher Sammy Solis in the game-two victory of the “Black and Blue Series” that has thus far lived up to its billing.

“We needed to bounce back — that was three loses in a row,” Solis said after the win. “I think our team needed a little spark, a little jump start, and I gave it to them fortunately.”

The Aztecs were shut out for the first time since their final game of 2008, a 1-0 loss to Utah in the Mountain West Conference tournament.

Solis acknowledged it was a big early season win for the Toreros, who — after winning their first three games — dropped to .500 coming in the Thursday matchup against the Aztecs.

Solis pitched six strong innings with six strikeouts while allowing only two hits. He overmatched the Aztecs hitters for much of the afternoon, giving them only one full count during his entire outing.

His biggest challenge came in the sixth inning. After easily retiring the first two batters, Solis seemed to lose his command and loaded the bases to bring up the best Aztec hitter, Corey Vaughn. With the crowd split between both teams, Vaughn roped a groundball to the third baseman and ended the inning.

After big home runs were the deciding factor in the first meeting, it was the bat of the 2009 WCC Player of the year, James Meador, which provided the runs for the Toreros. In the third inning, with Nick McCoy aboard, Meador stroked a Bryan Crabb pitch down the left field line for a home run.

“I just have to pinch myself when he comes up to bat that we even have him back here for his senior year,” USD coach Rich Hill said after the game. “There aren’t too many better hitters in the country than James.”

Aztecs freshman Bryan Crabb, who was coming off of a dazzling performance against Oklahoma, pitched four solid innings in his second career collegiate outing. His time was again shortened by a high pitch count that forced him to leave the game early.

The Black and Blue Series is beginning to gain notoriety as both San Diego teams are taking prominent spots on the national collegiate baseball landscape. With both teams recently coming off seasons in which they have competed in the College World Series, Hill realizes what the success of the programs could mean to the city.

“I think it is great,” Coach Hill said. “And I’ve always said that one of us needs to break through and get to the College World Series in Omaha. And then the town will just really come alive and understand what a great product we have here in San Diego.”

The four-game series will now move back to Tony Gwynn Stadium for the third contest in as many days. Star pitcher Kyle Blair is expected to go for the Toreros. The Aztecs now lead the all-time series 63-49-3.

Maybe the most comfortable San Diego State pitcher Addison Reed felt on Thursday night was when he went out to the mound to start the ninth inning.

After all, closing games in the ninth was something Reed did more often and better than any other pitcher in college baseball last season.

Nevertheless, this was different. That’s because the Aztecs’ All-American junior right-hander, who was a perfect 20-for-2o in saves last season, has been converted into a starter. Apparently the switch doesn’t mean Reed still can’t close out games.

Even when he starts them.

Retiring the side in order in the ninth, striking out the final two hitters, Reed put the finishing touches on a complete-game four-hitter – in just his second college start – as SDSU finished off 19th-ranked USD, 5-2, at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The victory in the first game of the annual four-game Black And Blue series between the crosstown rivals was the Aztecs’ eighth in their last 10 meetings with the Toreros. SDSU (2-4) and USD (3-3)  continue their series this afternoon (2 p.m.) at Cunningham Stadium in Alcala Park.

After the jump, hear post-game comments from winning pitcher Addison Reed, who struck out 11 and walked only one, as well as SDSU right-fielder Josh Chasse, whose three-run homer was the big blow in the Aztecs’ 5-2 win over USD on Thursday night.

Prior to the series opener, SDSU pitching coach Eric Valenzuela said Reed would throw no more than 90 pitches. He had thrown 87 pitches in his first start last Friday night against Oklahoma and lasted just 4 2/3 innings.

“Hopefully those same 87 pitches will get him through six innings this time,” said Aztec Coach Tony Gwynn, whose team had been swept in the four-game series against the Sooners before posting its first victory of the season Tuesday night over UC Riverside. “He’ll need to get some more outs earlier in the count, and if he does that, he’ll be OK.”

Reed was better than OK. Retiring seven batters on just one pitch, Reed sailed along through eight innings with a 5-2 lead, thanks in large part to center fielder Cory Vaughn, whose solo homer snapped a 1-1 tie in the sixth, and right fielder Josh Chasse, whose three-run shot gave SDSU some breathing room and a 5-1 lead in the seventh.

After Reed allowed an unearned run in the eighth, the question was would he come out for the ninth?

“Coach (Valenzuela) said I was just over 90 pitches, but I told him I wanted to finish it,” said Reed, who then jokingly suggested he run to the mound from the bullpen to start the final inning. “I knew they’d keep a close eye on me (in the ninth), so I didn’t want to get into any trouble.”

Listen to SDSU pitcher Addison Reed’s postgame comments here:

Download audio file (A.Reed.mp3)

As good as Reed was Thursday night, USD starter A.J. Griffin was nearly better. Griffin, himself a former All-American closer who started nine games last year, opened the game by striking out the first six Aztecs he faced and carrying a two-hitter into the bottom of the sixth.

But with one out and the game tied 1-1, Vaughn waited patiently on an off-speed pitch before slamming it over the left-center field wall to give SDSU a 2-1 lead. It was the second homer in as many games for Vaughn, who hit 10 round-trippers last season.

In the seventh, Griffin allowed a leadoff double to Chris Wilson and a bunt single to Brandon Decker before exiting the proceedings in favor of reliever Chris Jensen.

Up came Chasse, who hammered Jensen’s first pitch over the fence down the left-field line to break open the game. Chasse, a senior from LasVegas, hit three home runs last season but batted only .197 in part-time duty. He’s off to a good start this year, however, with four hits in his first nine at-bats.

Listen to Aztec right-fielder Josh Chasse’s postgame comments here:

Download audio file (Chasse.mp3)

USD, which has lost three straight after a 3-0 start, got on the board first when, after Reed retired the first seven batters of the game, first baseman Victor Sanchez popped a solo homer to left for a 1-0 Toreros’ lead.

The Aztecs tied it up with Griffin’s help in the bottom of the third. After striking out the side in order in the first and second, Griffin issued back-to-back walks to Wilson and Decker to start the third. After Chasse sacrificed, second baseman Mitch Blackburn punched a single to center, scoring Wilson to make it 1-1.

The two starters dominated from there until Vaughn’s homer in the sixth snapped the tie.

– Ello

SDSU is coming off their first regional appearance in 17 years, while USD opens the season in the Top 25 and with hopes of returning to the NCAAs this year.  Next week, the two programs collide for a four-game home-and-home series.

619 Sports will have complete coverage of all of our college baseball teams in 2010.  As we prepare for Friday’s live doubleheader broadcast of #3 UCSD vs. #22 Chico State, Craig and Chris preview the SDSU and USD seasons in this new podcast:

Download audio file (021910-college-baseball.mp3)

See also: Gwynn, Aztecs Dive Into The Unknown

Brandon Johnson came back from a major achilles injury to play a 5th year with the Toreros.  In the process he has become USD’s all-time leading scorer, but a 9-18 season has put a sour edge to what should be a season of celebration.  Brandon joined 619 Sports after USD practice at Jenny Craig Pavilion to reflect on his career and the challenges he has faced:

USD’s basketball program has suffered through a year of injuries, blown leads and inconsistency.  At 9-18, the Toreros are at the bottom of the West Coast Conference standings.  And third-year head coach Bill Grier admits, it’s a season that has worn him down and tried him mentally.

After Toreros’ practice on Wednesday, Coach Grier sat down courtside with 619 Sports’ Craig Elsten to talk about the season, the challenges facing the USD program, and how he personally holds up amidst the losing:

Download audio file (021710-bill-grier.mp3)

Will SDSU find its way into the NCAA Tournament this year?  College basketball Hall of Fame writer Frank Burlison says yes!  Burlison, longtime writer for the Long Beach Press Telegram and a man who is close with every coach and program in Southern California, joins 619 Sports to talk about each of our local teams.

Can the Mountain West get four teams into the NCAAs while the mighty Pac 10 gets just one?  Will Kawhi Leonard be a one-and-done player, off to the NBA (at 8:47)?  And what about Bill Grier (at 13:15) and Chris Carlson (at 17:15), two quality coaches who are struggling this year at USD and UCSD respectively?  Burlison covers it all with Craig in this college hoops podcast!

Download audio file (021610-frank-burlison.mp3)

Follow Frank Burlison on Twitter

Frank’s College Hoops Blog

The college baseball season is one week away from getting started, with San Diego State hosting Oklahoma and Indiana coming to play USD on February 19th.  On Tuesday, Tony Gwynn and Rich Hill joined 619 Sports’ Craig Elsten on the stage for the Hall of Champions’ Sports at Lunch banquet.

Gwynn announced major changes for a pair of the Aztecs’ biggest stars.  Junior closer Addison Reed, an All-American who saved 21 games in 21 chances last season, will be converted to a starting pitcher in 2010.  Brandon Meredith, the slugging freshman first baseman, will be switched far up the defensive spectrum to center field.

Meanwhile, Rich Hill is just hoping to keep what looks like a loaded Toreros team healthy.  With a rotation that will include A.J. Griffin (also making the switch from closer to starter), Kyle Blair and Sammy Solis, USD will have a full complement of arms every weekend.

Watch the Sports at Lunch Q&A with Gwynn and Hill after the jump:

(Note: the actual Q&A begins at about 11:30 on the video)

Sports@Lunch with Tony Gwynn and Rich Hill from Hall of Champions on Vimeo.

619 Sports’ J.T. Rogan is training to take a shot at the NFL.  Here is his second journal entry detailing his workout regimen and progress:

My training has been met with some resistance as multiple events have obstructed my focus and attention: I visited Indianapolis for the AFC Championship game, (within which I was hoping the Chargers would be participants, not unlike the couple that could be seen sporting their LaDainian Tomlinson Jerseys outside of Lucas Oil Stadium on game day) and I had to dedicate some time to running the used textbook store that I started near USD. This called for a lot of travel and not enough quality rest. However, I trained productively throughout the end of January and the month of February will be where the most significant gains are made and kept.

I currently have built my bench press repetition total at 225 lbs. to 13 reps. The bench press work is relentless. After accomplishing 13 reps on the bench press, there are two subsequent sets of maximum reps at 225 lbs. This is then followed by other taxing upper body work like dumbbell bench press, tricep extensions, a seated press machine and some cable work.

This course of lifting reinforces the mantra that my trainer/uncle has led me to support: the best way to lift heavier weights is to lift heavier weights. Pardon the oversimplification of the idea, but the strength and muscle mass that athletes desire will be best built through strenuous, continuous advancement in weight training.

I have my weight up to 202 lbs. My diet has not been as steady as I would like, but the constant food consumption and weight training has contributed to an improved physique. The strengthening of the core and of the lower body has contributed to the rise in weight. My maximum deadlift is at 485 lbs., and if not for poor form would be higher 20-40 lbs. higher. The lower back tends to become more involved at the heavier weights as opposed to the use of the legs which limits the maximum lifting amount in the deadlift.

My 24 Hour Fitness training home

I possess trepidation about squatting heavy weights on my surgically repaired knee, but I have squatted a maximum of 425 lbs. The workouts do not have much variation, but their effectiveness is unquestionable. As this is my third extended workout period with my uncle, this workout routine works. We go to 24 Hour Fitness and we utilize free weights, racks, and machines. We lift one day per muscle group for repetitions and one day per muscle group for maximum weight. We rotate between legs, shoulders and back and chest and arms.

We also lift according to proximity. If the plan was to do dumbbell bench with 90’s, 100’s and 110’s, but the 110’s are nowhere to be found, then we’re lifting the 115’s. Surely it sounds non-sensical, but when you’re committed to working as hard as you can and the weight is within the spectrum of possibility, you’re winning plain and simple.

My alternative training has incorporated foam rollers, stretching, yoga and basketball. The addition of jumping rope, plyometrics and fast twitch muscle related training will become more of a focus throughout the month.

The speed training with Coach Dale Baskett has been gradual and productive. There has been a lot of focus and attention paid to the mechanics of my running form. You cannot build a great building on a poor foundation just as you cannot build a terrific 40 yard dash time on poor fundamentals. I have been working to correct numerous problems with my running form including my inclination to tilt my head upward when I run, my continual closing of my arm angle when I run and my tightening up of my shoulders when I run.  The details of the running form and improvements are numerous, but just as there is a best way to maximize strength in a lift or height in a jump, there is a best way to maximize speed in a sprint.

We have just begun to refine my start. I have abandoned a lot of my prior notions about running because I find a lot of Coach Baskett’s philosophies to be rooted in logic. Formerly, I was tense in my stance as I was trying to explode out of my start. I would then keep a low, driving stride as I gradually rose up to achieve my running form. With Coach Baskett, I am relaxed in the stance only to attempt to explode out of the start to then acquire my running stride earlier in the sprint so as to not limit the hip’s stride lengthening capacity. Simply, your muscles respond better when they are relaxed and the quicker that you can get to top speed in the 40 yard dash, the better.

*As a footnote, my now 47 year old uncle continues to taunt me for not being able to lift more weight than him. He recently bench pressed 225 lbs. 20 times. For comparison’s sake, NFL linebacker Ray Maualuga from USC, now playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, totaled 23 reps.