When the San Diego State Aztecs and University of San Diego Toreros clash in a football season opener Saturday, Sept. 5, one extended family in an expected Qualcomm Stadium crowd of 50,000 will have a very difficult time deciding who to cheer for.
Former Point Loma High football standouts Christian and Tevin Heyward chose different paths after earning prep honors as Pointers. And those paths converge at 5:00 p.m. that night, when the teams kick off prior to the postgame KGB Sky Show.
Elder brother Christian was a top national recruit who selected USC from among a reported 18 top Div. I universities. The 6-3, 300-pound defensive lineman, majoring in public administration, transferred to the Aztecs in February of 2014. He wears jersey number 92 and is projected as an impact player.
Tevin, a Western League Defensive Player of the Year, has been converted to fullback by the Toreros. Recruited by six major universities, the 6-0, 225-pound redshirt sophomore, majoring in sociology, wears jersey number 45 and will be competing for playing time in the Torero backfield.
The game will also feature a third Pointer alum, as hard-hitting Torero junior Jamal Agnew (jersey number 26) begins his third season as a starter at cornerback. A communication major, the 5-10, 185-pound Agnew has drawn pre-season all-league mention and needs to break up only 10 more opponents’ passes to set an all-time USD record.
The universities have not met on the gridiron since 1961.