Colorado OC Lewis named San Diego State coach
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
San Diego State hired Sean Lewis, the Colorado offensive coordinator and former Kent State coach, as its new head coach on Wednesday.
Lewis spent the 2023 season with coach Deion Sanders and Colorado, handling offensive play calls for the first eight games before former NFL coach Pat Shurmur took over during the final month. Lewis, 37, built his reputation on high-tempo, dynamic offenses, which he used as a coordinator at Syracuse, Bowling Green and Eastern Illinois before leading Kent State’s program from 2018 to 2022.
At San Diego State, he will replace Brady Hoke, who announced his retirement earlier this month. Hoke went 40-32 in two stints with the Aztecs, who went 4-8 this season, their worst mark since 2009. Lewis will be introduced at a news conference later Wednesday morning.
“[Lewis] is a coach with immense talent and I’m looking forward to the excitement that his teams are going to generate at Snapdragon Stadium,” athletic director J.D. Wicker said in a statement. “His approach emphasizing academic and life skills opportunities are equally important and will complement the student-athlete experience.”
San Diego State focused on candidates with backgrounds in offense, sources said, after falling to 111th nationally in scoring this fall. Although the program is 117-62 since 2010 under Hoke and Rocky Long, the Aztecs are just 74th in scoring offense (27.8 PPG) during the span. San Diego State opened $310 million Snapdragon Stadium for the start of the 2022 season.
Lewis went 24-31 at Kent State but guided the team to its first bowl win in 2019, after a 2-10 record the year before. Kent State went 3-1 during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, recording its first back-to-back winning records since 1976 and 1977.
Colorado’s offense started strong under Lewis, as quarterback Shedeur Sanders set a team record with 510 passing yards in the opening game at TCU. After finishing 126th nationally in scoring in 2022, Colorado rose to 59th this season, despite some significant challenges along its offensive line.
“Sean has shown that he can develop student athletes both on-and-off the field. On the field, he has a proven track record as a dynamic offensive playcaller, and I look forward to seeing what he will do for our program in terms of recruitment,” San Diego State president Adela de la Torre said in a statement. “He will surely energize our fan base — a fan base made up of our students and their families, our faculty and staff, our donors, and nearly 500,000 living alumni.”
TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.
The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.
Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.
Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.
In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.
The Miami Marlins activated catcher Nick Fortes from the 10-day injured list Sunday morning. To make room for him on the active roster, starting second baseman Otto Lopez was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Fortes, the Marlins’ Opening Day catcher, posted six hits in 20 at-bats with two doubles, one triple and one RBI in seven appearances before going on the IL on April 10 with an injured left oblique muscle. The 28-year-old missed 20 games as the Marlins went 7-13 without him. To prepare for Sunday’s return, he rehabbed for two games at Triple-A Jacksonville and went 0-for-6.
Fortes figures to split time with 23-year-old rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez, who has delivered a .256/.293/.615 slash line with three homers and five RBIs in 10 games during his first stint in the bigs.
The 26-year-old Lopez hits the injured list, retroactive to Saturday, with a sprained right ankle. Lopez started the season hot with a .400 average to go with two homers, six RBIs and one stolen base during five games in March. Since then, he has batted .191 (17-for-89) with no homers, five RBIs and two steals.
Rookie Javier Sanoja, 22, has filled Lopez’s spot at second base the last two games and provided two doubles, two runs and one RBI in seven at-bats.
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