The San Diego State Aztecs are ranked fourth nationally in the AP Poll and first in the NET Rankings. For a program that is not consistently ranked and has only made the NCAA Tournament 12 times in their 99-year history, a season like this is a huge deal.

Only four different programs have had a perfect season all the way through the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs have a chance to do something very special this year and become just the fifth program to ever achieve this feat, the first of a non-power five conference.

However, this is not the first San Diego State team that has been a legitimate national title contender. The 2010-11 San Diego State Aztecs team had all the same national attention as the current team and even got ranked just as high. That Aztec team was arguably more talented, led by NBA Superstar, Kawhi Leonard. They also started off the season 20-0, which until this season was a program record.

The 2010-11 squad was more electric, talented and physical than the 2019-20 team, and they eventually pulled off a no. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately for Leonard and the Aztecs, they fell short in the Sweet 16 to that year’s National Champion, the UConn Huskies. San Diego State also reached the Sweet 16 in the 2013-14 season but have never won more than two games in the tournament.

Well, if the 2010-11 team was more talented and physical and they were ranked just as high as the current team, what sets these undefeated Aztecs apart from their old team?

First off, let's start by comparing the two team’s statlines. The 2010-11 team had four clear standout players who all averaged double digits each game. Leonard even averaged a double-double that season, a feat only earned five times by Aztec players this year through 25 games, let alone a single player averaging one.

This current Aztec team has talent but not necessarily found through just one player. For instance, the 2010-11 team had multiple playmakers and double-digit scorers, such as Malcom Thomas, D.J. Gay and Billy White, but Leonard was clearly the leader and by far most talented player on the roster. It is a much different case when you compare that to this Aztecs team.

Sure, Malachi Flynn scores the most and is the team’s go-to guy when looking to close out a game, but this San Diego State team has weapons, and quite a few of them. This all starts with the coaches’ recruiting abilities and Coach Dutcher being able to bring in three key transfers over the offseason to complete this Aztecs team.

Those transfers make up three of the five Aztec starters, and although all three are veterans, this is each of their first year playing as an Aztec. Steve Fisher was the coach of the 2010-11 team with Brian Dutcher by his side on the bench. Dutcher was Coach Fisher’s assistant from the 1980’s at Michigan where the two recruited the infamous “Fab Five,” all the way until 2017 when Coach Fisher retired. Dutcher’s ability to recruit players is a huge part of this team’s success.

So the key to success for this Aztec team seems to be depth and their ability to play 10-12 players per night and still play to their highest ability. Besides Flynn, this includes forwards Matt Mitchell, Jordan Schakel, Yanni Wetzell, and guards KJ Feagin and Trey Pulliam, all of whom provide the majority of minutes for the Aztecs and do a lot of the scoring.

Aztecs big man, Nathan Mensah, is also expected to return this season, making that seven key players for this Aztec team, compared to four for the 2010-11 team.

March Madness analyst, Andy Katz even stated that the Aztecs are one of the top-five most balanced teams in the country. So although they may not be as big or physical as the 2010-11 squad, this San Diego State team, led by Coach Dutcher, has the potential to do what even the best Aztec teams in the past have not been able to do.