Former San Diego State QB Ryan Lindley is helping the Aztecs this spring

The San Diego State Aztecs are short-handed this spring at the quarterback position with starter Christian Chapman basically sidelined as he recovers from thumb surgery and depth is not on its way until fall camp.

The solution was to give a call to former NFL QB and Aztec alumnus stop by and help the team.

“Since we found out the rule this year that we could use alumni players as scout team players, I called him up and asked if he would do it,” SDSU head coach Rocky Long said. “He’s only going to have to do it when we’re just in helmets, when it’s scout team.”

Lindley played at San Diego State from 2008-11 and played in 49 careeg games and threw for 12,690 yards, 90 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.

After his college career he was a six-round pick with with the Arizona Cardinals, and overall he spent four years in the NFL with five teams and currently is in the Canadian Football League with the Ottawa Redblacks.

During spring camp the Aztecs had to use back up Ryan Agnew and then moved former high school quarterback but current punter, Neil Boudreau, to take reps at quarterback.

Other teams in college football have been using this rule of allowing, and most famously it was Alabama who used a former player to try to emulate Clemson QB Deshaun Watson to prepare for this past national title game.

In addition to having Lindley on the roster to help with reps but having an experience quarterback who has spent time in the NFL can only be viewed as plus to help the quarterbacks and the team overall.