Plant a seed in soil, give it water and sunlight and it turns into a sapling.
Eventually, the sapling turns into a tree. If the tree’s properly cared for, it might bear fruit.
But to care for the tree over time, dead branches must be pruned and trimmed.
In the case of San Diego State men’s soccer, the dead limbs have been cut and discarded in the offseason.
Ten underclassmen left the team, including the young players who were responsible for much of last year’s early success.
Four of the team’s talented freshmen, including leading scorer David Olsen, left.