Walk-On Linemen Playing Major Roles for the Aztecs

Try to figure this one out.

Each year, Coach Doug Scovil’s staff has raved about its scholarship recruits at San Diego State. Scovil is in his fifth year at SDSU and arguably has his best Aztec team.

So who are three of the top six offensive linemen?

They are walk-ons, who did not even receive scholarships to SDSU. The group includes starting guard Dave Audick, starting center Jim Dennis and tackle Bill Dowd, who started the last two games when Dan Knight was injured.

Audick had two scholarship offers out of San Diego Mesa College but chose SDSU because he likes the area. Dennis transferred to SDSU when he became dissatisfied with the coaching staff at San Jose State. Dowd did not receive any scholarship offers out of Southwestern College.

“A lot of schools have 99% scholarship players,” said Doug Smith, SDSU’s offensive line coach. “We encourage walk-ons and eventually give scholarships to some walk-ons. You can’t give too many scholarships to walk-ons because you are only allowed so many scholarships. Being a state institution helps because we are not as expensive as the University of the Pacific or USC.”

Though the linemen may not be in the limelight, or on scholarship, they are well-known to coaches and teammates. All five starting linemen, including tackle Mike Ariey and guard Doug Aronson, have been exceptional.

Dave Audick didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life after graduating from high school in Virginia in 1979. He spent one year doing construction work in Colorado and another year back in Virginia working at a warehouse.

But his desire to play football never ceased. He was invited to San Diego by his brother, Dan, a former Charger who lives in Tierrasanta.

“The first year here, I just wanted to play and meet people,” Audick said. “I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to go. I thought if I gave it a shot, I might get a full ride someplace.”

Audick was an All-South Coast Conference second-team player in 1982. He received scholarship offers from Cal State Long Beach and Northern Arizona, as well as “other smaller colleges out west.”

But his eyes were focused on the bigger school, SDSU, even if he had to be a walk-on--and even if coaches didn’t know him by his first name. Even now, Aztec coaches often refer to him as Dan.

Audick was a redshirt in 1983 and backup guard in 1984. He is making the most of his starting opportunities in 1985.

Jim Dennis was a walk-on as a freshman at San Jose State in 1981. Though he had scholarship offers elsewhere, he wanted to stay near his hometown of San Rafael.

Dennis received his first surprise at San Jose State when he was moved from tight end to guard before his freshman season. His second surprise was that Jack Elway, then the Spartan coach, never offered him a scholarship through two seasons.

“Coach Elway promised me a scholarship after the first semester and it never worked out,” Dennis said. “He kept giving me BS about it, so, finally, I walked off the field and quit in the fall of 1983. I was tired of being lied to.”

After leaving San Jose State, Dennis turned to his older brother, Jack, who had played for Scovil at UOP. Jack Dennis called Doug Smith to inquire about his brother’s chances of playing at SDSU. Smith had been a UOP assistant when Jack Dennis played for the Tigers. Jim Dennis was on his way to San Diego.

The Aztecs didn’t offer Dennis a scholarship, either, but he didn’t mind.

Dennis had to redshirt in 1983, and he was a backup center and long snapper in 1984. This year, he is doing quite well with all of the snaps.

Bill Dowd was uncertain about what was ahead after graduating from Bonita Vista High in 1981. He spent the next year working as a tree trimmer, which was enough to convince him that the football field was a better place to be.

“I decided I didn’t want to be trimming trees for the rest of my life,” Dowd said. “I decided it was time to go back to school and get an education.”

Dowd returned to the football field at Southwestern in 1982. The following year, he was named to the All-Mission Conference second-team.

In the meantime, Dowd was also establishing himself as a rugby player, which inadvertently played into his decision to attend SDSU. Dowd decided after his sophomore season to walk-on at Fresno State. Several of his rugby teammates, who were SDSU alumni, encouraged him to walk-on with the Aztecs instead.

Dowd said he did not receive any major-college scholarship offers because he was “too small” at 230 pounds. He has since gained 30 pounds.

Aztec Notes Jack Eaton will start at outside linebacker Saturday against Brigham Young in Provo, Utah. Eaton, who suffered torn thumb ligaments against Colorado State on Sept. 28, surprisingly played in part of last Saturday’s game against Stanford. Eaton was involved on one of two Aztec sacks and assisted on two other tackles. . . . Nose guard Levi Esene is hoping to return for the first time in three weeks against BYU. He suffered a dislocated elbow Sept. 21 against UCLA. . . . Defensive tackle/nose guard Mike Stevens is expected to be near 100% this week. Stevens, who has been slowed by a hip injury, played sparingly against Colorado State and missed the Stanford game. . . . The Holiday Bowl will be scouting nine teams this week, including SDSU. Others being scouted are Arizona State, Army, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M; and Utah. Last week, Air Force and UCLA were scouted. BYU, which has played in the first seven Holiday Bowls, will not play this year for religious reasons because the Dec. 22 game is on a Sunday. . . . Bruce Binkowski, 36, has been named marketing and public relations director for the Holiday Bowl. Binkowski, who has been involved with the Holiday Bowl since its inception, is the public address announcer for the Aztecs, Chargers and Padres.