Aztecs Take Defensive Approach Toward Past, Present

Remember when San Diego State’s football team scored 37 points on consecutive Saturdays last season, only to lose both games?

Denny Stolz, the new head coach, was fortunate not to have seen the games live. But he has witnessed the horror films (also known as game films), causing him to make a vow after spring practice concluded last week.

“We certainly don’t think we will ever score 37 points again and lose,” Stolz said.

The statement confirmed that the Aztecs are becoming defensive in 1986, not only of their recent past but also of their style of football. Stolz’s No. 1 spring priority was to improve the defense, and he thinks that has been accomplished.

However, there was another side to spring football, one that may explain why SDSU may not score 37 points again and lose.

The Aztecs might not be capable of scoring 37 points in one game next season.

Midway through spring practice, it became evident that the cupboard was bare at wide receiver and fullback.

“Any time I thought of San Diego State when I was (coaching) at Bowling Green, I thought of numbers at wide receiver and running back,” Stolz said. “You’d think we would have a real surplus of skill players at San Diego State, but we don’t. I don’t know where the replacements were going to come from.”

The replacements have come from within, but it has taken two adjustments.

Sophomore Alfred Jackson has been converted from defensive back to wide receiver. Senior Troy Reed, who has never carried the ball in a game, was switched from tight end to running back.

Kenny Moore or Brett Blanchard is expected to join Jackson at wide receiver. Moore, also a converted defensive back, caught 31 passes last year. Blanchard has caught 14 passes in three seasons.

The problem is complicated by another problem. Jackson, a two-way player in high school two years ago, prefers playing defense.

Time is not on the side of Reed, a receiver in high school and tight end his first three years of college.

“I like fullback better than tight end,” Reed said. “As a tight end, I was in a defensive role as far as blocking. I’m a pretty decent athlete and feel I’m pretty good at running. Plus, I like to hit. I have no problem with putting my head down and getting dirty.”

If the Aztecs have another offensive problem, it’s the line. Scovil’s staff had seven offensive linemen and six tight ends on scholarship last season. Three of the five interior line starters were walk-on seniors.

“Our offensive line is suspect,” Stolz said. “We’ve got some rebuilding to do, and we’ve been hurt by injuries. The continuity and precision needed in the offensive line aren’t there.”

There are strong points to the offense, too. Quarterback Todd Santos has passed for 4,940 yards and 30 touchdowns in his first two seasons at SDSU. Tailback Chris Hardy rushed for 1,150 yards last season, the third-best season total in school history. Tight end Robert Awalt caught 15 passes last year and is considered among the top offensive players by Stolz.

Defensively, the Aztecs are adjusting from a 3-4 to a 4-3 front.

“It’s a lot better because we have four against five interior linemen rather than three against five,” said Mike Hooper, a returning starter. “Your odds are a little bit better.. . . We have a whole different philosophy. It’s a ‘Go get ‘em’ philosophy. Before, we had to read and react a little more.”

Hooper is among three linemen with considerable experience. Levi Esene, who was a redshirt last year after suffering a dislocated elbow, started in 1984. Duane Pettitt, who missed last season with a broken leg, also was a projected starter in 1985.

Stolz also is high on Harold Barlow, another converted tight end. Barlow is listed among the four defensive line starters.

“In this day and age, the pass rush is a big part of defensive football to me,” Stolz said. “I don’t see why it would be diminished in this conference of all conferences by having a three-man rush.”

Because the Aztecs are rushing four people, they need only replace three of the four starting linebackers lost from last season. In the secondary, all starters return--cornerbacks Mario Mitchell and Clarence Nunn and safeties Steve Lauter and Ellis Powers.

According to Powers, the Aztecs will use more coverages this year but with fewer variations off each coverage.

“We won’t have a lot of ‘If this happens, you do that,’ ” Powers said. “A lot of times last year, you would have to adjust coverages and switch men. You’d be second-guessing yourself when the ball was snapped, and you were lost.”

The Aztecs suffered one loss this spring when Crawford High defensive lineman Mark Hayes signed a letter of intent with Arizona State. Hayes originally signed with SDSU but his mother, Geneva, refused to sign the letter. Before Hayes changed his mind, Aztec coaches considered him their top freshman recruit.

David Woodhouse, an all-county linebacker from Bonita Vista, may forgo an Aztec football career to sign as a pro baseball pitcher.

“Recruiting is a down-the-road proposition,” Stolz said. “You can be dead right or wrong on a player. This doesn’t set us back. We can replace players like that, but we sure don’t like to lose a Mark Hayes and possibly David Woodhouse. When you recruit good athletes, those things happen.”