Stolz and His Aztecs Already Feel Pressure

There’s a defensive back starting at linebacker for San Diego State. There’s a tight end starting at defensive end. There’s a defensive back starting at wide receiver. There’s a defensive tackle starting at offensive tackle.

There’s a new coaching staff this year.

There’s so much apathy that a crowd in the 20,000 range is expected for Saturday night’s opener against Cal State Long Beach.

And therein lies the problem.

The football team is supposed to be the savior of SDSU’s athletic department, which has a $557,000 budget deficit. In the long run, the department may well rise or fall on the football team’s accomplishments.

“If our program is good and this town doesn’t accept us, we’ll have to evaluate the direction of San Diego State athletics in three years,” Athletic Director Fred Miller said. “That’s very realistic.”

If the program doesn’t do well, the scenario is seemingly obvious. San Diego has long been a town of front runners, meaning people won’t support a team that does not win. Even winning teams take time to draw a following (note the 1984 Padres).

What if the public doesn’t accept the football team and the athletic department must eventually be evaluated?

There are several alternatives. Some sports may be cut. Each sport may have a smaller budget. Or, the football program may even be de-emphasized.

But those thoughts are three years down the road.

Denny Stolz, the first-year football coach, is the man in the middle. The future of the athletic department is riding on his team.

“I think there is a substantial amount of pressure,” Stolz said. “The difference between this program and Minnesota or Pittsburgh is that they already have their sellouts and niche in major college football. Here, we have to become Division I in everything from administrative right down to the football team. The yardstick people see is the football team.”

The Aztecs have not measured up well of late. They have had three successive losing seasons for the first time since 1957-59.

Three more losing seasons could be devastating.

“I don’t feel a lot of pressure,” quarterback Todd Santos said. “I’m just tired of losing. I never lost until I came here. I want to change that.”

Since Stolz arrived and replaced Doug Scovil, numerous personnel changes have been made.

Chuck Nixon was moved from the secondary to linebacker. Harold Barlow went from tight end to defensive end. Alfred Jackson went from the secondary to wide receiver. Greg Williamson went from defensive tackle to offensive tackle.

All are expected to start against Long Beach.

Why so many changes?

“It’s a matter of philosophy,” Stolz said. “I look at things differently than Doug did. If he took over my team, I’m sure he would make changes.”

When Stolz first looked at SDSU’s roster, he noticed three problem areas--linebacker, wide receiver and the offensive line.

He recruited two community college linebackers who may have started. However, Joe Smylie decided to pursue the ministry and Shawn Leckington isn’t playing because his wife recently had a baby.

SDSU was so thin at wide receiver that Jackson was switched from the secondary. Last year’s receivers, Webster Slaughter and Vince Warren, were both taken within the first five rounds of the National Football League draft.

Doug Aronson, an all-Western Athletic Conference first-team guard, was the only returning offensive lineman. According to Stolz, the offensive line has been the most improved area since practice began.

“We’ll have to bandage some spots if we lose somebody,” Stolz said. “Our injuries have to be in the right spots. If they happen in the wrong spots, they could embarrass us.”

The Aztecs will be far from embarrassing in the offensive backfield. Santos, a junior, has already passed for 4,940 yards and 30 touchdowns. Senior tailback Chris Hardy rushed for 1,150 yards last year, including two 92-yard touchdowns.

Stolz said SDSU will use Hardy in much the same way the Chargers used Lionel James last year. That means Hardy will be expected to catch passes as well as carry the ball.

“It’s a basic offense, but they like to give the ball to the tailback a lot,” Hardy said. “I plan to get the ball more than I did last year. I plan to go over 1,150 yards.”

SDSU also plans to throw frequently to the tight end. Stolz said he considers tight end Robert Awalt, a senior, equal to any WAC tight end.

Defense is the real concern. The Aztecs, who allowed an average of 26.4 points a game in 1985, twice lost when they scored 37 points.

According to returning players, confusion had much to do with the defense’s lack of success. Opponents often produced big plays when the Aztecs blew assignments.

“Last year, one of our problems was that we became confused when teams used motion,” safety Steve Lauter said. “This year, things are simplified.”

Tim McConnell, the new defensive coordinator, has simplified things to where each player has one assignment on a given play.

“One of the keys has been to make sure the players aren’t confused mentally,” McConnell said. “When players are confused, it comes across as a lack of intensity or effort. They start to question themselves if they don’t play well. They lose confidence and it snowballs. We have to try to stop that.”

Thus far, Stolz said the defense is ahead of the offense in practice. There are five returning starters on defense and three on offense.

A capsule look at the Aztecs:

OFFENSE Quarterback--Santos is fourth on the all-time NCAA list for passing yardage through a sophomore season. Brian McClure, who quarterbacked Stolz’s Bowling Green team last year, is second on the all-time NCAA passing yardage list.

“I think Todd has every bit as much, or maybe a little more talent (than McClure),” Stolz said. “They’re both quiet, unassuming kids, which is nice to coach.”

Jim Plum is the backup for the fourth consecutive year.

Tailback--Hardy averaged 7.3 yards per carry last year, tops among returning NCAA running backs. Ron Slack, a freshman, has been impressive in practice but will likely miss Saturday’s opener because of a sprained ankle.

Fullback--Corey Gilmore, a senior, rushed for 260 yards and three touchdowns last year and will be the starter. Battling for the No. 2 spot are junior Troy Reed, a converted tight end, and freshman John Carlson.

Wide receivers--Four players will see a lot--seniors Kenny Moore, Brett Blanchard and Anthony Conyers and sophomore Alfred Jackson. Moore, the most experienced receiver, caught 31 passes for 463 yards last year.

Tight end--Robert Awalt, a senior, caught 15 passes for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns in 1985. Kerry Reed-Martin, also a senior, is the backup.

Line--Senior left guard Doug Aronson is a solid player, but the remainder of the line is suspect. Stolz has been impressed with sophomore center Kevin Wells. Greg Williamson has progressed well at left tackle since switching from defense. Starting on the right side are senior guard Mark Tegio and senior tackle Mike Ariey. Senior John Minor is the top reserve guard and junior Dave DesRochers the top reserve tackle. Art Aronson, a junior, is the No. 2 center.

DEFENSE Line--Senior tackle Levi Esene and junior end Mike Hooper are the top linemen. Esene had to redshirt last year after suffering a dislocated elbow in the second game. Junior Craig Skaggs starts at the other tackle and Harold Barlow is the other end. Backups include seniors Kris Jensen and Chris Kilby and junior Brett Faryniarz.

Linebacker--This is the defense’s weak spot. Richard Brown, a senior, gained some experience last season. Randy Kirk, a senior, walked on last year, played very little but now is a starter. Chuck Nixon switched from defensive back to linebacker. The reserves are senior Andy Damon and junior Curtis Gillis, a converted wide receiver.

Secondary--Three starters return--sophomore cornerback Mario Mitchell, junior cornerback Clarence Nunn and senior safety Steve Lauter. Junior Harold Hicks, who had planned to attend Georgia out of community college, will also start at safety. Seniors Mike Wilder and Bryan Hailey are the top reserves.

Kickers--Junior Kevin Rahill, who was recruited off the SDSU soccer team last week, will be the kicker. His backup is sophomore walk-on John Palatella. Junior Wayne Ross averaged 42.1 yards per punt last year.

AZTEC SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time Sept. 6 CS Long Beach 7 p.m. Sept. 13 at Utah 6 p.m. Sept. 20 UCLA 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at New Mexico 6:30 p.m. Oct. 4 at Stanford 1:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at Texas-El Paso 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25 Air Force 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Colorado State Noon Nov. 15 Wyoming 7 p.m. Nov. 22 Hawaii 7 p.m. Nov. 29 Brigham Young 6 p.m.

Home games at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium

All times Pacific.

SDSU STATISTICS

(12 Games)

TEAM Opp SDSU First downs 271 259 Rushes-yards 517-2,423 390-2,170 Yards passing 2,859 3,447 Passes 254-408 269-437 Int.-yd. ret. 21-304 7-39 Plays-net yd. 925-4,867 827-5,242 Punts-average 67-40.4 48-41.5 Punts ret.-yd. 16-80 34-340 Kickoffs ret.-yd. 52-909 33-609 Fumbles-lost 25-12 38-17 Penalties-yards 93-798 110-917

INDIVIDUAL

Rushing TCB NYG Avg. TD Hardy 158 1,168 7.3 7 Brown 90 366 3.9 6 Gilmore 51 269 5.1 3 Slaughter 4 68 14.5 0 Plum 21 116 2.6 0 Yates 8 30 3.8 0 Woodruff 10 29 2.1 0 Ross 1 0 -16.0 0 Santos 47 124 -2.4 0 Totals 390 1,795 4.6 16 Opp. 517 2,008 3.9 23

Passing PA PC PI Yd TD Santos 357 226 17 2,877 21 Plum 80 43 4 570 3 Totals 437 269 21 3,447 24 Opp. 408 254 7 2,859 15

Receiving No. Yd. TD Slaughter 82 1,071 10 Warren 38 788 5 Hardy 33 287 1 Moore 30 462 0 Brown 29 320 2 Gilmore 19 133 0 Awalt 15 181 2 Blanchard 8 94 3 Laughton 7 67 1 Yates 4 45 0 Conyers 1 6 0 Woodruff 1 3 0 Santos 1 -11 0 Totals 269 3,447 24 Opp. 254 2,859 15

OTHER LEADERS: PUNTING--Ross, 46-1,937, 42.1. PUNT RETURNS--Slaughter 29-270, 9.3 avg. KICKOFF RETURNS--Slaughter 19-413, 21.7 avg. INTERCEPTIONS--Lauter 2-5, Powers 2-2. SCORING--O’Brien, 90 points. TD--Slaughter, 11. FG--O’Brien 17-19.

AZTEC DEPTH CHART

Quarterbacks

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 8 Santos, Todd 6-2 205 Jr. Selma, Calif. 19 Plum, Jim 6-2 200 Sr. La Mesa, Calif.

Running Backs

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 34 Hardy, Chris 5-9 185 Sr. San Diego 4 Slack, Ron 6-0 185 Fr. Pasadena, Calif.

Fullbacks

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 30 Gilmore, Corey 6-1 205 Sr. Pasadena, Calif. 37 Reed, Troy 6-2 220 Jr. Rowland Hts., Calif.

Wide Receivers

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 5 Jackson, Alfred 5-11 165 So. Tulare, Calif. 83 Blanchard, Brett 6-2 190 Sr. Huntington Beach 2 Moore, Kenny 5-11 180 Sr. Los Angeles 17 Conyers, Anthony 6-2 180 Sr. Concord, Calif.

Tight Ends

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 89 Awalt, Robert 6-5 240 Sr. Sacramento 85 Reed-Martin, Kerry 6-3 220 So. Danville, Calif.

Left Tackles

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 74 Williamson, Greg 6-5 260 Sr. Bakersfield 73 Knutson, Mike 6-4 255 Jr. Anaheim

Right Tackles

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 62 Ariey, Mike 6-5 270 Sr. Bakersfield 67 DesRochers, Dave 6-5 270 Jr. Glendora, Calif.

Left Guards

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 70 Aronson, Doug 6-3 270 Sr. San Francisco 78 Burton, Brad 6-4 240 Fr. Lakeside, Calif.

Right Guards

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 69 Tegio, Mark 6-3 265 Sr. Fremont, Calif. 72 Minor, John 6-2 265 Sr. Oakland

Centers

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 77 Wells, Kevin 6-5 260 So. Thornton, Colo. 66 Aronson, Art 6-1 255 Jr. San Francisco

Kickers

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 15 Palatella, John 6-2 190 So. Sunnyvale, Calif. 12 Wurth, Tom 6-0 185 Fr. Spring Valley, Calif.

Punter

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 7 Ross, Wayne 6-3 200 Jr. Tulare, Calif.

Defensive Ends

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 86 Barlow, Harold 6-3 220 Sr. Compton, Calif. 43 Faryniarz, Brett 6-3 210 Jr. Rancho Cordova, Calif. 95 Hooper, Mike 6-3 265 Jr. Mountain View, Calif. 47 Jensen, Kris 6-3 240 Sr. Glendale, Ariz.

Defensive Tackles

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 97 Esene, Levi 5-11 260 Sr. Waianae, Hawaii 94 Pettit, Duane 6-4 250 Sr. Tehachapi, Calif. 90 Skaggs, Craig 6-5 260 Jr. Chino, Calif. 44 Kilby, Chris 6-2 235 Sr. Bonita, Calif.

Left Cornerbacks

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 9 Mitchell, Mario 5-10 180 So. Compton, Calif. 21 Earley, Lyndon 6-1 170 Fr. Gardena, Calif.

Right Cornerbacks

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 27 Nunn, Clarence 5-10 180 Jr. Gardena, Calif. 23 Williams, Jeryl 5-10 170 Jr. Carson, Calif.

Strong Safeties

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 20 Lauter, Steve 6-1 195 Sr. Hacienda Hts., Calif. 42 Wilder, Mike 5-10 185 Sr. San Diego 29 Hailey, Bryan 6-1 180 Sr. Tulare, Calif. 26 Hicks, Harold 6-0 185 Jr. Pasadena

Outside Linebackers

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 35 Kirk, Randy 6-2 225 Sr. San Jose 58 Damon, Andy 6-2 220 Sr. Mesa, Ariz. 41 Nixon, Chuck 6-0 190 Jr. Phoenix 6 Gillis, Curtis 6-2 190 Jr. Los Angeles

Middle Linebackers

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown 50 Brown, Richard 6-2 235 Sr. Huntington Beach 33 Wilson, Milt 6-2 220 Fr. Los Angeles