Santos’ Quick Return Key to Rest of Aztec Campaign

When Todd Santos appeared in San Diego State’s football team hotel lobby Saturday morning, something was missing--his wrist cast.

Suddenly, several SDSU followers began to speculate.

Had Santos’ fractured right wrist miraculously healed? Was he going to play quarterback that afternoon against Stanford?

No such luck. Santos simply had removed the cast so that his wrist could be re-examined before the game.

The Aztecs were hoping to find new results on the second examination, that the broken bone in his wrist was the same one he had cracked nine years ago. If so, his recovery period would be shortened.

Again, no such luck.

“The test revealed our original diagnosis was correct,” trainer Don Kaverman said. “We’re still hoping to have him available for our next game.”

The original diagnosis was that Santos had cracked a bone other than the one injured before. It remains to be seen whether Santos will play at Texas El Paso Oct. 18.

Santos is expected to have his new cast removed the middle of this week. Then his status will depend on how well he progresses.

In the meantime, Jim Plum is the quarterback. Plum had an up-and-down game in Saturday’s 17-10 loss at Stanford, completing 19 of 31 passes for 195 yards.

The Aztecs trailed at halftime, 10-3, and after three quarters, 17-3. After SDSU had a fourth-quarter drive stopped at the Cardinal five, it finally scored a touchdown with 4:30 remaining.

“Everyone united and pulled together in the second half,” Plum said. “Too bad we couldn’t get it going a little earlier.”

Plum was 6 for 7 for 49 yards in the first quarter. But he went 0 for 8 in the second as the Aztecs failed to make a first down and netted no yards in 15 plays.

SDSU moved the ball well on three of its four second-half drives. The first drive ended with a punt from Stanford’s 34. The second ended on an unsuccessful fourth-and-two play from Stanford’s six. The third ended with a touchdown. The final drive ended with Plum losing a fumble.

“I thought Jim did exceptionally well,” fullback Corey Gilmore said. “It’s pretty hard for him to sit back and watch and only go over playing time in his mind. We made some good drives, just as if Todd was in. We just couldn’t drive the ball in. I don’t know why.”

The Aztec defense, which allowed 690 yards the previous week against New Mexico, allowed Stanford 306 yards.

Thomas Henley scored a Cardinal touchdown by taking the ball from cornerback Clarence Nunn’s hands. Henley set up the other touchdown with a leaping 37-yard reception over cornerback Mario Mitchell at SDSU’s 23.

“The kid (Henley) made two super plays,” SDSU Coach Denny Stolz said. “We were right with him. There’s nothing you can do about that. . . . I expected it to be a low scoring game. That’s just about what I would’ve picked.”