Wyoming, SDSU Have Eye on Title : Tonight’s Game Is a Must Win for Each in WAC Race

The difference between San Diego and Laramie, Wyo., is like the difference between summer and winter.

The difference between the San Diego State and Wyoming football teams, which play tonight in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, is simple. Both teams have a chance to win the Western Athletic Conference title, but San Diego State controls its fate. Wyoming needs to win, then get some help.

The teams have several similarities. Both have first-year head coaches. Both have passing-oriented offenses.

Neither was expected to be a contender in the Western Athletic Conference race.

“I don’t think anybody counted on us both still being in the conference race,” SDSU Coach Denny Stolz said. “People keep saying this is the closest WAC race in years. One reason is because San Diego State and Wyoming are still in it. The other two (Brigham Young and Air Force) are always in it.”

SDSU’s path is clearly defined. If the Aztecs win their final three games at home against Wyoming, Hawaii and BYU, they will represent the conference in the Holiday Bowl.

Wyoming must beat SDSU and Hawaii. But if the Cowboys win both games, they would still need BYU to lose to Utah and beat SDSU and Air Force.

“Our chances are pretty slim,” Wyoming Coach Dennis Erickson said. “To have any chance to win the WAC and have an excellent season, we have to beat San Diego State.”

Neither team has been a factor in recent seasons. From 1982 to 1985, SDSU was 7-5, 2-9-1, 4-7-1 and 5-6-1. Wyoming was 5-7, 7-5, 6-6 and 3-8.

A week before the season, Wyoming lost starting quarterback Craig Burnett with a broken finger. Burnett, who returned a month later, played sparingly until two weeks ago against New Mexico. Coming off the bench, he completed 32 of 42 passes for 359 yards and 4 touchdowns as Wyoming won, 35-25. In Burnett’s first start last week, he completed 26 of 41 passes for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Cowboys beat Texas El Paso, 41-12.

“There are so many good quarterbacks in this conference that it’s awfully hard for me to judge one,” Stolz said. “This kid at Wyoming is as good a quarterback as there is in the conference.”

Last year, Wyoming ran the wishbone. Erickson switched to the passing offense and recruited Burnett, a community college transfer.

“I know how tough it is to take over a wishbone offense and make it into a dropback offense,” Stolz said. “We did that when I was at Michigan State. There probably isn’t a bigger extreme than going from the wishbone to dropback.”

A major difference between the two schools is the climate they offer prospective students. San Diegans can talk of beach weather in November. But in Wyoming, snow skiing and ice fishing are popular topics this time of year. Laramie locals even describe their four seasons as early winter, winter, late winter and next winter.

Ed Schmidt, SDSU’s offensive line coach, is well aware of Laramie’s four seasons. Schmidt was raised in Laramie, played three years for Wyoming and was team captain in 1972.

“Wyoming is a very harsh, almost spartan-like existence,” Schmidt said. “Everybody has their pickup with a CB and snowmobile in back. It’s not so much pleasure, it’s almost a necessity. If you’ve ever driven the state in the winter, you know you’re crazy if you don’t have a four-wheel drive, sleeping bag and all the necessities to survive for a couple of days. . . . They sell the outdoors to their recruits. It’s the only thing they have to sell. It’s such a stark existence.”

Erickson, who coached Idaho last year, said it’s not that hard to recruit at Wyoming. At least he has the WAC as a selling point, which is a step up from the Big Sky Conference.

“Everything is campus-oriented (at Wyoming),” Erickson said. “The California schools have a lot of commuters and not very many activities on campus. We don’t spend a lot of money recruiting in California, but we have California kids here. If we recruit kids out of San Diego, we know we are taking our chances. The No. 1 thing is to recruit a lot of areas where they are not afraid of cold weather. If the kids come here, the people are friendly and they are treated well. We haven’t lost a kid since I’ve been here.”

Aztec Notes SDSU finished 4-1 on the road but is 1-2 at home. “I don’t think there’s any reason for it,” Coach Denny Stolz said. “We better start playing better at home.” . . . The Aztecs, who allowed 133 points in their first four games, have allowed 75 points in their last four. “Everyone talks about their offense, which is very, very good,” Wyoming Coach Dennis Erickson said. “I think they have one of the better defenses in the league. Their secondary plays very well, and their pass rush will be the best we’ve seen since we played BYU.” . . . SDSU quarterback Todd Santos has passed for 6,896 yards in his career, sixth on the WAC’s all-time list. “There’s no question in my mind that Todd Santos is the best quarterback in the WAC,” Erickson said. “And that’s saying something because we have so many good ones.” . . . Two former Morse High School athletes play for Wyoming--starting cornerback Mark Thomas and reserve defensive tackle Eric Glover. Thomas leads the Cowboys with five interceptions. . . . Wyoming leads the all-time series, 5-3. SDSU’s last shutout was in 1984 at Wyoming, 21-0. . . . It will be Toys for Tots night in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. Fans are asked to bring a toy suitable for the Marines to distribute to the needy children of San Diego.

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UCLA tries to rebound against Washington. Story, Page 14.