Aztecs Hope for Another Holiday : But Team Has Long Way to Go Before Booking a Date

For almost 57 minutes, they had stolen the hearts of a sellout crowd in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. Then, within four seconds, their hearts were broken.

A potential upset turned into a sudden defeat when San Diego State lost in the Holiday Bowl to Iowa, 39-38, on a last-second field goal. The game was played in December, but it lingers in the minds of many Aztec players, who have begun spring practice on a secluded field this week.

The field is a four-mile drive from Jack Murphy Stadium, but there are numerous miles ahead before the Aztecs can start thinking about returning to the Holiday Bowl.

“A lot of people are going to say, ‘Let’s see what they can do this year,’ ” cornerback Mario Mitchell said. “We’ll get the crowd behind us, and we’ll show them what we can do. This is kind of exciting. After playing in the Holiday Bowl, I want to relive that.”

Coach Denny Stolz, who came here a year ago from Bowling Green, says it is a little early to think about the Holiday Bowl. He’s much more concerned with player evaluations.

The Aztecs lost eight offensive and six defensive players who started a majority of last season. Finding their replacements is one of Stolz’s main objectives of the spring.

Another is to replace the three team captains--seniors Doug Aronson, Levi Esene and Corey Gilmore--who are out of eligibility.

“We definitely are looking for leaders,” Stolz said. “This team needs to develop personality and a leadership group. We not only lost great physical players, we lost great leaders.

“We’ve got to find the leadership on this football team before we start talking to them about how to approach a season as defending champions.”

Stolz is starting with a nucleus that he didn’t have last spring. He won’t have to spend as much time switching positions as he did last year.

Stolz said he must find replacements at running back, tight end and wide receiver because the Aztecs lost all their starters at those positions.

Two local high school All-Americans could fill voids--running back Tommy Booker of Vista and wide receiver Patrick Rowe of Lincoln. But incoming freshmen will not join the team until fall practice.

The burden is on quarterback Todd Santos, who must adjust to entirely new skill-position players.

“It’s going to take awhile to jell and execute,” Santos said. “I have to get a feel for the individuals and see what they are like.”

Stolz said replacements are needed at linebacker and in the defensive line. The veteran secondary may be the team’s strength.

Recruiting also was a strength. Thirteen local high school players, including Scott Barrick, an All-San Diego County quarterback from Fallbrook, signed letters of intent to play at SDSU. The Aztecs also were successful in recruiting community college players.

“I think everything sank in during the month of the bowl game,” Stolz said. “People realized that we were champions and recognized nationally. Obviously, with our recruiting effort, it was very evident we were accepted locally and statewide as a nationally recognized program already.”

Said transfer Derek Santifer, a Long Beach City linebacker: “The Holiday Bowl has a lot to do with why I’m here. That was the biggest factor for me. There’s going to be a lot of pressure on people like me coming in to uphold the program that the seniors developed last year. I think it will be a driving force for next season.”

Danny Holmes, a running back from Southwestern Community College, attended Castle Park High and grew up watching Aztec football. He said he noticed a big change when he watched SDSU defeat Brigham Young, 10-3, to win the Western Athletic Conference.

“It seemed like they were a lot more disciplined,” Holmes said. “Most of all, they were just winning. That changed a whole bunch about the way I felt about them.”

Holmes is among six local community college players who signed with SDSU, the most ever by the Aztecs.