SDSU Grounded by Penalty, Oregon Comeback

Todd Santos, San Diego State quarterback, stood in a far corner of the locker room Saturday afternoon, trying to explain for the third time this month how the Aztecs had lost a football game.

After the elation of winning the Western Athletic Conference championship last season, this has become an increasingly difficult and disturbing task for Santos.

But, of all the defeats, this 25-20 nonconference loss to Oregon in front a crowd of 31,573 at Autzen Stadium seemed the most bizarre.

The Aztecs had control for most of the game, only to lose it in the final two minutes on a 96-yard Oregon touchdown drive and a controversial penalty.

The Aztecs were driving in the final minute when Santos was flagged for intentionally throwing the ball out of bounds to stop the clock.

The penalty nullified a 23-yard yard run by Santos that would have given SDSU a first down at the Oregon 33-yard line with 37 seconds to play. In addition, the Aztecs were penalized five yards and lost the down, giving them a third and 15 from their 39.

What made the call so ironic was that the clock would have stopped anyway because Santos had gained a first down, and the Aztecs still had two timeouts remaining.

When asked if he threw on the ball out of bounds on purpose, an incredulous look came across his face.

“It’s illegal,” was his response.

His expression of disbelief said the rest.

Two plays after the penalty, tailback Paul Hewitt caught a pass and was stopped three yards short of a first down on a 12-yard play from Santos. The Ducks (2-1) took over and ran out the last 21 seconds, handing Coach Denny Stolz and the Aztecs (1-3) a defeat that left them indignant.

“I’ve never, never, never seen anything like it,” Stolz said. “Our kids didn’t deserve to lose the ballgame. We’re a better team.

“We played pretty well offensively and defensively most of the game. You just can’t overcome 200, 300, 400 yards in penalties. You can’t over come that. You have to be Superman to do that.”

Actually, the Aztecs were penalized a season-high 18 times for 153 yards. The Ducks were called for eight penalties for 80 yards. It just seemed like more.

“I don’t think it was a smoothly officiated game either way,” said Rich Brooks, Oregon coach. “We had four penalties coming into this game in two games. We were the least-penalized team in the (Pacific 10). I’ve never seen as many flags in my life. It was incredible.”

But it was the last one--the 26th of the sunny, pleasant afternoon--that raised the Aztecs’ ire as no other.

SDSU had taken possession at its 16 after Oregon had scored on a 5-yard pass to flanker Rod Green from quarterback Bill Musgrave to take its final 25-20 lead with 1:41 game. Musgrave found Green wide open in the right corner after Clark Moses, a sophomore making his first start at cornerback, fell in front of the goal post.

“Green just shook him,” Musgrave said. “He made a great inside-outside move and the defensive back was lost.”

The Aztecs did have a last chance and reached their 44. From there, on second and 10, Santos scrambled out of the pocket. He was making a dash toward the left sideline near the Oregon bench when he was hit. As he slid to the ground, his right arm was extended with the ball. His arm went forward and the ball skidded out of bounds in front of three Oregon defenders at the Ducks’ 33.

William Plumeau, the line judge, was standing on the sideline directly in front of the play. He immediately threw his flag. Plumeau, a Pac-10 official from Portland, Ore., was part of the crew composed of Pac-10 and WAC officials.

Gene Wurtz, the referee and a WAC offical from Morrison, Colo., issued a statement that said, in part: “It was an illegal pass beyond the line of scrimmage. The ball carrier intentionally threw the ball out of bounds to conserve time.”

Wurtz explained that the rule was new this season and is to go into in the late moments of the second and fourth quarter.

That was the official explanation. There were other Oregon and SDSU versions:

From Kevin Wells, the SDSU center: “I was looking right at Todd. I saw the guy hit him and pop the ball loose. When I saw it was a penalty, I thought it was roughing.”

From Anthony Newman, the Ducks’ strong safety: “He sidearmed the ball, no about it. I was about two feet away from him. He was going down on his knees, and he just threw it forward.”

And finally from Santos: “I got pressure, scrambled, saw an opening there, tried to take it. I was just trying to get out of bounds. The guy hit me and jarred the ball lose. I didn’t know what the flag was for.”

Santos completed 26 of 47 passes for 329 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was intercepted once. He moved up to ninth on the NCAA all-time career passing list with 8,728 yards.

Aztec Note Five players made their first college starts on defense, including Lee Brannon, who started at both defensive end and tight end.

NCAA ALL-TIME CAREER PASSING LEADERS

Name School Years Yards 1. Kevin Sweeney Fresno State 1982-86 10,623 2. Doug Flutie Boston College 1981-84 10,579 3. Brian McClure Bowling Green 1982-85 10,280 4. Ben Bennett Duke 1980-83 9,614 5. Jim McMahon Brigham Young 77-78, 80-81 9,536 6. John Elway Stanford 1979-82 9,349 7. Chuck Long Iowa 1981-85 9,210 8. Mark Herrmann Purdue 1977-80 9,188 9. Todd Santos SDSU 1984- 8,728 10. Joe Adams Tennessee State 1977-80 8,649 11. Robbie Bosco Brigham Young 1983-85 8,400 12. Jack Trudeau Illinois 1981, 83-85 8,146 13. Ran. Cunningham UNLV 1982-84 8,020 14. Dan Marino Pittburgh 1979-82 7,905 15. John Holman NE Louisiana 1979-82 7,827 16. Jack Thompson Washington State 1975-78 7,818 17. Steve Young Brigham Young 1981-83 7,733 18. John Paye Stanford 1983-86 7,669 19. Marc Wilson Brigham Young 1977-79 7,637 20. Scott Campbell Purdue 1980-83 7,636