WISHBONE IS NO OPTION . . . : Wyoming Has a Shot With Burnett Passing

ming is a long way from Marin County--in geography, climate and style of life. Craig Burnett went anyway.

“I love to fish,” Burnett said, “and the skiing is pretty close.”

But the beach is so far away.

“Yeah, it is,” said Burnett, a senior quarterback who transferred to Wyoming last year from Santa Rosa College in Marin County. “It’s a whole different way of life. It was quite a change from what I was used to in California.”

Wyoming football has been going through some changes, too. Once a wishbone team under Al Kincaid, the Cowboys will use a run-and-shoot passing offense Saturday against San Diego State. Coach Dennis Erickson brought the passing game to Wyoming last season, and his successor, Paul Roach, has continued the run-and-shoot. And Burnett is the trigger.

In his short Wyoming career, Burnett has established himself as one of college football’s most prolific passers. He has passed for 2,247 career yards despite playing in only seven full games in two seasons because of hand and knee injuries.

Last season, in a 31-24 loss at San Diego, he had better statistics than Todd Santos. Burnett completed 37 of 65 passes for 396 yards and 3 touchdowns. Santos was 15 of 28 for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns. Both quarterbacks were intercepted twice.

Burnett and Santos will meet again Saturday in Laramie, Wyo., in a game that could determine whether the Aztecs (1-1, 1-3) will have a chance to repeat as the Western Athletic Conference champion. Of the 25 previous WAC champions, none has ever won the conference with two losses.

“I like playing big games,” Burnett said in a telephone interview this week. “I like playing guys like Santos. It takes the pressure off me because a guy like Santos is all-everything. Everyone is watching what he will do. They’re not worried about me.”

Not exactly. The SDSU defense plans to watch every move Burnett makes. The Wyoming passing game is ranked fourth in NCAA Division I-A, averaging 304.8 yards per game. The Aztecs are third at 316.5 yards per game.

“They’re a great passing team,” said Clarence Nunn, SDSU’s senior right cornerback. “Their run-and-shoot offense really keeps you guessing. He just takes three steps back and fires the ball.”

Burnett, 6-feet 1-inch and 190 pounds, has completed 87 of 153 (56.9%) passes for 1,005 yards and 5 touchdowns. He has been intercepted seven times. The Cowboys (1-0, 2-2) have committed 18 turnovers (9 interceptions, 9 fumbles). Seven of those came three weeks ago in a 43-28 loss to Washington State, a team now coached by Erickson.

Upset by Erickson’s quick departure from Wyoming, the Cowboys desperately wanted to beat Erickson and his new team. Burnett was openly critical of Erickson for leaving Wyoming without meeting with the team. He also disagreed with Erickson’s decision not to start him until the final three games last season after he broke a finger in preseason.

In the game, his anger backfired. Burnett was intercepted four times, including two that were returned for touchdowns.

“It was a hard game for me,” Burnett said. “It was one of those things where I wanted to win the game so much that I was pressing and didn’t perform. I was down after the game and for a day or so.”

The Cowboys lost at home the next week to Oklahoma State, 35-29, and Burnett twisted his knee. He sat out most of last Saturday’s game against Iowa State before replacing Scott Runyan with the game tied, 17-17, and rallying the Cowboys to a 34-17 victory.

“I was antsy sitting on the sideline,” Burnett said. “We weren’t performing well. When I came in, it seemed the confidence level of the team increased. They started to respond to me.”

In their season opener, the Cowboys defeated Air Force, 27-13, a team that crushed the Aztecs, 49-7. A victory against SDSU would solidify the Cowboys’ position among the conference leaders. That would be especially rewarding to Burnett, who is trying to cram much of his college career into his senior season. Injuries have kept his playing time brief.

Burnett had a successful freshman season at Santa Rosa, where he enrolled after graduation from Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, north of San Francisco. But he broke his arm in the first game and did not play the rest of the season.

Burnett said Wyoming was one of the few schools interested in him because many colleges thought he would play another season of community college football. Erickson had just arrived with his new offense and he needed a pure passer.

“If they were still running the wishbone,” Burnett said, “I wouldn’t even be here. They wouldn’t have bothered to recruit me. I wasn’t their type of quarterback.”

Burnett said part of the reason he selected Wyoming was that two of his favorite receivers at Santa Rosa, Bill Hoffman and James Loving, would join him. Hoffman, senior tight end, leads the Cowboys with 28 receptions for 279 yards. Loving, senior split end, is third with 14 catches for 200 yards.

“But the main reason I came was because Coach Erickson had a reputation for throwing the ball,” Burnett said. It also didn’t hurt that when Burnett visited Laramie, it was on a pleasant, sunny day.

“They fooled me,” Burnett said, laughing. “Last year, it was really cold, around zero (degrees), and we were playing football.”

Burnett has found a way to adapt. He said he does not always appreciate the isolation of Wyoming, but he has learned to take advantage of the state’s outdoor activities. He especially enjoys fishing for trout in the lakes near Laramie. On Sunday afternoons, Burnett often can be found at his favorite fishing hole.

“It’s a nice way to relax after a game,” he said, “especially after a win.”

Aztec Notes

Rob Graff returned to practice Thursday after missing Wednesday’s workout because of the flu and should start at defensive tackle against Wyoming, Coach Denny Stolz said. Stolz also said that Tommy Booker, freshman from Vista High School, would make his first college start at tailback in place of Paul Hewitt, who missed practice Monday and Tuesday because of the death of his grandfather. Mario Mitchell (knee sprain) and Clarence Nunn (bruised shoulder) also should start after missing the Oregon game Saturday. . . . Mike Hooper (turf toe) practiced for the first time this week and will be ready to play Saturday, trainer Don Kaverman said.