Aztecs’ Santos Plans to Go Out as He Came In: Without Emotion
Emotion has rarely appeared to be a part of Todd Santos’ game. Skillful passing, steady leadership and an accurate arm, yes. Cheerleading, rah-rah behavior and sentimentality, no. Maybe that is why he brushed the obvious question away.
Tonight will be Santos’ last game at San Diego State. The Aztecs will play New Mexico in a Western Athletic Conference game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, and after the game, the school plans to retire his No. 8. Yet if there was a touch of emotion in anticipation of that moment, Santos would not reveal a trace.
“See me crying,” he deadpanned earlier this week, then playfully wiped away imaginary tears.
His joking left it to others--one coach, one player--to tell the real story of saying goodby to the most prolific passing quarterback in major-college history.
From the coach:
“Todd has meant a lot to this program,” Denny Stolz said. “He has worked so hard to get where he is. I don’t know if everyone can appreciate just how much he has done. What he has accomplished, to pass for all those yards, is something that is difficult to believe. It’s going to be hard to see him go.”
From a fellow co-captain and fifth-year senior:
“We’re all going to feel something special for Todd,” Brett Faryniarz said. “We’ve been through a lot together. I’m sure I’m going to have a lump in my throat. You can’t help it.”
Santos and Faryniarz are two of the most successful members of a small group of seniors about to end their careers at SDSU (4-7, 3-4). Only 16 seniors are scheduled to suit up for the last time tonight.
“It’s been an up-and-down time,” Faryniarz said. “I’ve seen a lot of changes.”
Faryniarz has seen one coach go (Doug Scovill) and one coach come (Stolz). He has played on a championship team once, but on losing ones three times. He leaves with many of the same experiences as Santos, only less fanfare.
“It’s starting to sink in that it’s really over,” Faryniarz said. “I’m sure after (tonight) there will be an emotional letdown. All we can do is try to finish up 5-7. It beats being 4-8.”
But it comes far short of a championship season, the goal the Aztecs had in mind after they won their first WAC title last season. But after a 1-6 start, winning four of their last five games would be some consolation. It certainly is more than New Mexico can hope to achieve.
The Lobos (0-9, 0-7) are the only National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division I-A team that has yet to even tie a game. In their last two games, the Lobos lost to Wyoming, 59-16, and to Air Force, 73-26. They will finish the season next Saturday at Arkansas.
Adding to their woes are injuries and defections that have left them with only about 53 available players, including only 17 on defense.
“We go to practice and we’ve got players limping into the huddle,” said Mike Sheppard, New Mexico coach. “Really, they shouldn’t be out there. We’re not forcing guys to play too soon, but the kids are trying because they know we haven’t got anyone else. They’ve hung together, but I feel sorry for them.”
Sheppard said that when he took over at New Mexico in December after three seasons at Cal State Long Beach, he realized he faced a difficult task in reviving the Lobos, but only recently has he comprehended the scope of that job. Sheppard decided before the season to redshirt 27 players. Now he says he wishes he had some of those players available.
“I look at our situation as reconstruction as opposed to repair,” Sheppard said. “Some coaches go into programs that have been down, like Mike White at Illinois and Mike Gottfried at Pitt, and have done a great repair job. But we’re starting over. We’re so far down in numbers. I look out there in the fourth quarter and we’re still playing the same 11 guys.”
Luckily for Sheppard, one of them is Terance Mathis, a junior wide receiver. Mathis has had great success against the Aztecs. In two games, he has 18 catches for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns. And although he has been slowed recently by a sprained ankle, he remains one of the leading receivers in the nation with 50 catches for 837 yards (16.7 yards per catch).
“Nobody has stopped trying,” Mathis said. “Everyone wants to win. We know we’re not playing for a WAC championship or a winning season; we’re just trying to gain a little respect for ourselves.”
In that way, the Aztecs and Lobos aren’t so different, except, of course, the Lobos don’t have Santos. And Santos is much of what tonight will be about.
He already holds the NCAA Division I-A career passing record at 11,052 yards. The question for tonight is how many yards will he add to his record?
Only then will it be time to retire his jersey in a postgame ceremony. And to see if those tears will remain imaginary.
Aztec Notes
Offensive tackle Dave DesRochers and quarterback Todd Santos have been selected to play in the Hula Bowl all-star game in Honolulu.