Aztec Notebook : Both Teams Show Good Sides in Scrimmage, but Defense Wilts at End

Denny Stolz, the San Diego State football coach, and Ed Schmidt, his defensive coordinator, might have seen the same scrimmage Saturday morning, but their reactions were as different as their perspectives.

Stolz, who oversaw an offense that ranked 10th in the country last season and has several key players returning, termed the performance: “Excellent. That was one of the best early-season scrimmages in the three years I’ve been here.”

Schmidt, who has been given the job of overhauling a defense that ranked 95th out of 104 Division I-A schools last season, was more cautious. He said he liked what he saw early in the 75-minute scrimmage but was less pleased with his defense near the end.

“The first unit played well when they were fresh,” Schmidt said. “But they tired toward the end. We’ve got to get in better shape than that.”

Actually, both the first-team offense and defense were dominant in the early going.

On its first possession, the first-team offense, under the guidance of quarterback Brad Platt, went 75 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown against the second-team defense. Jim Jennings, a redshirt freshman fullback from San Marcos High School, scored on a one-yard run.

Platt, a redshirt junior from Hilltop High School and Southwestern College, was 5 for 5 for 45 yards on the opening drive as the offense gained at least five yards per play until it was inside the five-yard line.

“To take the first drive and go ‘boom, boom’ all the way to the end zone like that makes me feel great,” Platt said.

The first-team defense was just as impressive in its first turn against the second-team offense, sacking quarterback Scott Barrick four times.

“The defense is more physical (than it was last season),” Stolz said. “The difference from last year is night and day. They’re much tougher and more physical.”

Stolz said the team probably will conduct limited scrimmages twice during the week before holding its last full-scale scrimmage Saturday morning. He said he was undecided whether he would have his first-team offense and defense play against each other before the Sept. 3 opener against UCLA in the Rose Bowl.

Platt, who continues to solidify his hold on the starting quarterback job, was 11 for 14 for 104 yards. Barrick was 6 for 12 for 66 yards and a touchdown. Jack Skoog, who had the late relief role last season, completed all four of his passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Dennis Arey, a redshirt sophomore from Fountain Valley who has not caught a pass in two seasons at SDSU, had touchdown catches of 5 and 11 yards. Stolz said he is counting on Arey to provide depth at receiver.

Lamont Parks, a senior from Oceanside who missed several practices last week while attending summer school, had the best run of the day, gaining 58 yards before he was caught by Ron Slack, a former running back who was switched to cornerback a week earlier.

Parks is one of several players who have missed practice time while attending summer school to maintain their eligibility, Stolz said. Among the other key players in this group are outside linebacker Kevin Maultsby and cornerback Randy Peterson. Stolz said he expected their status to be cleared up shortly.

About 20 players sat out the scrimmage, mostly because of minor injuries, trainer Don Kaverman said.

Kaverman said he expected most to return to practice this week. Among the projected starters sitting out were inside linebacker Lee Brannon (shoulder), tight end Kerry Reed-Martin (knee) and offensive tackle Samida Tuiaana (knee).

Vince Pellerito (sprained knee), a second-team offensive guard who is expected to miss 2 to 3 weeks, is the only player whose injury is serious, Kaverman said.

With preseason practice starting its second full week, the Aztecs continue to make position changes.

Pio Sagapolutele, a sophomore from Honolulu who sat out last season for academic reasons, has been moved to defensive end after being tried at nose tackle.

Thane Fisher, who returned to the team this season after a one-year absence, has been moved to nose tackle from linebacker. Fisher said he left the team after spring practice in 1987 because of a shoulder injury and because he was upset about being moved to fullback from linebacker.

Monty Gilbreath, an All-Western Athletic Conference return specialist last season, will continue to return punts, but Patrick Rowe will replace him on kick returns. Gilbreath averaged 12.8 yards per punt return and 22.0 yards per kick return. Rowe returned only three kickoffs last season, but he had a 36.3-yard average, including a 70-yarder against New Mexico.

Mario Mitchell, who played left cornerback last season, said this season he will always line up on the wide side of the field. Clark Moses will have the short side. Mitchell, for the second consecutive season, has been nominated for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the best defensive back in college football.

Football practice may only be in its second full week, but for those thinking basketball, the Aztecs are working to complete their 1988-89 schedule.

San Diego State added its final opponent this week, agreeing to a two-game series with Arizona State, Coach Jim Brandenburg said.

SDSU will play at Arizona State on Dec. 17. The Sun Devils will return to play in San Diego in the 1990-91 season. Arizona State is a replacement this year for a planned home game against the University of San Diego, which was dropped because of a scheduling conflict. The Aztecs lost to Arizona State, 91-68, in the opening game of the Kactus tournament in Tempe last December.

The Aztecs are holding the release of their complete schedule until they can establish a date and time for a late December game against Vermont at the San Diego Sports Arena.

The game originally was scheduled for the evening of Dec. 30, but that would have conflicted with the Holiday Bowl. SDSU officials are considering moving the game to the afternoon and playing on either Dec. 30 or Dec. 31, Brandenburg said.

Brandenburg said reserve forward Caldin Rogers was dropped from the team for academic reasons. Brandenburg also said Rodney Hawkins, the team’s senior captain last season, will play with a professional team in Mannheim, West Germany.