Goodby BYU, Hello Rout: UTEP Floors Aztecs, 58-7

Forget about that victory over Brigham Young, because the San Diego State football team certainly did in a hurry.

Just one week after their most impressive Western Athletic Conference victory in 2 losing years, the Aztecs came back with the most lopsided loss in their 11 seasons in the league.

Texas El Paso, the one-time conference doormat, did the damage, beating the Aztecs, 58-7, in front of 31,552 Saturday at the Sun Bowl.

“We stepped right back in the hole and none of us know why,” SDSU defensive end Bob Graff said.

The 51-point losing margin topped the Aztecs’ record for conference futility set in a 58-8 loss to BYU in 1982.

“(UTEP) played with momentum and purpose and confidence, and we played like we were as tight as I have ever seen us,” SDSU Coach Denny Stolz said. “I have never seen us play like this.”

Actually, the loss in many ways was a return to old form for the Aztecs (2-8, 2-5 in WAC).

They dropped passes, failed to protect the quarterback, missed tackles, muffed a short field-goal attempt, played a hapless first quarter and let the UTEP offense roll through them for 536 yards and the most points since a 59-6 opening loss at UCLA

The Aztecs even added some new tricks to their mistake-prone repertoire.

Three times, in three different kinds of situations, with three different players, the Aztecs fumbled and regained possession--once on a moderate-length reception by Jimmy Raye, another on an end-around play by Alfred Jackson and then on a snap from center by punter Joe Santos.

But that was not the end of Santos’ problems. Santos, who has been one of the Aztecs’ most reliable players since taking over the punting job in the middle of the fourth game, had a third-quarter kick blocked. It was the first time since an Oct. 9, 1982 game against Wyoming--a span of 76 games over 7 seasons--that the Aztecs had a punt blocked.

The Aztecs gained another dubious season-first when, with 21 seconds left, UTEP safety Troy Reffett intercepted a Jack Skoog pass and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown.

These miscues were but the lastest from a team that in 10 games has the distinction of having absorbed the two most one-sided losses (UCLA and UTEP) since the Aztecs lost, 60-0, to Fresno State in their 1960 homecoming game.

This game was clear demonstration of two programs headed in opposite directions.

The victory gave the Miners (9-2, 5-2) a tie of the school record for most victories in season set in 1956. The game was witnessed by a representative of the Independence Bowl; the Miners are anticipating their first bowl appearance since the 1967 Sun Bowl.

The Aztecs lost their sixth road game in row and must play at New Mexico Saturday to close what already is the losingest season in Stolz’ 21-year coaching career.

It was not the kind of collapse the Aztecs expected after their 27-15 victory over BYU.

“I thought the win would kind of steamroll,” said Scott Barrick, SDSU’s quarterback. “It would be a snowball effect that would help us get going.”

Instead, it was the Miners who rolled over the Aztecs, opening the game with a no-huddle offense that was used on their first three drives. The result was a confused Aztec defense and a 17-0 first-quarter lead.

“We were taken out of our game early,” said Casey Copland, SDSU’s strong safety. “I looked around the huddle and everyone was suprised. I was surprised myself; I can’t deny it.”

The Miners went to the no-huddle offense to offset the Aztecs’ blitzing, UTEP quarterback Pat Hegarty said. SDSU used its blitz the week before to sack BYU quarterbacks 8 times.

“We wanted to get them in a situation were they couldn’t call their defenses, and that is what happened,” Hegarty said.

The Miners had used the no-huddle offense in a 42-25 victory at Hawaii Oct. 8 but the Aztecs said they did not have film of the game.

“It was a total surprise,” said Tracey Mao, SDSU’s freshman inside linebacker.

UTEP hardly broke a sweat on its first drive, going 80 yards on 8 running plays. Senior tailback John Harvey carried 7 times for 70 yards on the series, finishing the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run. That tied him with Steve Bartalo of Colorado State (1983-86) for the WAC career scoring record with 294 points.

That was the last the Aztecs would see of Harvey, who left the game because of minor injuries that have bothered him for weeks. But it was not the end of the Miners. They scored on all 5 of their first-half possessions to take a 31-0 lead.

The Miners gained 354 yards in the first half, averaging 10.4 yards per play.

The Aztecs did not help themselves by missing numerous tackles as the Miners held a 48-0 lead in the fourth quarter.

“The no-huddle isn’t what caused us to miss tackles,” said Ed Schmidt, SDSU’s defensive coordinator. “We were in postion to make the plays, and we didnt’t tackle. We stopped BYU’s backs last week when they hit them. But this week they hit them, expected them to fall down, and they didn’t.

“(UTEP) showed up and we didn’t. Until our guys learn to play consistently and with intensity, we’ll have these laspes.”

Aztec Notes

San Diego State defensive end Pio Sagapolutele left the game in the second half with a severly sprained right knee and will not play Saturday at New Mexico, trainer Don Kaverman said . . . Monty Gilbreath caught 5 passes for 34 yards, giving him at least 1 reception in 24 consecutive games. That broke the San Diego State record Gilbreath shared with Chris Hardy (1986) . . . Brad Platt, who started the first 7 games at quarterback, dressed but did not put on shoulder pads. Platt said he woke up Saturday with pain in his right shoulder, which he strained last week. That allowed Jack Skogg to make his first appearance this season in late relief of starter Scott Barrick. Skogg completed 10 of 16 passes for 125 yards with 1 interception and threw his first career touchdown pass--an 11-yarder to Alfred Jackson with 6:10 to play. Skogg also played on the kickoff coverage team at his request . . . Senior tailback Paul Hewitt gained 86 yards on 20 carries. He needs 85 yards against New Mexico to become first Aztec back to rush for 1,000 yards in two separate seasons. Hewitt rushed for 1,001 as a junior . . . The Aztecs have lost 10 of 11 on road over two seasons . . . Texas El Paso senior Chris Jacke kicked field goals of 46 and 51 yards to make him 22-of-24 on the season and break the WAC season record of 21 field goals set by Richard Spelman of Hawaii in 1984 . . . The 51-point winning margin was UTEP’s greatest since a 75-12 victory at New Mexico in 1967.