SDSU Notebook : Aztecs Take a Meeting With Luginbill, Start Preparing for Next Season

The San Diego State football team had its first long look at its new coach Monday and the immediate reaction was favorable.

Al Luginbill, who officially takes over as coach Wednesday, addressed the team in a nearly hourlong meeting and players seemed to emerge open-minded about the future.

“He told us that football is not easy, that it is a lot of hard work,” said Monty Gilbreath, a junior wide receiver, “but that if you work hard, you will be rewarded.

“Basically, he let us know what is expected of us.”

Luginbill said he used the time to reinforce the themes of teamwork, attention to academics and discipline.

“I talked about what it takes to be a champion,” Luginbill said.

Luginbill said he will hold a 15-minute meeting with each player during the next few days to discuss his plans and hear their views.

Some players already have met with Luginbill, including quarterback Dan McGwire, a junior transfer from Iowa who becomes eligible next season.

“I’m looking forward to getting out and competing in spring practice,” McGwire said. “I’m just waiting to see what kind of offense the new coach brings in.”

The status of Darrin Wagner, a freshman tailback from Lincoln High School, remained unresolved after a 40-minute meeting between Luginbill and the Wagner family.

Wagner, The Times’ 1987 back of the year in San Diego County, quit the team 3 weeks ago and announced his intention to transfer. But Luginbill said the school would prefer not to release Wagner from his national letter of intent at this time. Without the release, Wagner could transfer but he would not be able to receive athletic-related financial aid for his first year at a new school.

Luginbill said he would prefer Wagner remains at SDSU and participates in spring practice.

“We want him to give us a fair chance,” Luginbill said.

Wagner’s father, Norman, said his son has not changed his mind about transferring but likely will wait until the end of the fall semester.

No further discussion of the Wagner’s situation is planned until after grades are released for the semester that ends next month, Luginbill said.

Marc Jones, the former Vista High School defensive back/running back, could learn as early as this week if he will be released from a county honor camp in time to enroll at SDSU for the spring semester, his attorney said.

Jones is serving a year sentence after pleading guilty in August to mayhem in connection with the beating and partial blinding of a Fallbrook teen-ager. Jones has applied to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department to be released under its work furlough program, said David Thompson, his attorney. Jones is being held in the county’s Morena honor camp in Portrero.

Jones accepted a football scholarship to SDSU after he was admitted to school in October, Thompson said. Jones originally accepted a scholarship to Colorado but the offer was withdrawn after his guilty plea.

Aztec notes

Sophomore safety David Cooper will undergo surgery on his right shoulder and junior offensive tackle Todd Vradenburg will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery Wednesday, trainer Don Kaverman said. Junior offensive tackle Derek Sang underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last week, Kaverman said.