Stolz to Stay With Aztecs, Coach Golf : He’s Reassigned to Assist Klein, Work With Men

Denny Stolz, fired as San Diego State football coach in November, will remain at the school as the men’s golf coach.

The reassignment was announced by Athletic Director Fred Miller in a news release late Friday afternoon.

Stolz replaces Marty Maher, a part-time assistant who resigned Feb. 1 for what John Klein, SDSU director of golf, said were financial reasons. Klein said he will continue as director and coach the women’s team.

Klein said that although Stolz, an avid golfer, has never coached the sport, his general coaching background could help the program.

“I am happy to have Denny with me,” Klein said. “His coaching experience and philosophy will be a real asset to the program. Denny and I have had a good relationship since he has been coaching here, and nothing has changed.”

Klein said he discussed the golf program with Stolz two weeks ago but did not learn of the reassignment until Friday’s announcement.

Neither Miller nor Stolz could be reached for comment.

John Rosenthal, SDSU sports information director, said Stolz agreed to the reassignment and that he would begin his new job Monday.

The move apparently ends negotiations between Stolz, 54, and school officials that began shortly after he was fired Nov. 14. The discussions had centered on how the university would honor the remaining three years of Stolz’s contract, which was to pay him approximately $64,000 a year through February 1992, sources have said.

Those sources also have said the negotiations included discussions of whether the university would be responsible for continuing other benefits Stolz received as football coach, including the use of an automobile and payments from equipment and other endorsements.

Stolz compiled a 16-19 football record at SDSU. He won the school’s only Western Athletic Conference football title in 1986, his first as Aztec coach, but his next two Aztec teams finished 5-7 and 3-8. He was told of his dismissal with one game remaining in the 1988 season and was replaced after the season by Al Luginbill, former associate athletic director.