Aztecs Learn Luginbill Won’t Make It Easy

San Diego State Coach Al Luginbill labeled Saturday’s first full-team football workouts a success.

The players? Well, most of them could only nod in affirmation until they caught their breaths.

The weather was hot and the atmosphere intense, and when the second practice finally ended around 5:45 p.m., the players were downright exhausted. Senior receiver Tony Nettles and freshman receiver Jake Nyberg had to be taken out of drills and treated for dehydration.

“It was hard,” said Pio Sagapolutele, a junior defensive tackle. “A lot harder than when I was a sophomore.”

That is not to say the players are not in good shape--quite the opposite, Luginbill said.

“With a few exceptions, everybody reported in excellent condition,” he said. “I am very pleased with the condition of this football team.”

Said Sagapolutele: “I think everybody’s in pretty good shape. It will just take a couple of days to get used to practicing again. That’s not a negative comment. It’s tough. But we all know we’re going to get something out of it. We just have to bite the bullet.”

Three more players left the team Saturday, joining backup quarterback Brad Platt.

Luginbill had given Platt, a fifth-year senior, until Saturday’s morning practice to change his mind about not returning. Platt, who said he was not happy playing football anymore, was absent Saturday.

Said Luginbill, “He didn’t show up, and that was the answer. He’s made his choice.”

The other three who have left are Scott Kilgore, Eric Williams and Tom Siufanua.

Kilgore, a redshirt freshman from San Jose, looked good during spring drills and was expected to contest for playing time at linebacker. He told Luginbill he lacked the desire to continue playing.

Luginbill said Williams, an incoming freshman defensive back, “must have felt he was in over his head.”

Siufanua, an incoming freshman defensive lineman, left because of an illness in the family, Luginbill said.

On the field but not doing much practicing Saturday was Patrick Rowe. The junior receiver said he hurt his knee during Friday’s agility tests.

While attrition was a major topic of conversation, nutrition was another.

New, improved eating arrangements for the team might have made up at least a little for the difficult practices. In the past, the players always ate in the dining commons across campus during fall drills. This season, they are being catered to outdoors at the football operations center.