Air Force’s Dowis Tramples on Hopes for Aztecs’ Revival

For all the hope of a better start . . . for all the promise of an improved defense . . . for all the expectations of another new beginning for San Diego State football . . . the debut of Coach Al Luginbill looked an awful lot like what led to the demise of his recent predecessors.

The Aztec defense was run to shambles by quarterback Dee Dowis and the Air Force wishbone. The offense scored mainly when it was too late to matter. And the special teams let the Aztecs down again.

What was supposed to be remembered for the debut of Luginbill, the 13th football coach in Aztec history, instead will go down as the day Dowis made another kind of Aztec history.

His six touchdowns in a 52-36 Air Force victory in front of 44,579 at Falcon Stadium Saturday matched a feat accomplished by an opponent only once before in 67 seasons of Aztec football, and his 249 yards on the ground paced the most prolific team rushing performance ever against them.

Dowis scored on runs of 55, 28, 12, 16, 60 and 17 yards. The six touchdowns broke the Western Athletic Conference record of five, held by several players, and matched the most ever against the Aztecs. Dick Bass, who went on to an all-pro career with the Rams, set the record of six in a 68-17 Pacific victory in 1958.

That rout, for those old enough to remember, spurred the Pacific side to chant: “It’s not too late for 68.” The Tigers did reach 68 to set an opponent scoring record.

Fortunately this time for the Aztecs, Dowis left the game before the Falcons could get within shouting distance of that mark. He did not return after scoring his sixth touchdown with 11:41 to play.

“He is not a one-man team, but he was close to that today,” Luginbill said. “That is the best performance I have ever seen by an individual player, ever.”

Dowis’ juked and dashed and dove through the Aztec defense. His deceptiveness made for a difficult time in the Aztec secondary. He appeared cornered several times, only to slip by.

“You see him coming, you think you have him, and then all of a sudden, ‘boom,’ he cuts right by you,” senior safety John Wesselman said. “I’m sure glad I don’t have to play him again.”

He is not alone. In his three games against the Aztecs, Dowis has rushed for 514 yards and seven touchdowns on just 39 carries for an average gain of 13.2 yards per rush.

He needed only 13 carries to gain his 249 yards this time. Only three of his carries were for less than first-down yardage; he averaged 19.2 yards per carry. He also completed three of seven passes for 59 yards.

All this from a mite of player who stands 5-feet-10 and weighs 153 pounds, or so the Falcons claim. His lack of physical stature is the source of much good-natured humor.

“He is not scared to go into the training room without his shirt on (this year) because he has some body definition,” Air Force Coach Fisher DeBerry said, smiling. “Dee showed San Diego what kind of surgeon he is. He cut them up.”

But Dowis was only the biggest part of what was another humbling performance by the Air Force wishbone.

The Falcons finished with 559 yards rushing on 62 carries, an average of 9.0 yards per play. That broke the Aztec opponent record of 513 yards Air Force set in a 38-7 victory in 1983.

Junior fullback Rodney Lewis was the other major contributor, with 128 yards on 15 carries, and sophomore halfback Chris Howard added the only other Falcon touchdown on a five-yard run in the first quarter.

This game had all the unflattering Aztec characteristics that were present in each of the lopsided defeats that have scarred the program since 1987.

There were penalties: nine for 66 yards.

There were turnovers: two interceptions of Dan McGwire passes--one of which bounced off running back Darrin Wagner and into waiting Air Force hands. Both led to touchdowns.

There were special teams breakdowns: a missed extra point, a blocked extra point and a missed 23-yard field goal by freshman Andy Trakas.

But more than anything, there were the recurring defensive breakdowns: The Aztecs surrendered 618 yards in total offense, the most by an opponent in three seasons.

That had to hit hardest at Luginbill who once, while defensive coordinator at Arizona State in the early 1980s, oversaw the stingiest defense in college football

“There are certainly no magicians on the defensive side of the ball,” said Luginbill, who was making his return to coach after a three-year layoff. “I’m not a magician; that was proved today.”

Luginbill’s debut started with promise when, on the fifth play of the game, senior running back Ron Slack ran 68 yards for a touchdown. And the Falcons gave the Aztecs an opportunity to increase the lead when they failed on fourth and two from their own 38. But after driving to the Air Force five, Trakas missed a 23-yard field goal attempt on fourth and one.

Then Dowis and the Falcons went to work. They scored touchdowns on five of their next six possessions, failing only when Dowis was rested for a series. Dowis had four of those scores.

“I’ve been involved in games before when you jump out with a quick big play,” Luginbill said, “and sometimes it can come back to hurt you because you think it will be too easy.”

The Aztecs did pull to within 35-16 just before the half, but the Falcons scored the only 10 points of the third quarter to effectively close out the game.

The prospects on offense were not much more encouraging. The Aztec quick-pass attack had a slow start.

“We didn’t execute as well we could in the first half. We started clicking in the second half,” Luginbill said. “We should have taken advantage of the opportunities when they arose. That hurt our football team as much as not being able to stop Dowis.”

The Aztecs had the ball at the Air Force five, four, and 14 in the first three quarters and produced only one field goal.

They did manage to produce some impressive statistics, including 546 yards of total offense, but most of the points came in the fourth quarter, after they had fallen behind, 45-16. And all of it came against a defense that last year was almost as woeful as their own.

McGwire completed 30 of 46 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns. But his two interceptions led to Falcon touchdowns.

Slack carried 14 times for a career-high 135 yards and two touchdowns.

And senior wide receiver Monty Gilbreath caught a career-high 10 passes for 82 yards to extend his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 26.

Luginbill said despite the magnitude of the loss, he was heartened in that the Aztecs did rally at the end with their 20 fourth-quarter points.

But they have little opportunity to savor such improvements. Next up for them is No. 9 UCLA Sept. 16 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. Combined score of the Aztecs’ past three losses to the Bruins: 151-34.

Aztec Notes

Dee Dowis missed the Aztec opponent record for points in a game by two. Dick Bass of Pacific had a two-point conversion in addition to his six touchdowns in 1958. . . . Cornerback Marlon Andrews, a junior transfer from Pasadena City College, left the game early in the first quarter with a bruised right ankle and did not return. Junior linebacker Sai Niu bruised his right thumb. Neither injury is considered serious, trainer Brian Barry said. . . . Wide receiver Patrick Rowe, who did not make the trip and missed most of the preseason with a sore knee, is expected to practice Monday, Barry said.

GROUND DOWN

Air Force offensive success for game included:

* 559 rushing yards, most vs. SDSU (old record 513 by Air Force, 1983).

* 618 total yards, sixth highest vs. SDSU.

* 36 points by Dee Dowis, most by WAC player.

* Six touchdowns by Dee Dowis, most by WAC player, equal most vs. SDSU (tying Pacific’s Dick Bass, 1958).

* 249 yards rushing by Dowis, second best in WAC game.