Wagner Reinstated at San Diego State But Slack to Start : Aztecs: A redshirt freshman from Lincoln High School, suspended last week after he missed several practices, is returing to the team after a unanimous voice vote by his teammates.

San Diego State running back Darrin Wagner, the football team’s leading scorer, was reinstated Monday after a meeting with coaches and teammates.

Coach Al Luginbill said Wagner apologized at the meeting for his unexcused absences from practice last week and asked that he be allowed to rejoin the team.

Several players said the team’s voice vote to let Wagner return was unanimous.

“I think he really wants to be with the team right now,” sophomore center Bonner Montler said. “He looked more confused than anything.

“He made a mistake. Everyone is entitled to a second chance.”

Wagner, a redshirt freshman from Lincoln High School, was suspended from the team last week after he missed several practices without permission. His absences came after Wagner complained to staff members about a sore shoulder suffered in a game at Hawaii the week before.

Wagner, who was at practice Monday night for the first time since Tuesday, declined to comment.

Earlier, Luginbill held a meeting with Wagner and his father to discuss his return.

“There will be no reason and no excuse for anything like this involving Darrin Wagner to happen again,” Luginbill said. “I believe everybody deserves a chance, but there comes a point where the individual cannot be bigger than the team, and those things, I think, are planted in Darrin’s mind.”

Luginbill said Wagner would have to earn his way back into the lineup and that senior Ron Slack would start at running back Saturday night against Pacific at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Slack started in place of Wagner last Saturday and gained 197 yards on 41 carries in a 30-26 victory over Cal State Long Beach.

“(Slack) may be tough to get out of there as a starter,” Luginbill said.

Slack’s strong game allowed him to take over the team rushing lead from Wagner. Slack has 530 yards on 119 carries. Wagner is second with 424 yards on 88 carries and leads in scoring with 10 touchdowns.

Aztec Notes

Coach Al Luginbill has declared the players’ lounge off limits to the team indefinitely. Luginbill declined to elaborate on the reasons for the closure. A sign posted on the lounge door Monday and signed by Luginbill read: “Due to lack of consideration for the respect of the lounge it will be closed off until further notice.” . . . Tight end Mitch Burton, who missed last week’s game because of a lower abdominal strain, is questionable for Saturday’s game against Pacific, trainer Brian Barry said.