Much Changed After ’88 Aztec-UTEP Game

For Coach Al Luginbill and his San Diego State football team, today’s trip to the Sun Bowl is a return to where much began and ended last year.

That game against Texas El Paso finished Denny Stolz. The Aztecs lost, 59-7, the final one-sided defeat of his three-year tenure as coach.

The loss also meant a start for Luginbill, then SDSU’s associate athletic director. He and Athletic Director Fred Miller watched the game from the Sun Bowl press box. The defeat convinced Miller that a coaching change was needed. Two days later, Luginbill was named to succeed Stolz.

Tonight at 6:05 PDT, Luginbill returns to the Sun Bowl to face a UTEP team far different from last year’s.

While the 1988 version was rolling over the Aztecs on the way to a 10-3 record and its first bowl appearance since 1967, this year’s team is 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the Western Athletic Conference. The record is only one of the changes.

Bob Stull left as coach after the 1988 season to accept a job at Missouri. He was replaced by David Lee, former offensive coordinator at Arkansas. Gone, too, are nine starters on offense.

“They are struggling,” Luginbill said. “Just like us, they are going through a transition.”

Even the defense, which was supposed to be the Miners’ strength, has lagged. UTEP is ranked 103rd out of 106 National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division I-A teams in total defense, allowing an average of 475.3 yards per game. Through eight games, the Miners have surrendered 31 touchdowns, two more than last year’s teams allowed in 12 regular-season games.

As much as the Aztecs have struggled defensively, they still rank ahead of the Miners at 95th, yielding an average of 438.4 yards.

“The difference between their defense this year and last year is they are are not getting the crucial turnovers,” Luginbill said. “Last year, they scored a lot off of turnovers. That isn’t happening this year. They’re getting the turnovers, but they’re making too many of their own.”

The Miners are second in the WAC in forcing turnovers with 26, but they have committed 22. Only New Mexico (29) and Utah (25) have committed more. The Aztecs have committed only 15 turnovers but have forced only 10, lowest in the WAC.

But the most telling statistic about UTEP is sacks. The Miners have allowed 47, an average of 5.9 per game, while making 13. The lack of protection might also help explain the conference-high 15 interceptions thrown by quarterback Howard Gasser.

But junior split end Reggie Barrett has become one of the best receivers in the conference. Barrett has 37 catches for 633 yards and seven touchdowns.

“It will be a real challenge to try and stop him,” SDSU cornerback Clark Moses said. “The coach says he reminds him of the (New York) Jets’ Al Toon.”

Little else about the Miners should remind anyone of the NFL.

The UTEP game is the first of three in a row for the Aztecs (3-3-1, 1-2) against teams near the bottom of the WAC. After tonight, they are home against last-place New Mexico (1-7, 0-4) next Saturday and Wyoming (2-5, 2-2) Nov. 11.

That stretch is one reason the Aztec schedule, based on team records, is ranked 80th (35-44) in Division I-A by the NCAA, ahead of only Hawaii (89th) in the WAC. Last year, the Aztecs finished 3-8 playing the 39th-rated schedule (57-53-2).

Aztec Notes

San Diego State defensive tackle Brad Burton has been named to the Western Athletic Conference all-academic team for the fourth consecutive year. Burton, a senior communications major, has a 3.1 grade-point average. Burton’s twin brother, Mitch, a tight end, was second team with a 3.1 in business. Other second teamers were senior offensive tackle Roman Fortin (3.0 as business major) and junior offensive guard Derek Sang (3.2 as a marketing major). . . . Injury update: Reserve linebacker Thane Fisher (wrist) and reserve center Zae Perrin (neck) are out; wide receiver Dennis Arey (hamstring) made the trip but is not expected to play; defensive end Todd Coomes (knee), wide receiver Monty Gilbreath (groin), defensive end Steve Matuszewicz (shoulder), outside linebacker Sai Niu (ankle) and outside linebacker Eric Thompson (shoulder) are all expected to play.