Aztecs Suspend Wagner for Season

The troubled San Diego State football career of running back Darrin Wagner apparently is over.

Wagner has been suspended for the remainder of the season, and his return next year is unlikely, Coach Al Luginbill said Sunday. Luginbill said he took the action because Wagner missed practice Thursday without permission.

The incident was one of a series over the past three months that included missed practices, a missed flight and an earlier one-game suspension.

“The whole Darrin Wagner scenario is as trying a player-coach relationship as I have ever been involved in in 20 years,” Luginbill said. “We have given him every opportunity to be part of the team concept, but for whatever reason he does not want to be part of the team concept.

“I’m hurt, but I guess I’m relieved at the same time. It has been a cross to bear. The Lord only knows that we tried.”

Wagner, the team’s leading rusher and scorer, had been excused from practice earlier in the week because of the flu, but Luginbill said he expected Wagner would practice or call to explain his absence Thursday. When he did neither, Luginbill said he decided to suspend him.

Luginbill said he delayed the announcement because he did not want to upset team preparations for Saturday night’s game against New Mexico and because he had hoped he could speak to Wagner beforehand. But Luginbill said he has been unable to contact Wagner and has been told that Wagner moved out of his off-campus apartment over the weekend.

“There has got to be something wrong with the young man,” Luginbill said. “You don’t have that type of talent and just throw it away unless there is some circumstance that is beyond your control.

“I feel for him because he is so talented in one area (football) and so immature and so unaware in other areas. You want to reach out and help him, but he is just beyond help.”

The suspension comes with the Aztecs on their longest winning streak since 1986. They have won four in a row and five of their past six.

The loss of Wagner will mean an expanded role for senior Ron Slack and sophomore walk-on Curtis Butts in Saturday night’s Western Athletic Conference game against Wyoming. Butts, who shared an apartment with Wagner until his move, had been the No. 3 running back. With Wagner, missing, Butts received his most extensive playing time in a 45-28 victory over New Mexico and responded with a career-high 156 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.

Wagner’s suspension is the latest incident in a year-long soap opera.

His troubles began shortly after he arrived at SDSU in August 1988, after being named The Times’ San Diego County back of the year while at Lincoln High School. He was upset that former Coach Denny Stolz intended to red-shirt him, and he quit after a dispute with an assistant last November.

Despite efforts by Luginbill to convince him to stay, Wagner transferred to Nebraska. But he spent only a few weeks there before returning to SDSU in February and participating in spring practice. His difficulties began anew in August, when he missed practice to attend to what he said were personal matters.

After rejoining the team, he earned the starting job and gained 721 yards on 134 carries and scored 11 touchdowns. But it remained an unstable situation and began to unravel after a game at Hawaii Oct. 7.

Wagner complained of bruises to his knee and shoulder and, apparently concerned about trying to practice with the injuries, skipped two practices. Luginbill suspended him for that week’s game against Cal State Long Beach. Wagner returned to rush for 104 yards the next week against Pacific but missed the team charter flight the following week for a game at Texas El Paso because of what Luginbill said was a miscommunication.

Wagner flew to El Paso the next morning and arrived 6 1/2 hours before the game, then rushed for 193 yards, the most ever by an SDSU freshman.

What was probably the final sequence of his Aztec career began two days later, when he reported to practice Monday complaining of the flu and was subsequently sent home. Luginbill said Wagner reported to the training room for treatment Tuesday but that no one on his staff had heard or seen from him since. But Luginbill decided not to bring up the matter with the team before the New Mexico game.

“I think they are sick of it,” Luginbill said. “If I had said one more thing Friday about the Darrin Wagner scenario, they would have tuned me out.”

Wagner could not reached for comment.

Luginbill said there remained a slight chance Wagner could continue his football career at SDSU, but only if he agrees to abide by a strict set of rules.

“I would say it is very unlikely, because in my dealings (with him), he is the type of young man that feels he should not be treated the same as every other team member,” Luginbill said.

Aztec Notes

Injury Report: Wide receiver Dennis Arey (hamstring) and offensive tackle Tony Nichols (ankle) will both miss Saturday’s game. Chuck Hardaway or Judd Rachow will start in place of Nichols. . . . David Cooper, back after arthroscopic knee surgery, will challenge Larry Maxey for the starting free safety position, Coach Al Luginbill said.