Playoff Spot Unlikely, but USD Season Still a Success

It has been awhile--1973 to be precise--since the University of San Diego has made the NCAA Division III football playoffs. And the wait might continue when the playoff selection committee decides the participants for 1989.

But that doesn’t detract from the successful, if not wonderful, season for Coach Brian Fogarty and the Toreros (6-2) entering the regular season finale against Menlo College at 1:30 today at Torero Stadium.

USD, in its homecoming game, must defeat Menlo (3-5) to have any chance at the playoffs. The Toreros must then rely on at least two other teams losing one of their final games.

USD, which had climbed to No. 4 in the West Region before losing to Occidental three weeks ago, is not one of the six schools listed in the region rankings. Only four teams from the region, which extends to the Mississippi River, make the playoffs.

USD can argue that it has lost only one game to a Division III opponent (Occidental, 23-17). The Toreros’ also lost to Division II UC Santa Barbara, 51-3.

USD features All-American candidates Todd Jackson and Dave Dunn, who will be playing their final game in San Diego today.

Jackson, a fullback, is USD’s all-time leading rusher with 2,026 yards. Having averaged 107 yards per game this season, he needs 146 yards to reach 1,000.

Dunn, a nose guard, came back this year as a graduate student and has led a staunch Torero defense that has allowed 16.6 points per game.

Other performers of note include kicker Dave Bergmann, who leads Division III with a school-record 13 field goals; Greg Frinell, averaging 32.4 yards on kickoff returns and 13 on punt returns; linebacker Lenny Territo, who leads the team with 70 tackles, and cornerback Darryl Jackson, who has 58 tackles and an interception.

“This is not the most talented team I’ve had,” Fogarty said. “But in terms of teamwork and effort, this group is outstanding.”