It’s a Game Within a Game for Pringle, Canley : College Football: When the Titans and San Jose State play today, the national all-purpose yardage title also will be at stake.

Mike Pringle has talked to his defense, and Sheldon Canley has had a word with his own.

Since they can’t stop each other, they’re asking for a little help from their defensive friends when Cal State Fullerton and San Jose State play today.

Fullerton’s Pringle and San Jose State’s Canley are Nos. 1 and 2 in the nation in all-purpose running, the hybrid statistical category that includes rushing, receiving and return yardage.

Normally, they would have to wait for reports of the day’s statistics to find out how the other did. Today they will watch each other from the sidelines.

“I already talked to my defense,” Canley said. “I said, ‘Look, you guys need to have a good game this week.’ ”

Pringle did likewise.

San Jose State’s defense will have to stymie Pringle in his final game today for Canley to have a chance to catch him. Pringle has 2,537 yards, the fourth best season total in National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division I-A history, and is averaging 253.7 yards a game.

Canley, who has a game remaining, against Nevada Las Vegas, after today, has 2,075 yards, a 230.56 average.

“It’s going to be kind of hard because of the gap he has,” Canley said. “I’m a fighter. I’ll do the best I can. If I don’t catch him, I’ll just be thankful I’ve had the season I’m having.”

It would have been difficult to predict that Canley would have the season he’s having. He sat out last season after a severe ankle injury and returned this season to share the backfield with Johnny Johnson, who finished second in the nation in all-purpose running last season to Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders, the Heisman Trophy winner.

But San Jose State Coach Claude Gilbert moved Johnson to fullback and put Canley at tailback, and Canley, also the kickoff returner, started piling up the numbers. When Johnson was dismissed from the team last month after repeated unexcused absences from practice, Canley became that much more the Spartans’ dominant back.

He and Pringle are rather similar. Canley, a junior, is 5-foot-8, 193 pounds. Pringle, a senior, is 5-9, 190.

And with the all-purpose statistic, both are making a reputation for versatility, which translates into professional marketability for running backs who might otherwise be borderline prospects because of their small size.

“It just tells everyone you can do more than just run or catch, that you can do other things out there,” Canley said. “That’s really important, especially if you want to go on. If you get a guy who can catch, run and return, he can do three things where other guys do only one.”

The great portion of Pringle’s yardage is rushing yardage--1,609 yards.

Canley still needs 49 yards to become the third back to rush for 1,000 yards this season in the Big West. It will mark the first time the conference, known for its passing offenses, has produced more than two 1,000-yard rushers in a season. Pringle and Fresno State’s Aaron Craver already have passed the mark.

Canley makes up for his lesser rushing yardage with kickoff returns. With 864 yards on kickoff returns, he is in a position to possess a statistic of dubious distinction--1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards returning. It is no compliment to San Jose State’s defense that he has been in a position to average four returns a game.

The statistic also is an indication of Canley’s enthusiasm. He has yet to down a kickoff this season. Against California, he returned a kick he caught eight yards deep in the end zone, much to the concern of his coaches, who chided him for it.

“But coach,” Canley responded. “I got it to the 40.”

If only he could convince them to let him return punts, too, Canley thinks he might be closer to Pringle.

But as it is, the competition is more fair. The two have identical duties. As they watch each other play today, they will be able to keep rough track of who is winning their own contest, the one that won’t show on the scoreboard.

“I just want to win (the game),” Canley said. “I’m going to run my heart out. If I end up with more yards, fine. If he does, fine. We’re competing against each other for certain things, but we’re both just playing football.”

MULTIPURPOSE LEADERS Top five players in the NCAA Division I-A multipurpose yardage leaders, with total yardage for rushing, receiving, punt returns, kickoff returns and average yardage:

Player, School rush rec pr kor Avg Mike Pringle, 1609 249 0 679 253.70 Cal State Fullerton Sheldon Canley, 951 260 0 864 230.56 San Jose State Anthony Thompson, 1514 107 0 330 216.74 Indiana Anthony Weatherspoon, 1022 509 352 519 215.78 Houston Terance Mathis, 50 1232 0 740 183.82 New Mexico