Booker Says He’ll Return for Aztecs

When San Diego State football Coach Al Luginbill, who is out of town preparing to begin recruiting, phones to get messages from his secretary, he’ll no doubt be pleased to hear one left by Tommy Booker.

“I will be returning,” Booker said Thursday night. “The desire was still there to play. I went to the BYU game, and it was still there. I got home and said ‘I wish I was out there.’ I’ll just play my last two years, give it my all and see what comes out of it.”

Booker, a junior running back, quit the team for personal reasons this season after rushing for 460 yards and three touchdowns his first two. Luginbill asked him to make a decision by today as to whether he would return so the Aztecs could finalize their recruiting plans. With the suspension of Darrin Wagner and Ron Slack completing his eligibility, they looked to be short on running backs for 1990.

Booker said he stopped by Luginbill’s office Thursday to tell him of his decision but was informed that Luginbill was out of town. Sunday is the first day coaches can talk with high school athletes.

“He won’t be back until Monday, so I left a message with the secretary,” Booker said.

Booker, Times back of the year and a first-team Parade All-American during his senior year at Vista High School, has two years of eligibility remaining.