Aztecs Are Getting Good at Getting Hands on the Ball

He was a man dressed in black, madly searching for assistants to hug.

As soon as San Diego State completed its 48-18 defeat of Air Force Saturday, Aztec Coach Al Luginbill was on the field. There were smiles all around, and Luginbill buzzed from one coach to another, hugging as many as he could find.

Maybe he had gotten the idea from his team sometime during the preceding 3 1/2 hours, when the much-maligned Aztec defense spent plenty of time hugging the ball. Having already shown an aptitude for recovering fumbles, the Aztecs got plenty more practice Saturday. Air Force fumbled seven times, and SDSU recovered six. That led to 24 points and an important Western Athletic Conference victory.

The Aztecs (2-2, 1-1) haven’t executed consistently in their first four games, and yes, their defense was ranked last in the country before Saturday’s game. But there is one area in which they have been impressive: turnover margin. Their giveaway/takeaway ratio for the season is plus eight; they have gained eight more turnovers than they have lost. That computes to plus-two per game, ranking them 10th in the country.

Luginbill calls it “quick change,” and the Aztecs spend five minutes a day on it each practice.

“For the last two years now, we’ve been working on it in practice,” Luginbill said. “Protecting the football. Protecting the ball offensively, and taking it away defensively.

“It’s starting to pay off for us.”

Luginbill said the goal is to finish the season with the current average of plus-two a game. If that happens, the Aztecs should have a decent season.

Take a look so far:

Defensively, SDSU has recovered 10 fumbles. The one thing the Aztecs are still awaiting, though, is an interception.

“The thing we haven’t done is take a pass away,” Luginbill said. “But we’re pretty good at stripping the ball.”

Offensively, the Aztecs have run 327 plays and have just two turnovers--one interception each by Dan McGwire and Cree Morris. They have not lost a fumble.

McGwire’s interception was against Cal State Long Beach, and it was returned for a touchdown. But it was his only interception in 152 attempts. He threw three touchdown passes against Air Force, giving him nine for the season. That is an impressive touchdown/interception ratio.

“We worked extremely hard with our quarterbacks in the off-season on that,” Luginbill said. “We ingrained it in them.”

McGwire’s pass efficiency rating is 137.8, second in the WAC and 15th nationally.

SDSU’s plus eight in turnover margin is good for second in the WAC, behind Wyoming’s plus 10. And wouldn’t you know it, SDSU travels to Wyoming (5-0, 2-0) Saturday.

SDSU will be thinking of that soon, but in the afterglow of Saturday, the Cowboys were still a day away from the Aztecs’ minds.

“We had a good time out there,” linebacker Lou Foster said in a happy locker room Saturday night. “The key to the game is to be around the ball. All we did was to be around the ball, and we got turnovers.”

And when that happens, the end result will bring smiles--or hugs.

Said defensive lineman Pio Sagapolutele: “It was good to look at the scoreboard and see we were leading for once.”

Aztec Notes

The 48-18 victory over Air Force was the team’s most lopsided since a 35-5 rout of Hawaii in 1986. The last time the Aztecs won by more than 30 points? It was 1985, a 55-20 victory over New Mexico. . . . The 48 points are the most scored by an Aztec team since the final game of the 1987 season, when SDSU defeated New Mexico, 53-30. . . . Early indications for Saturday’s game at Wyoming aren’t good. The Aztecs are 0-2 on the road this season and, over the past two seasons, they have lost four of their past five road games. Wyoming has won 19 consecutive WAC home games. . . . Quarterback Dan McGwire’s 4,814 passing yards rank him fifth on the all-time SDSU list. Just ahead of him is Dennis Shaw (5,324). His 342 completions also put him fifth on the school list. He needs 20 more to move into fourth ahead of Matt Kofler (361). . . . SDSU Coach Al Luginbill said junior nickel back Tracey Mao played his “best game in the two years we’ve been at San Diego State.” . . . Sophomore community college transfer Damon Pieri started at cornerback Saturday instead of senior Marlon Andrews because Andrews was late to a team meeting Saturday. . . . This will be Luginbill’s first trip to Wyoming as a head coach. He was the Wyoming secondary coach in 1978.

Luginbill is concerned about free safety Johnny Walker, who sprained a foot against Air Force. Walker will have X-rays taken this morning, and his status is day-to-day. Offensive tackle Tony Nichols (hyper-extended knee) will also have X-rays today, but Luginbill said those are just precautionary. Defensive back Clark Moses (shoulder sprain) is questionable for this week’s game. Running back Tommy Booker (ankle sprain) is listed as day-to-day. Booker missed treatment Sunday morning. Defensive lineman Ramondo Stallings (bruised tailbone) didn’t play against Air Force. . . . As for Wyoming, running back Jay Daffer (188 yards and four touchdowns on 58 carries this season) is expected back after missing the Cowboys’ 28-10 victory Saturday over Utah with a deep knee bruise. Kicker Sean Fleming (hamstring), guard Jim Scifres (sprained knee) are questionable, and punt returner Tim Mara (concussion) is doubtful.