COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORT / WEEKDAY UPDATE : SAN DIEGO STATE : Preciado Goes From Walk-On to Starter

San Diego State Coach Al Luginbill said Wednesday that freshman Marcus Preciado will start at free safety Saturday against UCLA.

Preciado, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound walk-on who has 11 tackles in reserve appearances, replaces Johnny Walker, who has a right mid-foot sprain and will not practice this week.

“It’s a dream come true,” Preciado said. “It’s crazy.

“Last year, I was playing a rival high school. This year, I’m playing UCLA. It’s a big step.”

Preciado played as a running back and safety at Dos Pueblos High in Goleta last season, but Division I schools didn’t show much interest in him. He sent Luginbill a tape and some newspaper clippings in April and came out for practice in August.

“It’s been my dream to play Division I football,” Preciado said. “More than anything.”

Things couldn’t have worked out much better. His father retired as an instructor at UC Santa Barbara last spring, and his family moved to San Diego in late July. In August, Preciado walked onto the SDSU football team and immediately impressed the coaches.

“Coach Luginbill told me to keep working hard and maybe I’d earn a scholarship in a year or two,” Preciado said.

By the end of fall camp, Preciado had his scholarship. And now, a starting position.

Holiday Bowl scouts will be out this weekend watching Michigan State (1-2-1) at Michigan (3-1), Ohio State (2-2) at Indiana (4-0), Iowa State (2-2-1) at Colorado (4-1-1), Oregon (4-1) at Washington (4-1) and Syracuse (2-1) at Penn State (2-2).The first day a team may be selected to play in an NCAA-sanctioned bowl game is Nov. 24. The Holiday Bowl is Dec. 29. . . . The SDSU defense, which is ranked 105th in the country and has yet to make an interception in five games, is hearing about its problems from just about everyone. When free safety Johnny Walker returned home after the team’s 52-51 loss at Wyoming, he said his mother brought up a key play in which Wyoming had a third-and-13 from its own 17 and completed a 30-yard pass despite the receiver having been double-teamed by Walker and Robert Griffith. “Why didn’t you hit him or catch the ball?” Walker said his mom asked him. To which Walker replied: “Yeah, Mom, now everybody’s a critic.” He added, smiling: “And my mom doesn’t even understand the game.” . . . An Aztec who asked that his name not be used said as the team was walking down the aisle of its plane on the return trip to San Diego from Wyoming, he heard the following conversation between an apparent husband and wife: “Who are all these big guys?” the wife asked. Husband: “The San Diego State football team.” Wife: “I think they just had a game.” Husband: “Yeah, those losers.” Said the player: “I guess he was just trying to be tough for his wife, trying to keep the flame alive. I was ready to hit him or something, but his wife was in the way.” . . . Offensive tackle Nick Subis returned to practice Wednesday after missing Tuesday with a head problem. . . . Coach Al Luginbill said he will not name a starting running back until later in the week but did say it likely will not be Tommy Booker. Although Booker is expected to play, the starter will come from the trio of Curtis Butts, Larry Maxey or T.C. Wright.