Hoping to Even the Score : Aztecs: If the SDSU defense can’t stop UCLA tonight, then the offense will have to compensate.

Here they go again. Those herky-jerky, score-51-but-allow-52 San Diego State Aztecs take their act to the Rose Bowl for a visit with UCLA tonight at 7.

Once there, SDSU’s courtroom-lawyer defense (“The defense rests”) and fast-break offense once again will attempt to clear up some nagging questions:

1. Will quarterback Dan McGwire and the SDSU offense continue to be as elusive as President George Bush’s stance on the budget?

2. Don’t the students at SDSU have an inherent right to some type of defense? Isn’t it mentioned somewhere in the student handbook?

3. Can the Aztecs intercept a pass this decade ?

4. Just what is going on here?

Tonight, the Aztecs meet a Pac-10 Conference they never have beaten--both teams are 2-3 this season--and one of two scenarios is likely to occur:

- The San Diego State offense is going to rack up several hundred yards in offense, ring up five or six touchdowns and barbecue the Bruins.

- The SDSU offensive players will get theirs, but the defense will take another sabbatical, and the Aztecs will lose.

How many points is it going to take to win, Terry Donahue?

“It’s going to take one more than San Diego has,” the UCLA coach said.

He didn’t mention whether he thought that would be 40 points or 80 points.

“Certainly, San Diego has the ability to put points on the board, and their effectiveness is a huge concern to us,” Donahue continued. “When you watch them play, you figure you’re going to have to score a lot of points.”

The Aztec offense is on a roll. It is rated third nationally in passing (336 yards a game), fifth in total offense (495.8) and seventh in scoring (38.4). And that’s just the start.

Quarterback Dan McGwire is ranked fourth in total offense (297.6 yards a game) and fifth in pass efficiency (148.3). He has thrown 14 touchdown passes with only one interception in 194 attempts--he has thrown 133 consecutive passes without an interception.

Receiver Dennis Arey leads the nation in receiving yards per game (115.20), and Patrick Rowe (99.8) is seventh.

You can see why, then, SDSU Coach Al Luginbill would like the Aztecs to take away the UCLA running game and make the Bruins pass. If UCLA runs effectively, the Bruins will eat up some of the clock and keep the SDSU offense off the field.

One thing that has Luginbill concerned is possession. So far, the Aztecs have lost only one fumble and two interceptions in 415 plays, which puts them second in the country. But . . .

“UCLA has the best athletes in their secondary of any team we’ve played except for Oregon,” Luginbill said. “They have some fine athletes.”

The Bruins have a veteran secondary, including juniors Matt Darby and Dion Lambert and senior Eric Turner. The fourth player, sophomore Carlton Gray, hasn’t practiced all week because of a rib injury and will not start tonight. He will be replaced by sophomore Michael Williams.

Still, opposing defenses are certainly not intimidating to this Aztec bunch. Both Air Force and Wyoming were rated No. 1 in the Western Athletic Conference in defense at the time they played SDSU, which blitzed Air Force for 48 points and Wyoming for 51.

Besides, the Bruins have allowed considerable yardage this season. Offenses are averaging 362 yards a game against UCLA--224 on the ground and 138 through the air. Of course, the Bruins’ schedule hasn’t been filled with cupcakes--two of their losses were to No. 1 Michigan and No. 4 Oklahoma.

Redshirt freshman Tommy Maddox is establishing himself as the UCLA quarterback. Speculation is that when incumbent Bret Johnson stalked off during pre-season drills, it wasn’t because Donahue gave the job to Jim Bonds but rather because Johnson was worried about Maddox.

For the most part, Maddox has risen to the occasion, completing 76 of 144 passes for 1,245 yards and seven touchdowns despite not playing in the first half of UCLA’s first two games this season. But he threw three interceptions in last week’s 28-21 loss to Arizona.

Now, like an ice-cold drink on a hot day, here comes the Aztec defense, a unit allowing 508 yards of total offense and 38.8 points a game, both of which rank them 105th--next to last--in the country.

Opposing quarterbacks have attempted 173 passes against the Aztecs, and not one has been intercepted. That may be what is most mystifying about this SDSU defense.

“Somewhere, we have got to come up with an interception just by a quirk of fate,” Luginbill said. “If the NCAA would allow me, I’d put a reward bounty on it.”

The Aztecs will start two first-timers in their defensive backfield tonight--sophomore Damon Pieri will replace Marlon Andrews at cornerback, and Marcus Preciado--a true freshman who made the team as a walk-on--will replace junior Johnny Walker, who is out with a foot sprain. Both are making their first start.

UCLA is always a big game for SDSU, but it is particularly important this year, because the Aztecs are off until Nov. 3, when Utah comes to town. The Aztecs, off to a slower start than they had hoped, need something to feel good about during the next two weeks, and Luginbill would like to see some kind of defensive improvement.

“I don’t want to end the season in a situation where we’re questioning where our defense is headed,” he said. “That would be a colossal waste of a season in my mind. We’ve got six games to get to the point where we become competitive on this side of the ball.”

Aztec Notes

UCLA’s best lineman, center Lance Zeno (foot), will not start tonight, and linebacker Roman Phifer (hamstring) and running back Kevin Williams (back) are out. . . . UCLA’s biggest threats are receivers Reggie Moore (353 yards on 21 catches), Sean LaChapelle (275 on 16), Michael Moore (147 on eight) and Scott Miller (219 on seven). Miller, who returned two weeks ago from a broken collarbone, also returns punts, averaging 15.8 per return. . . . UCLA leads the series, 12-0-1. The tie, 13-13, came in 1924. SDSU is 0-8 at the Rose Bowl against UCLA. . . . “This game is not going to be a walk in the park,” UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said. “It’s all in perception. If we lose, it’s considered a major upset. If we win, it’s because we’re supposed to.”