COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORT / WEEKDAY UPDATE : SAN DIEGO STATE : Season Has Been Frustrating for Butts

It seems difficult to believe that the Aztecs’ leading rusher and second-leading scorer has gotten lost in the shuffle, but he has. In a little more than a month, Curtis Butts has gone from being a starting halfback to a role player.

“Some people feel it’s been a productive season, for me it’s been a frustrating season,” Butts said.

After gaining 91 yards in nine carries against Cal State Long Beach, Butts started the next two games, against Brigham Young and Air Force, gaining 67 and 87 yards.

But lately Larry Maxey, Tommy Booker and T.C. Wright have been playing ahead of Butts in the Aztecs’ one-back offense. Only freshman redshirt Kipp Jeffries is playing behind Butts, a junior walk-on from Moreno Valley.

“As the season’s gone on, I’ve had to learn to accept my role, which is the goal-line back,” Butts said. “I guess I’m one of the biggest backs, but I still feel I have the ability to be starting. But being a walk-on, you have to be ready for anything.”

Last week against Utah, Butts carried 11 times for 20 yards, but scored two touchdowns.

Overall, he has rushed 80 times for 355 yards and has scored nine touchdowns, the most of any Aztec. “With only three guys playing, you know that when you get in, you have to get the job done.”

SDSU Coach Al Luginbill said he was pleased with the defense in practice this week, but he’s still not sure if they are ready to face Hawaii on Saturday. “This is a hard team to read,” he said. “The defense has practiced well before and then gone out on the field Saturday and done nothing.” . . . Injury update: Cornerback John Louis (shoulder) is the only Aztec who will not play Saturday.