Luginbill Says Miami At Least As Good As Last Year

The question was put to him not unlike a student asking another student whether a particular teacher is as difficult as her reputation.

Al Luginbill, San Diego State football coach, stood there and listened:

Is Miami better than it was a year ago?

The Hurricanes, No. 3 in the nation according to the Associated Press poll of writers and No. 2 in the United Press International poll of coaches, are pretty close to the ideal in college football. They have finished either No. 1 or 2 in the nation in each of the past four seasons. They are the defending national champions.

And now Luginbill was comparing this year’s Miami team to last year’s.

“I think they have a better offense (this year),” he said. “They lost five starters defensively (six, actually), but they’re starting to play defense excatly like they did a year ago.”

The thing that caught Luginbill’s eye is this: In their past four games, all Miami victories, the Hurricanes (8-2) have held opponents to 29 combined points. That group consists of Texas Tech (45-10), Pittsburgh (45-0), Boston College (42-12), and Syracuse (33-7).

In their past six games, Miami has allowed an average of 9.7 points and 227 yards. Quite a change from their first four, in which they allowed 24 points and 368.5 yards.

Add that to Miami’s offense, which is averaging 36.8 points and 496.7 yards per game, and quarterback Craig Erickson, a Heisman Trophy candidate who has passed for 3,079 yards this season and ranks fourth in the nation in passing efficiency, and . . .

“I think that makes them equal to, if not better than, the team we played a year ago,” Luginbill said.

Miami is fifth in the nation in total offense, fifth in passing (328.9 yards a game) and seventh in scoring. SDSU’s offense can move, too. But the Aztecs haven’t faced this difficult of a defense all season.

“They have impact players on defense,” Luginbill said. “That’s the thing that’s made them so consistent the last five years. . . . They’re very consistent. It comes down to us rising to the occasion defensively and making it difficult for their offense. I feel we’ll move the football, but moving it and getting it in the end zone are two different things. A year ago, we had trouble moving it.”

The impact players begin up front, with defensive end Russell Maryland (6-foot-2, 273 pounds). He is a finalist for the Lombardi and Outland trophies. He had three sacks last week against Syracuse.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a guy dominate a football game like Russell did,” Miami Coach Dennis Erickson said.

Behind him are linebackers Micheal Barrow and Butkus Award finalist Maurice Crum, who are tied for the team lead in tackles with 109 each. The secondary, led by sophomore safety Darryl Williams, has allowed an average of only 139 passing yards the past six games.

Then, there’s the SDSU defense. The Aztecs consider it a bonus when they go an entire game without lining up in the wrong formation.

“We’ve got to play with absolutely no mistakes,” Luginbill said. “We have to tackle much better than we have all year. They put you in situations where you’re going to be one-on-one with them regardless of whether you’re in a zone or man-to-man defense.”

Last year, SDSU went to Miami and lost, 42-6. At the very least, Luginbill hopes that helps Saturday.

“I really believe we won’t stand around and watch them for the first quarter this year,” he said. “Last year we may as well have bought tickets (in the early going). Who knows? We need (Miami) to help us, and we have to help ourselves a bunch.”