Luginbill Ready to Select Aztecs’ Next Quarterback : Football: After scrimmage, Morris is confident as Lowery expresses some disappointment.

San Diego State football Coach Al Luginbill is set to name a starting quarterback this afternoon.

The reactions of the two candidates following SDSU’s first intrasquad Saturday may have provided some early insight into that decision.

Cree Morris was confident and pleased with Saturday’s scrimmage.

David Lowery was soft-spoken and a little disappointed.

“I wish I would have had more plays, but things didn’t work out that way,” Lowery said.

Not that Lowery was bad. It’s just that he missed a good portion of the scrimmage after tackling Steve Rudisill after an interception. Lowery was shaken up and kept out for several plays. He finally returned in time to throw a touchdown pass but, before he knew it, the scrimmage was finished.

And Lowery was disappointed at what may have been a lost opportunity.

“Yeah,” he said. “As soon as I came back in I threw the touchdown, and (Luginbill) called the freshmen in.

“I thought, ‘What’s the deal with that? We’re not going to scrimmage any more?’ ”

Lowery completed seven of 12 passes for 59 yards and one touchdown. Morris completed 13 of 28 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown.

Each had one pass intercepted.

“I felt I played real good,” Morris said. “I got tired out there. I was in three different first- and second-team groups (because of Lowery’s injury) . . .

“I got the ball there when I needed to. It wasn’t perfect but you can’t be perfect all the time.”

Lowery was a little quieter and a little more defensive.

“I thought I played good,” Lowery said. “I felt I didn’t lose the job in any way.”

His main problem was time. In addition to having 16 more pass attempts than Lowery, Morris also directed several more running plays.

Luginbill said he was happy with each player’s performance.

“I liked what I saw in the decision-making area by both,” Luginbill said. “I said if we had a crisp passing game, I would be surprised. . . . We haven’t had the same set of receivers in two practices yet this year (because of several hamstring injuries).”

Morris’ touchdown pass was an eight-yard toss over the middle to Patrick Rowe on a slant pattern. Lowery’s was a 14-yarder to Merton Harris.

Both interceptions came on good defensive efforts. Lowery had a pass intercepted when the ball bounced off receiver Jeff Speech’s hands and into Rudisill’s arms. Morris’ interception came when defensive back Gary Taylor went high into the air to take the ball away from Rowe.

Now, they wait one more day. It’s a decision Morris is looking forward to.

“Definitely,” he said. “I want it to be said. Hopefully, my play today will resolve the decision. We’ll just have to wait and see.

“If not, I’m going to have to go out and try to be perfect next scrimmage (Wednesday).”

Two players who quickly caught people’s attention Saturday were freshman running backs Marshall Faulk and Wayne Pittman.

Faulk carried the ball 15 times for 35 yards. Pittman, from Mira Mesa, had 50 yards on 16 carries. Both are powerful runners; neither are intimidated.

And with senior Curtis Butts and sophomore Kipp Jeffries sidelined, Luginbill may reconsider his plan to redshirt them.

“We would look at Wayne Pittman and Marshall Faulk as people we play this year,” Luginbill said. “We need Kipp and Curtis healthy, but we need to go forward.”

Said Faulk: “If it was up to me, I don’t want to redshirt. I feel I can play. I can fit in.”

T.C. Wright, SDSU’s No. 1 running back, carried only six times for 12 yards.

“I already know what T.C. can do,” Luginbill said. “He is out No. 1 tailback and will remain there. He’s earned that right.”

Aztec Notes

Freshman defensive back Craig Crosby suffered a thigh bruise, but the Aztecs had no major injuries Saturday. . . . Coach Al Luginbill was disappointed that the defense seemed to tire toward the end of the scrimmage. “I don’t know if we were tired or if it was a lack of concentration, but we’ll have to address it,” he said. . . . Redshirt freshman quarterback Tim Gutierrez connected with Darnay Scott for SDSU’s only other touchdown, a 40-yard pass play. . . . Other key statistics: Patrick Rowe caught five passes for 54 yards and a touchdown to lead the Aztecs and Chris Chiarappa caught three passes for 23 yards; and Ramondo Stallings, Steve Matuszewicz and Burton Ewert each had a sack. SDSU’s various offensive combinations had five penalties for 42 yards; the defense had nine penalties for 66 yards.