Cal Lutheran Is an Open Book for the Toreros : College football: USD still trying to figure out the story behind the inconsistent Cal Lutheran program.

Brian Fogarty, University of San Diego football coach, has prepared for the worst, but he really doesn’t know what to expect when his undefeated Toreros take on winless Cal Lutheran at 1:30 p.m. today in Thousand Oaks.

In transition from NAIA Division II to NCAA Division III, Cal Lutheran has been terribly inconsistent in three losses to high-caliber teams--Azusa Pacific (21-19), Cal State Hayward (27-0) and UC Santa Barbara (33-23).

The Toreros played perhaps their finest 30 minutes in Fogarty’s eight-plus years at USD in the second half of last Saturday’s 17-14 victory at Redlands.

It was a critical game for USD (2-0) in terms of emotion and postseason consideration--Redlands was the only Division III playoff team from California last year--and Fogarty naturally is worried about a letdown this week.

Furthermore, USD is 0-9 against Cal Lutheran and has been outscored in the series, 311-79, but this will be their first meeting since 1984.

“It’s hard for us to figure out how good they are,” Fogarty said. “They’ve really had an up-and-down year, and most of that is because of turnovers. They’ve been able to move the ball fairly well. But so far, it seems, they’ve been their own worst enemy.”

USD also has been able to move the ball--the Toreros are averaging 222 rushing yards per game--but it has managed only 30 points in its two victories.

Even against Redlands, when USD piled up 258 yards in the second half and had the ball for 24 of 30 minutes, the Toreros scored only one touchdown, a 37-yard dash by freshman running back Willie Branch.

“From an offensive standpoint, it’s probably been as good a half as we’ve ever played,” Fogarty said. “But you’d like to get more points out of a half like that.”

Junior fullback Scott Sporrer had a career-high 178 yards in 31 carries--the latter being two shy of a school record--and Branch finished with 106 yards in 12 carries.

Sporrer’s steadiness and Branch’s emergence have eased the pressure on quarterback Michael Bennett, who has completed 61% of his passes in his first two games as a starter.

Defensive backs Dave Paladino (26 tackles in two games) and Matt Horeczko (18), linebackers Dan Chandler (20) and Marcus Carter (13) and linemen Rick Salazar (15) and Jim Washam (10) have been outstanding and lead the unit allowing only 8.5 points and 197 yards per game.

Charlie Taumoepeau made two unassisted tackles and assisted on three others in his first game on the defensive line.