AZTECS UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : Scott to Play Despite Hand Injury

Freshman receiver Darney Scott, who suffered another gash between his second and third fingers on his left hand Wednesday, saw a limited amount of time in practice Thursday but will be able to play Saturday in Hawaii.

The injury could have been much worse, because it is in the same location he cut while catching a pass before the season. He needed seven stitches to close that wound, but none this time.

The injury might not be coincidence, because he had finally quit wearing a pad and tape on the hand three days before re-opening the cut.

“I thought it was healed all the way,” Scott said. “It wasn’t bothering me at all. I went out the other day with no pad or tape because I thought that was making me drop passes. Two days in a row I was OK, then it ripped again.”

SDSU kicker Andy Trakas, long snapper Tom Fletcher and holder Scott Oatsvall--who is being replaced by Larry Maxey this week--went to the stadium during practice Tuesday and borrowed the Chargers’ artificial turf to work on placements. Hawaii will be the first artificial turf on which the Aztecs have played this season.

“There’s a lot different feel to it on turf,” Fletcher said. “When you’re snapping the ball, the ball slides a little more.”

Fletcher said Hawaii’s turf is much spongier than the Chargers’.

Three defensive ends will not make the trip to Hawaii today--starters Turaj Smith and Ramondo Stallings (both players have right ankle sprains) and Tyrone Morrison (also a right ankle sprain). . . . SDSU, which has lost consecutive games to Air Force and UCLA, has not lost three in a row in either of Coach Al Luginbill’s first two seasons. . . . Three of SDSU’s next four games are on the road. . . . SDSU already has lost nine fumbles in four games this season after losing only seven all of last season.