SDSU Fires Coordinator Dave Lay : Football: He designed Aztecs’ prolific offense.

In a revelation that sent shock waves through the San Diego State football program, Dave Lay, the offensive coordinator who installed the Aztecs’ highly successful one-back scheme in 1989, said Wednesday that he has been fired by Coach Al Luginbill.

“He gave me some reasons to justify it, I guess, which really didn’t justify it,” Lay said. “I was stunned. I went in figuring we’d talk about the possibility of guys leaving our staff and what we should do to replace them.”

Instead, when he entered Luginbill’s office on Monday morning, he learned that his contract would not be renewed.

“The meeting only lasted about five minutes,” Lay said. “He brought up a couple of reasons and I didn’t get to tell my side. It was already decided when I went in there. That’s nothing unusual, I guess, especially with Big Al.”

The move came as a surprise because the Aztecs have ranked in the top 10 nationally in total offense in each of Lay’s three seasons. In 1989, the Aztecs were ranked seventh nationally (467.5 yards per game); in 1990 they were third (527.9) and in 1991, while breaking in two new quarterbacks during the season, they finished sixth (478.3).

“I felt like I’d done a pretty good job there,” Lay said. “We’ve only been in the top 10 (offensively) every year I’ve been there.”

Neither Luginbill nor SDSU athletic director Fred Miller would comment on the situation Wednesday, each citing university regulations that prevented them from speaking on personnel issues.

“Basically, this is a standard personnel issue,” Miller said. “I have no comment on it. There is no confirmation or denial.

“Al has the flexibility within his staff to do as he chooses to do.”

Said Luginbill: “I can’t comment. Those are university regulations and I’m held by that.”

Less than a week ago, the Aztecs came close to losing two other coaches--Curtis Johnson, receivers’ coach, and Bret Ingalls, offensive line coach, who were offered jobs by new Cal Coach Keith Gilbertson. Both Johnson and Ingalls, though, elected to stay at SDSU.

Lay said Wednesday he thinks he was the odd man out when SDSU was able to keep Johnson and Ingalls on staff.

“I left there feeling I’ve been bitched at by a couple of guys,” Lay said. “Maybe they were using me as an excuse to go to Cal. I was never confronted. (Luginbill) fired me and never gave me a chance to say my part of the deal. . . .

“Basically, it boiled down to when those two guys said they were leaving for Cal because they weren’t happy (at SDSU). They (said) were not getting the input they thought they were going to get, which is completely false.”

Johnson and Ingalls arrived at SDSU in December, 1988, from the University of Idaho. Both are busy with recruiting obligations this week and neither could be reached for comment.

“I think Al maybe led those guys to believe that the offense was going to be in the Idaho style, and it wasn’t,” Lay said. “Maybe a little animosity was created then.”

Whatever, many around SDSU were clearly shocked Wednesday. One assistant coach declined comment and several players didn’t know what to say.

“We were very surprised,” said center Kevin Macon, a senior last fall who was with tight end Ray Rowe in the weight room when he heard the news. “I’m sitting here trying to figure out why. We thought everybody was joking with us.”

Quarterback Cree Morris, who said Wednesday that he is transferring to St. Mary’s in an unrelated decision, and receiver Jake Nyberg each played for Lay at Orange Glen High School before playing at SDSU. Both expressed surprise Wednesday.

“To have him go the way he’s going, I can’t see how it has happened,” Nyberg said. “I don’t see how any team in America could let him go. I could go on and on about the guy. He’s been a father figure to me. I’m going to miss him.”

Said Morris: “I cannot believe (Luginbill) fired Coach Lay. I respect Coach Lay to the hilt. I can’t express the respect I have for the man and what he does. I can’t believe Coach Luginbill did it. Unbelieveable. . . . “

Lay said he was upset with the way things were handled--particularly, he said, because the news was not supposed to be made public for several days. But a coaching friend in Northern California telephoned him Tuesday morning, Lay said, and then a reporter called him Tuesday night.

“I’m ticked off,” Lay said. “I don’t feel like I’ve been treated real fair. . . . Evidently, I recruited all weekend (with Luginbill) and he knew all along he was going to make these moves. . . .

“It’s too bad this couldn’t have been done with a little class. You would think after three years, if I’m being accused of something, I’d at least be able to answer it. . . .”

Lay said Luginbill brought up an incident in which Lay and another coach he would not name had a confrontation in the parking lot after a game.

“That’s one of those deals that happens with coaching all the time,” Lay said. “Maybe he’s not comfortable with my style. I’m not afraid to argue with him.”

Lay, 51, whose contract runs through Feb. 14, said he has about 1 1/2 paychecks left. After that, he said, he is not sure what he will do.