AZTECS UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Heisman Campaign Gains Ground With Nationwide Mailing on Faulk

The Marshall Faulk Heisman Hype is under way in earnest.

San Diego State on Friday sent out “Marshall Mania” to about 600 media outlets around the nation to get the word out that the Aztec running back is a full-blown member of the Heisman race. Although John Rosenthal, director of SDSU athletic media relations, said he had hoped the media packet would have gone out before the season, the timing is fine: Faulk has established himself as the front-runner for the trophy, and it will arrive in the Eastern media venues this week, in time for 23rd-ranked SDSU’s Saturday game against UCLA.

The packet is striking. It comes in a black manila envelope. The black, red and white folder has a computer-generated image of Faulk on the cover with four action photos on the back. Inside the folder are press clippings, a glossy composite photo page and inserts offering everything a writer, reporter or Heisman voter would need to know to keep up with Faulk.

There are quotes about him, by him and lists, lists, lists. Among the tidbits, you can find his favorite TV show (In Living Color), actor (Denzell Washington), and school subject (math).

Of course, math and making all the Heisman and All-American votes add up is what the campaign is all about. It started with phone calls by Rosenthal to various media members around the country to get a feel for what they were looking for. They weren’t looking for gimmicks, posters or video tapes.

“We thought about how we could make it stand out from among the hundreds of pieces of mail they get,” Rosenthal said. “That’s why we went with the black envelope. We wanted to stay away from gimmicky promotions. The purpose of this is informational, but we also wanted to make it distinctive.”

And SDSU has done it on a budget. The packet was produced in-house by the media relations and the athletic department’s graphics department under the direction of Robert Bingham. Including mailing--at $1.44 per packet--the total cost is about $3,500.

The school, battling its budget, is benefiting from some serious scrimping and saving. Rosenthal’s department cut down on the hard-copy mailers--weekly press releases--by about one third and has made use of the Western Athletic Conference electronic bulletin board. How to log on to the bulletin board and hear Faulk’s weekly conference calls are all part of the packet.

Another cost-cutting measure to pay for the packets: cutting back on press box meal expenses.

“At this point, everything is going the way we would want it to go in the area of Marshall’s Heisman’s hopes,” said Rosenthal, who tried to create a Heisman candidate in quarterback Todd Santos in 1987. “He’s in a position right now to win it or lose it on the field. We didn’t want our being on the West Coast, the fact we weren’t a national power, the fact we play our games at night and aren’t in the Eastern papers, we didn’t want those to be factors that hampered his Heisman chances.

“From all the signs we get, people certainly know who Marshall Faulk is. This flier isn’t going to win the Heisman for Marshall Faulk. Nothing we do is as important as what he does on the field, but it’s a piece of the puzzle. And we just hope it fits.”

Faulk has applied for a $1.8-million disability insurance policy through the NCAA, Aztecs Coach Al Luginbill said.

Faulk, who led the nation in rushing as a freshman, would be the first sophomore insured through the NCAA Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Insurance Program. The program allows elite collegiate athletes to purchase insurance without paying premiums until they turn pro or until the coverage is terminated.

The NCAA program, started in 1990, is open to football players projected as first- or second-round draft picks. Baseball and basketball players projected as first-round picks also are eligible.

Although he says he is not 100%, junior H-back Will Tate is expected to return against UCLA on Saturday.

Tate, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in August, has been practicing full speed.

“I’m ready to go,” said Tate, who was projected as the No. 1 H-back during fall camp before his injury. “I’m getting my confidence back with each practice. The bye week really helped me with more practice time.”

Cornerback Eric Sutton, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Sept. 12, is doubtful for the UCLA game. Junior John Louis, who started 12 of 13 games a year ago, moves to No. 3 on the depth chart and freshman Freddie Edwards becomes SDSU’s fourth cornerback.

Because of Sutton’s injury, the Aztecs plan to leave Damon Pieri at cornerback against the Bruins, rather than having him split time between cornerback and free safety.

And finally, freshman Leonard Jones, from Faulk’s Carver High, probably will get a few turns at free safety against UCLA.

“We think Leonard is about ready,” Luginbill said.

The plan is to break Jones in slowly.

Luginbill was pulling for Brigham Young during its 17-10 loss to UCLA on Saturday.

“I always root for the WAC,” Luginbill sad.