AZTEC NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : Aztec Defense Needs to Be Healthy to Stop the Option

Defensive lineman Turaj Smith’s sprained ankle is still tender and, with San Diego State set to see plenty of option football in the next three weeks, Aztec Coach Al Luginbill said Wednesday that any other injured players had better be sound before stepping onto the field.

“In the next three weeks, we’re going to get the hell cut out of us,” Luginbill said. “You’ve got to be full speed and not gimping around.”

The Aztecs play host to Texas El Paso on Oct. 17 and Air Force on Oct. 24, and then they travel to Colorado State on Oct. 31. UTEP and Air Force run the option almost exclusively; Colorado State runs it about half of the time.

And, as the Aztecs learned the hard way the past couple of seasons against Air Force, option teams can be tricky blockers.

“They block on the back side, away from where they’re running,” Luginbill said. “They’re always down at your knees and ankles. We practice against it, but you can’t simulate it like a game. There is absolutely no reason for us to be on the ground. None.

“What they want is for somebody to be on the ground. What we want is to be standing.”

Luginbill was particularly incensed at Air Force’s blocking tactics after last year’s game, when Smith and Ramondo Stallings both sprained ankles and tight end Judd Rachow went down with a sprained knee.

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The Aztecs have sold 32,596 season tickets, according to Vickie Ihde, director of ticket operations. That’s an increase of about 140% over sales from two years ago.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Ihde said. “We’ve sold a ton of tickets in the upper deck. The momentum started last year--we had a good season and, with Marshall Faulk having such a good year, it’s just continued.”

Ihde said she expects between 40,000 and 45,000 tickets sold for the UTEP-SDSU game.