AZTEC NOTEBOOK : Luginbill is Hoping for Happier Returns

It has been overshadowed by other things, but it turns out that there is one facet of the San Diego State football team that is ranked even lower nationally than the Aztec defense: The kickoff return team.

The Aztec unit has yet to take a kickoff return more than 20 yards, and the average return has gone 13.2 yards. That ranks them 106th nationally.

SDSU’s defense, allowing 433.5 yards per game, is ranked 100th.

“Our kickoff team has not been good at all,” Coach Al Luginbill said. “We’ve made some mistakes; I think we’re overly simplistic in our scheme.”

Luginbill said there would be a few personnel changes in the kickoff return team for this week’s game against Texas El Paso, although he didn’t specify what they would be.

“I don’t know who it will be,” he said. “We need better execution in some schemes and we need players making better plays.”

Luginbill said he will decide on changes by the end of the week.

Part of the problem is that the Aztecs have had only 10 kickoff returns--including only two in their first two games.

They didn’t even have a return in their season-opener against USC, then had only two against Brigham Young--one for 20 yards and one for 10.

The problem against the Cougars was that Darnay Scott had injured a shoulder and, although he continued to play, he asked to be taken off the return team. Keith Williams returned both kicks against BYU.

The Aztecs returned six kicks the following week against UCLA, none longer than 19 yards and none by Scott. Then, at New Mexico, Scott finally returned his first two kicks of the season--one for 17 yards and one for 11.

H-back DeAndre Maxwell hobbled through practice Tuesday with a burned left calf after receiving a scare Saturday night.

Maxwell was walking home from a party when he passed a parked car that suddenly started to back out of its space.

“I jumped out of the way but the tire slashed my calf,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell, who has caught three passes for 36 yards and one touchdown and has earned praise from Luginbill for his progress, has been receiving treatment three times daily and had some ointment smeared over the sizable scrape Tuesday.

He participated in the entire practice Tuesday.

“If you don’t practice, you don’t play, so I have to work through it,” Maxwell said. “It’s hurt bad but (trainer) Brian Barry said I can play and (receivers’ coach Curtis) Johnson said, ‘Go practice.’ I have to be mentally tough, I guess.”

The flu has made its way into the SDSU locker room. Marshall Faulk missed his second consecutive practice because of the virus, although Barry said Faulk is expected back this afternoon. Receiver Keith Williams and defensive lineman George Glaze also missed practice Tuesday with the flu.

As for other ailments, center Mike Alexander (sprained foot), receiver Jake Nyberg (hip) and defensive lineman Tyrone Morrison (knee) have all been declared out of Saturday’s UTEP game.

Quote of the Day, from UTEP Coach David Lee: “I’ve got a great deal of respect for Kevin Lowery. He was the glue last year that brought that team together.”

Lee, of course, meant SDSU quarterback David Lowery.

You can’t blame Lee, though, for being out of sorts this week. After showing some signs of life last year, the Miners are 0-5 this year, their worst start since going 0-6 to begin the 1985 season.

“We had high expectations,” Lee said. “We thought we could put together a season to be proud of. Right now, the players are down, the coaches are down and the head coach is down.”

Lee called SDSU the best team the Miners will face since they traveled to Knoxville, Tenn., in 1990 to play the University of Tennessee.

“They won the SEC that year,” Lee pointed out.

They also whipped UTEP, 56-0.

Understandably, Lee sounded like he has already been through an entire season.

“It’s already been a long week, and the week has just started,” he said.

While there wasn’t much good to say about UTEP, Lee was bubbly in his praise toward SDSU.

“Al Luginbill has out-recruited everyone in our conference for the past three years,” Lee said. “The way they’re running the football, blocking offensively . . . I’m envious.”

The Aztecs are thrilled to be playing their first home game this week since the Sept. 5 USC game.

“I’m not sure our guys are going to know where the stadium is, it’s been so long,” Luginbill said.