Luginbill Takes On Critics of Faulk, WAC

Still upset with those who questioned Marshall Faulk’s 156-yard effort in a 49-27 victory over Texas El Paso on Saturday night, San Diego State Coach Al Luginbill lashed back on Sunday--then guaranteed that the Aztecs will fare better on national television this week against Air Force than they did in their last nationally televised game, when they were embarrassed by UCLA.

In particular, ESPN spent much of Saturday singing the praises of Georgia running back Garrison Hearst, who jumped into the Heisman Trophy race with 246 yards rushing against Vanderbilt. It was the first 200-yard game for Hearst. Faulk has run for 300-plus yards once and 200 or more four times.

“I don’t know what is expected of Marshall Faulk,” Luginbill said. “I’m at a loss. That was as good a football game as the kid has played since he has been here.

“If anyone wants to take a look at the videotape and see the eight- and nine-man fronts UTEP played. . . .”

Luginbill’s ire started almost immediately after the game, when a reporter asked about UTEP “containing” Faulk. Luginbill is well aware of the lack of respect the Western Athletic Conference generates nationally.

“I guess I’m overly sensitive to who we’re playing,” Luginbill said on Sunday. “I hear about the guy from Georgia, and who are they playing? Vanderbilt? Georgia Southern? Cal State Fullerton? Those are three of their opponents, and nobody ever says that. But that’s the mind-set.”

According to Luginbill, the NCAA rated SDSU’s schedule as the 23rd most difficult in the nation before the season started.

“We had no offensive penalties, no turnovers, no fumbled center snaps, we scored 49 points and had two touchdown passes dropped,” Luginbill said. “Have we come that far in this program that the expectation level is beyond something we are ever going to be able to meet?

“There should be an expectation level for us to play, but I don’t know if I’ve had an individual running back since I’ve been here give a better effort in relation to who he’s facing.

“Maybe I was wrong, but I thought the idea and the reason we were here was to win. That’s our No. 1 goal.”

Faulk continues to lead the nation in rushing this week at 198.6 yards per game. Hearst is second at 151.5, although Hearst has played in two more games and became the first college player to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. His 246 yards Saturday boosted his total to 1,061. Faulk has 993.

Faulk dropped to second to Hearst in scoring--Faulk is averaging 12.40 points per game and Hearst is at 12.86. Faulk also dropped to second in all-purpose running yardage at 209.00 per game. Pacific’s Ryan Benjamin is first at 221.57.

Although people have downplayed the Heisman Trophy around SDSU for much of this season, it is apparant that, with five games down and six to go, Luginbill and others are sensitive to public perception.

“I don’t want to be a person who is always in defense of Marshall Faulk,” Luginbill said. “I don’t think I have to defend Marshall Faulk. And Marshall Faulk doesn’t have to defend himself. He’s a team player.”

Faulk said after the UTEP game that he wouldn’t call his 156 yards one of his better games.

“I wouldn’t say I’m frustrated, but when you’re used to breaking long runs, two or three yards you don’t appreciate,” Faulk said. “150-whatever yards for me is an abnormal game.

“I’m not Superman. I won’t do it against nine people on the line. People have set higher standards for me than I set for myself.”

Luginbill said he also is still smarting from the 35-7 loss to UCLA on Sept. 26.

“I’m so excited and looking forward so much to Saturday’s game because it is on national TV,” Luginbill said. “I guarantee you as we sit here that you will see a different football team than the one that played on national TV the last time out.

“I usually don’t guarantee anything.”

Aztec Notes

Overlooked on Saturday night: Darnay Scott’s 274 receiving yards set a new WAC record, surpassing that of Brigham Young’s Jay Miller, who had 263 on 22 catches against New Mexico in 1973. It’s easy to see why it was overlooked: Scott’s effort ranked no better than fifth on SDSU’s all-time receiving list. . . . Injury Update: Coach Al Luginbill is optimistic that center Mike Alexander (foot) will return for Saturday’s SDSU-Air Force game. He also said that receiver Jake Nyberg (hip) and defensive lineman Turaj Smith, who only participated in one play against UTEP because of a sprained ankle, may return. Defensive lineman Tyrone Morrison (knee) will miss this week’s game. Defensive back Sam Williford, who suffered a bruised leg against UTEP, is day-to-day. . . . “I want to publicly thank the fans,” Luginbill said. “What a tremendous increase since the last time we played UTEP here.” A total of 46,449 showed up on Saturday. When UTEP last visited two years ago, the crowd totaled only a little more than 13,000.