AZTECS UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : Faulk Downplays Rushing Record, Saying He’d Rather Gain Victories

Although he is 198 yards from surpassing Norm Nygaard for the San Diego State University career rushing record, it is merely one more record to Marshall Faulk.

“I don’t give it much thought,” Faulk said. “If it happens, it happens.”

Considering that Faulk has 2,422 yards and Nygaard has 2,619, it will happen.

“I’ve broken a couple of records,” Faulk said. “They don’t say anything except you ran for an exceptional amount of yardage. The key thing is to win.”

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Faulk said he wasn’t surprised that people considered his 156-yard effort against Texas El Paso a relative disappointment.

“I’ve learned to expect the unexpected from the press,” he said. “Because they expect the unexpected from me most of the time.”

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Center Mike Alexander (sprained foot) and defensive lineman Turaj Smith (sprained ankle) completed their third practices of the week Wednesday, and both were expected to return Saturday against Air Force.

Assuming Alexander makes it through practice today, it will be his first game since the Aztecs played UCLA on Sept. 26.

“It’s a real plus,” said Joe Heinz, who has been transplanted from guard to center in Alexander’s absence. “It gives us the line we had at the beginning of the season. It’s a real confidence boost.”

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To help their defense prepare for the Air Force option attack, the Aztecs are employing two quarterbacks on their scout team.

One quarterback runs and, while the defense chases him, another passes so the SDSU secondary can also get some work.

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Defensive end Tyrone Morrison continues to rehabilitate his injured knee, and SDSU Coach Al Luginbill said the Aztecs will not know until the middle of next week whether he needs reconstructive surgery.

“Right now he can’t play, it’s that simple,” Luginbill said. “We knew from the start that this would be an iffy deal.”

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Ever notice that, during games, Faulk wears a glove on his left hand but not on his right?

“It’s hard to catch the ball with two gloves,” he said. “Your hands sweat all the time--that’s why you wear gloves. I rub my hands together and (the glove) gets the other one sticky.”

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SDSU is off to a 3-0 Western Athletic Conference start for the first time since 1986, the last time the Aztecs went to the Holiday Bowl. They have never started 4-0 in the WAC. . . . The Aztecs are expecting about 40,000 for Saturday’s game against Air Force. Game time has been changed to 4:30 p.m. to accommodate ESPN. . . . Although nothing is official yet, SDSU’s sports information office has been contacted by the Downtown Athletic Club of New York and told that Faulk should keep the weekend of Dec. 12 clear. That’s the Saturday the Heisman Trophy will be presented, and the top few candidates are invited to the ceremony in New York. . . . Running back Wayne Pittman returned to practice after sitting out Tuesday with back spasms.