Dream Slips Away for Griffith : College football: Aztec dimeback had hoped to make it to a Holiday Bowl during his time at San Diego State.

For as long as he lives, Robert Griffith will not forget Saturday.

Griffith, a fifth-year senior who will turn 22 Monday, had an improbable dream that dated to his childhood:

Play football. Play for San Diego State. Play in a Holiday Bowl.

Fourteen seconds before it would become reality, the dream disintegrated in Fresno State’s 45-41 victory over the Aztecs.

Now Griffith, SDSU’s starting dimeback, must get on with his life. It will begin with what might be his final football game, the Aztecs’ contest against No. 1 Miami, Saturday at Jack Murphy Stadium.

“It was so close but yet far away--my goal,” Griffith said. “That memory will be with me forever.

“I’ve kind of accepted it. But it did take a lot out of me.

“I thought I had an all-right year, personally. But it really doesn’t mean too much.”

His individual numbers are down this year from 1991 in the big-plays department: no interceptions (two last year), no sacks (five last year), two fumbles caused (five in ‘91), three pass deflections (seven in ‘91).

But Griffith, a three-year starter, took pride in being a mainstay on a defense that had become more stable than the Aztec offense down the stretch.

Then against Fresno State, the defense took a giant step backward as SDSU--for the second year in a row--blew a Holiday Bowl berth in the fourth quarter of its Western Athletic Conference finale.

“Four points short, you know?” Griffith said. “I was going to do whatever I could to be sure my team went this year.”

With the Aztecs leading, 41-38, with 4:32 left and Fresno State with the ball at its 20-yard line, Griffith could almost be sure.

Then came the gruesome Bulldog drive in which quarterback Trent Dilfer was sacked by tackle Sebastian Glaze, forced by noseman La’Roi Glover to make a desperation (incomplete) shovel pass and was knocked airborne out of bounds with a hit by Griffith.

It was also a drive in which Fresno State converted on third down and 17 yards and fourth and nine.

“I remember us calling a timeout and going to the sideline, and going over what we were going to do,” Griffith said. “We went back out on the field, got lined up.

“Then it was like a big, mad flurry of events. There’s a lot I don’t remember. But that fourth and nine--it’s like it still really didn’t happen.”

Dilfer was pressured and hit as he forced a pass into double coverage for his favorite receiver, Malcolm Seabron. Griffith was keying on another player when he saw Dilfer’s pass falling short.

It was high and wobbly, and Seabron came back to it and caught it as if receiving a punt. Aztec defenders Sam Williford and Darrell Lewis tried to adjust to the ball as well, but Williford fell and Lewis didn’t react in time. The result: a 37-yard gain that put the Bulldogs at the SDSU eight with less than 30 seconds remaining.

The next play Dilfer rolled left for a two-yard gain but appeared to be knocked woozy by Griffith.

“I really didn’t think I got a good shot on him--not the shot I wanted,” Griffith said. “But I saw the game on TV and I saw him wince.”

Dilfer got up, however, and on the next play lofted a pass to the east end zone. Up went receiver Tidus Winans. Up went Aztec cornerback Gary Taylor. Winans came down with the ball. Taylor never saw it. The winning touchdown pass with 14 seconds left capped 520 yards of Fresno State offense against the Aztecs.

“I could have made some plays that could have changed the outcome of the game,” Griffith said. “But I was just one of 11 people on the field, and I don’t feel I had control of everything that happened.

“A lot of bad things happened. I don’t think we lost our focus . . . A lot of things that happened were out of my control.

“I remember last year in a couple of games that were close, I made mistakes that could have won the game for us. I know how our seniors felt now.”

Jay Primus, an old buddy, picked up Griffith at the stadium after the game as he always has. Sticking with the routine, Primus let Griffith decide the topic of their post-game conversation. It wasn’t until later, after dinner and well into a quiet evening at Williford’s dormitory apartment that Griffith began to talk about the loss.

“I don’t like to get consoled, really,” Griffith said. “But it’s pretty rough that we did lose the game the way we lost.”

The Aztecs did not review the game films Sunday and only held meetings Monday--a normal light practice day.

“There was a lot of hugs and I’m sorries,” Griffith said of Monday’s reuniting. “It was pretty mellow. There were a lot of gloomy faces.”

Griffith will enter his final game with 246 career tackles, eight sacks, two interceptions and 13 fumbles caused.

Griffith, 5-feet-11 and 200 pounds, was projected before the season by SDSU as an All-WAC candidate. He was named Tuesday to the All-WAC second team defense.

“I still have one college game left,” he said. “I’m just trying to make the best of it. There are a lot of things that I’ve done that weren’t really in the cards for me to do.

“Now I’m just trying to think of the good memories. And, hopefully, I can make some more on Saturday. That’s all I can really do. I’ve had a lot of fun.

“It’s really good that I could end up playing Miami.”

It was in the Aztecs’ 30-28 loss to the Hurricanes here in 1990 that Griffith had his most convincing performance as a sophomore. Many times that afternoon, Griffith was isolated one-on-one with speedster Wesley Carroll. Only once did Carroll get away for a big play.

“That was the first time I actually showed I was an above-average college player,” Griffith said. “I went through a lot of times when I got hurt. I really got doubted by a lot of people on the outside. It showed me that I can play this game.

“Football is still running in my veins. I’d like to play pro ball, and I’d love for somebody to give me a shot. If that doesn’t happen for me, I’m going to pursue my degree.

“I should have it next December if everything goes well.”

The diploma will read: Robert Griffith, electrical engineering.