AZTEC NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : Landry is Suspended for His Part in Brawl

San Diego State Coach Al Luginbill has suspended reserve defensive back Michael Landry indefinitely--and taken away his scholarship--for Landry’s part in the first-half brawl during the Aztec-Fresno State game.

Although both benches emptied and the fighting continued for about 10 minutes, Landry’s transgression was taking a Fresno State player’s helmet and swinging it around as a weapon.

“That will not be allowed at San Diego State,” Luginbill said. “You don’t take a helmet off of an opposing player and swing it as a lethal weapon. You do it on the streets, it’s a felony charge. Manslaughter.”

Later, Luginbill added: “You just don’t do that. We’re not talking a gang situation here.”

Luginbill said that Landry, a redshirt freshman from Louisiana, “will not be on scholarship ever again.”

Luginbill, who suspended Landry on Monday, said he was not aware of Landry’s actions until Monday. Asked if Landry would be reinstated by the start of spring football, Luginbill wavered.

“I don’t know if he’ll ever be back in the program,” Luginbill said. “I’ll decide that later on.”

Landry has played sparingly this season, mainly on special teams.

“He was out there fighting like everybody else,” receiver Darnay Scott said. “I think he knew he wasn’t supposed to be swinging no helmet at nobody. I do feel bad for him.”

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Marshall Faulk’s status for Saturday’s “Heisman Bowl” with Miami and Gino Torretta remains questionable.

“He feels a lot better,” SDSU trainer Brian Barry said. “We’ll see how he is (Wednesday) morning.”

Faulk did not attend Tuesday’s practice; Barry said he would likely do exercises on the sideline at this afternoon’s practice.

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Faulk was named as the Western Athletic Conference’s offensive player of the year Tuesday, and three other players were named to the WAC’s first-team: Scott, offensive tackle Tony Nichols and cornerback Damon Pieri.

Named to the all-WAC second team were offensive guard Carlson Leomiti, defensive lineman Jamal Duff, defensive back Robert Griffith and free safety Darrell Lewis.

Quarterback David Lowery and linebacker Tracey Mao were named honorable mention.

Luginbill reiterated that the punting job is open this week between incumbent Scott Oatsvall, who Luginbill says has had a poor two weeks, and Jason Savorn, who was SDSU’s punter in each of the past two seasons.

“We’ll decide by the end of the week,” Luginbill said.

Oatsvall said the competition is news to him--and he wasn’t happy about it.

“I haven’t been told anything,” he said. “I think you should show your players confidence when they’re down. Everybody has a bad game. He should have told me first it was going to be this way.”

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Luginbill was also upset with Colorado State’s firing of Coach Earle Bruce.

“I think it’s a travesty,” Luginbill said. “I don’t understand it. I didn’t understand it when it happened at Ohio State, and I don’t now. They will be hard-pressed to get anybody better than Earle Bruce.

“I just think it’s insane. Somebody better look at that president.”

Luginbill does not buy reports that part of the reason for Bruce’s firing was because he was abusive to players.

“That’s a crock of bull,” Luginbill said. “I was told (Monday) by a reporter from the Rocky Mountain News that some player quit the team and walked into the president’s office saying he was abused.

“Hell, I’ve been abusive to some players--I haven’t hugged them every snap. What’s happened this year at Arkansas, Colorado State, players’ strikes . . . what is this?

“I don’t understand it, but I think there’s more of it to come. The Oklahoma situation is a piece of dynamite ready to explode.”

In addition to reports that Bruce was abusive to players, the Loveland (Colo.) Reporter-Herald reported Tuesday that the school’s football program may also be under NCAA scrutiny for rules violations, including practicing too many hours per week.

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In addition to Faulk, defensive linemen Turaj Smith (toe) and Sebastian Glaze (shoulder), linebackers Chad Provensal (neck) and Mike Burns (shoulder), defensive back Darrell Lewis (groin) and center Mike Alexander (toe) all sat out of practice Tuesday. Lewis, Glaze and Roberts’ status for Miami is probable, Smith and Alexander are questionable, and Burns and Provensal are doubtful.