Numbers Tell Sorry Tale for Aztecs as Even 12 Men Can’t Get Job Done

SAN DIEGO — As late Saturday night turned into early Sunday morning, San Diego State University football players picked their way through the tape, chairs, empty cups, and laundry carts strewn about the carpet on their way out of the locker room at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

The place was a mess. But so was the season. Wyoming had soundly dismantled the Aztecs, 55-27, leaving behind some grim reality: 31 first downs, 641 yards in total offense--the third most ever against an Aztec team--451 yards rushing, the sixth most ever against the Aztecs in Western Athletic Conference play. Wyoming averaged 9 yards a carry, and quarterback Randy Welniak’s 5 yards a carry was the lowest average on the team.

The Aztecs (1-4, 1-1 in the WAC) are being outscored badly this season, losing by an average of 24 points per game. Even worse, they’re being blown away from the start. The cumulative first-quarter scoring summary this year: Opponents 77, SDSU 10.

How seriously are opponents taking the Aztecs? This from Wyoming running back Dabby Dawson: “Coach (Paul) Roach told us before the game that San Diego is a pretty city and we have to keep our focus, and that if we jumped on them early, they would bend. They did.”

Dawson, who gained 225 yards and scored 4 touchdowns in 16 carries, galloped 86 yards through an SDSU blitz for a touchdown on Wyoming’s fifth play from scrimmage. In all, Wyoming ran for 3 touchdowns against the blitz.

Morey Paul, SDSU linebacker, said Welniak used audibles against the blitz. “All week, we practiced not showing the blitz, but we got anxious early in the game and jumped to the line too soon,” he said.

Said SDSU Coach Denny Stolz: “He (Dawson) just ran right by us. They picked up the blitz and isolated on it. Sometimes, it happens that way.”

Not only are the Aztecs having trouble offensively and defensively, they’re having trouble putting the right number of men on the field. Two games ago, Oregon scored two touchdowns when the SDSU defense had only 10 men on the field. Saturday, SDSU was penalized twice for having 12 men on the field, and once again used the old 10-man defensive scheme.

“That’s something that shouldn’t happen but does,” Stolz said. “Especially when you’ve got some guys out (with injuries). It just wasn’t a very good performance for us.”

Incidentally, after not having had a field goal blocked in 35 consecutive games, SDSU has now had two blocked this season--one by UCLA and another by Wyoming. And, when Wyoming blocked an SDSU field goal Saturday, the Aztecs had 12 men--or one extra blocker--on the field. Not a very good performance at all.

Aztec Notes

The injury report: Receiver Alfred Jackson dislocated his right middle finger against Wyoming and will be out indefinitely. Other injuries sustained Saturday include cornerback Mario Mitchell (right ankle sprain), cornerback Clark Moses (right ankle sprain), offensive guard Nick Subis (shoulder bruise), offensive tackle Samida Tuiaana (back sprain) and linebacker Sai Niu (right thigh bruise). Aside from Jackson, Mitchell’s is the most serious injury and he is questionable for Hawaii on Saturday. Hawaii had no major injuries. . . . Dubious Records Dept.: SDSU tied one school record Saturday night--for the second time this season. As in the season opener against UCLA, the Aztecs were forced to return nine kickoffs. The record was first set against Missouri in 1979. Patrick Rowe broke the school record for kickoff return yardage with 154 yards on 5 returns.

For the first time in 14 games, linebacker Morey Paul did not start Saturday. Paul, The Sporting News’ freshman linebacker of the year last season, was late for a pregame meeting Saturday morning. . . . Receiver Dennis Arey caught the first 2 passes of his college career Saturday for 20 yards.