Sept. 10, 2000
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Week Three
* The San Diego State Aztecs hit the road for the first time in 2000 this week with a game against the University of Arizona in Tucson. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. The game will be telecast in the Grand Canyon State on Fox Sports Arizona.
Pac-king Them In
* Arizona marks the second of three Pacific 10 Conference foes that the Aztecs will face prior to opening the Mountain West season at Wyoming. SDSU opened the season with a 10-7 loss to Arizona State and will travel to Oregon State on Sept. 23rd. Arizona will be facing its second Mountain West Conference opponent of the season. The Wildcats opened with a 17-3 win over Utah.
East To The Old West
* San Diego State will be returning to Tucson for the first time since the 1997 season and for just the second time since 1977. The Arizona contest is the first of three straight road games for SDSU. The schedule, coupled with an open week, does not call for the Aztecs to return to Qualcomm Stadium until Oct. 14th when Utah comes to town.
Pains
* San Diego State's injury list is mounting just two weeks into the season. The Aztecs have now lost three players for the season. Starting offensive linemen Chris Williams and Zach LaMonda will not return as injuries have ended their Aztec careers. SDSU took another hit with the loss of all-conference tight end Gray McNeill. He suffered a season-ending knee injury on the Aztecs' first play from scrimmage against Illinois. Defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila also looks to be out for the season with an achilles injury.
More Pains
* The Aztec injury bug first began affecting the squad before the pads were laced up. As a result, of San Diego State's original 22 starters (as listed on the pre-camp depth chart), eight have already missed at least one of the two games and at least three have been lost for the season.
No. 21 Illini Defeat Aztecs
* Illinois scored three touchdowns in the final 5:41 of the first half to break open a close game and claim its sixth straight victory - a 49-13 decision over San Diego State Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium. * Illini junior quarterback Kurt Kittner threw for three touchdowns and sophomore Antoineo Harris rushed for three more, as Illinois won its fourth consecutive road game.
* Illinois scored on its second and third possessions of the game and led 14-0 when Harris rushed in from three yards out with 6:03 remaining in the first quarter.
* San Diego State responded with a 12-play, 69-yard drive that resulted in a 28-yard field goal by senior Nate Tandberg. The Aztec defense forced Illinois into a three and out on the following series, and once again the Aztecs capped a 10-play, 39-yard drive with a 26-yard field goal by Tandberg to pull within 14-6.
* Illinois took control, scoring three touchdowns on their final three drives of the first half to take a 35-6 edge at intermission.
* Kittner ended the contest completing 18-of-25 for 148 yards and three touchdowns, while Rocky Harvey joined Harris with more than 100 yards rushing.
* A preseason Doak Walker candidate, Aztec junior running back Larry Ned returned from orthoscopic knee surgery to score the Aztecs' lone touchdown. He carried 18 times for 47 yards on the evening and added a pair of receptions.
SDSU-UA: The Series
* This is the 14th meeting between the Wildcats and Aztecs with Arizona owning an 8-5 edge in the series. Arizona has won both meetings since the series was renewed in 1997 after being dormant for 18 years.
* The home team has won 10 of the 13 games, but two of the three road wins are by the Aztecs. In the first game between the teams, San Diego State claimed an 8-0 victory at Arizona in 1931. More recently, the Aztecs claimed a 21-14 win over the Wildcats in 1977.
* The last meeting between the teams was On Sept. 24, 1998, at Qualcomm Stadium with the Wildcats claiming a 35-16 victory. Nate Tandberg booted a 40-yard field goal to give the Aztecs a 3-0 lead. Arizona responded with 28 unanswered points to take a 28-3 lead at intermission.
* Larry Ned rushed 36 times for 146 yards (his first 100-yard rushing game) and a touchdown for San Diego State as the Aztecs held statistical advantages in first downs (19-17), rushing yards (190-158) and total yards (357-354). The difference in the contest was six San Diego State turnovers (three fumbles and three interceptions) compared to two giveaways by Arizona.
Running with the Pac
* San Diego State is 11-45-3 against members of the Pacific 10 Conference. In addition to the 5-8 mark against Arizona, the Aztecs are 2-0 vs. Oregon State, 3-3 vs. California, 1-3 vs. Stanford, 0-2-1 vs. Southern California, 0-7-1 vs. Arizona State, 0-2 vs. Washington, 0-4 vs. Oregon and 0-16-1 vs. UCLA.
* The Aztecs have dropped six straight to Pac-10 members, dating back to a 33-9 season-opening victory over California on Sept. 2, 1995. Of the last six losses, three have been decided by five points or less, including last season's 24-21 loss at 17th-ranked Southern California and this year's 10-7 season-opening loss to Arizona State.
* Since Ted Tollner took control of the football program prior to the 1994 season, San Diego State is 2-6 against Pac-10 competition. Counting his days as Southern California's head coach, Tollner is 23-15 against his former league rivals.
vs. Grand Canyon State
* The Aztecs are 7-15-1 against the three Division I football playing schools in Arizona. In addition to the 0-7-1 record against Arizona State and 5-8 record against Arizona, the Aztecs are 2-0 all-time against Northern Arizona.
Q+TO=W
* What are San Diego State's keys to victory? One stat to keep an eye on is turnover margin. The Aztecs have won 20 straight games at Qualcomm/Jack Murphy Stadium when they have an edge in the turnover margin dating back to Nov. 28, 1992. The last team to overcome a negative turnover margin and win at San Diego State was Miami. The Hurricanes, which went 12-0 and won the national championship with a 22-0 victory over Nebraska, claimed a 63-17 victory over San Diego State in the Aztecs' season finale.
0-2 To Winning Season
* For only the second time in 11 years, San Diego State has opened a season at 0-2. In 1998, San Diego State opened the season with three consecutive losses (Wisconsin 14-26, at USC 6-35 and Arizona 16-35), but won seven of its final eight regular-season games and advanced to the Las Vegas Bowl. That Aztec team finished 7-5 overall and 7-1 in the Western Athletic Conference. In fact the only two previous 0-2 starts since 1985 have resulted in winning seasons. In addition to the previously mentioned 1998 season, the 1989 squad opened 0-2-1 with losses at Air Force (36-52), UCLA (25-28) and a tie against Cal St Fullerton (41-41), before righting the ship and finishing the season 6-5-1. Each of the last four times the Aztecs started a season 0-2, San Diego State finished the conference portion of its schedule with a winning record.
* In 78 years of football the Aztecs have opened with consecutive losses only seven times. Since the 1961 season, only five San Diego State teams have started a season 0-2 and in three of those five seasons the Aztecs finished above .500.
* Below is a look at the 0-2 starts in school history.
Year Opening 2 Games Final, Conf.1960 Cal St. LA, at Cal Poly 1-6, 0-51978 at Iowa St., at UTEP 4-7, 2-41982 at Air Force, at Cal 7-5, 4-31984 at Air Force, UCLA 4-7-1, 4-3-11989 at Air Force, UCLA 6-5-1, 4-31998 Wisconsin, USC 7-5, 7-12000 Arizona State, Illinois ???
Short Drives
* The San Diego State defense has been a victim of its opponents' great field position. Through two games, of the nine opponent scoring drives, three have been less than 40 yards and five have traveled less than 55 yards. The average opponent scoring drive is 49.5 yards. That is one reason San Diego State is 59th in the country in total yardage allowed, but 83rd in scoring defense.
Other Numbers
* Although the Aztecs have been outscored 59-20 through two games, many of the key statistics would indicate that the games against Arizona State and 21st-ranked Illinois could have been closer.
* For example, San Diego State trails its opponents in first downs by a 40-38 margin and is even in turnover margin. In addition, the Aztecs are averaging more passing yards (185-159) and more time of possession (30:25-29:35).
Scheduling the Best
* How difficult is the 2000 Aztec schedule? Six of the first eight opponents on the San Diego State 2000 schedule received votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll this week (Sept. 3 release) and six of the Aztecs' first eight opponents advanced to a bowl game last season. San Diego State does not play an opponent that finished the 1999 season below .500 in its first eight games of the 2000 season.
Aztec Angles
* The Aztecs have won 10 consecutive games when scoring 30 or more points... Under Tollner, San Diego State is 25-6 when scoring 30 or more points in a game... The last time the Aztecs won their road opener was in 1992 when San Diego State defeated Brigham Young 45-38... San Diego State is 13-19 in road games under Tollner, including 0-5 at Pacific-10 schools)... The last time the Aztecs defeated a current member of the Pac-10 conference on the road was Oct. 17, 1977, when San Diego State defeated Arizona, 21-14.... The Wildcats, at the time, were members of the Western Athletic Conference... San Diego State has not allowed a third-quarter point in four games, outscoring foes 31-0 during that stretch... 10 different players caught passes for the Aztecs against the Illini.... That is the fourth time in 13 games that at least 10 different San Diego State players caught a pass.
Walking into Starting Roles
* San Diego State has a proud tradition of walk-ons who have gone on to make big impacts as starters. The 2000 season continued that trend as the Aztecs opened the year with five players who joined the program as walk-ons filling starting roles against ASU. SDSU's walk-ons-turned-starters include strong safety Will Demps, offensive lineman Mike Houghton, offensive tackle Chester Pitts, cornerback Donte Gamble and kickoff specialist Brian Simnjanovski.
Family Ties
* A trio of Aztecs, senior H-back Bill Hammett, junior free safety Garret Pavelko and freshman safety Josh Dean, followed in their father's footsteps by accepting scholarships to San Diego State. The elder Hammett, Bill Hammett III, was a standout linebacker for the Aztecs during the 1972 and '73 seasons, while Galen Pavelko, Garret's dad, lettered at SDSU in 1969 and '70. Josh Dean's father, Vernon, is perhaps the most well known, however. After starring at SDSU from 1980-81, he went on to play for the Washington Redskins from 1982-87.
Ned Jumps Into Top 10
* With 47 yards on 18 carries versus Illinois, senior running back Larry Ned moved into SDSU's all-time top 10 in both career carries and rushing. He heads into the Arizona game ranked 10th in rushing with 1703 yards and ninth in carries with 333.
First Game, First Score
* Larry Ned's one-yard third quarter touchdown versus Illinois was the 16th of a career that now spans 21 games. Ned led the Aztecs in touchdown scoring last season with 11 TDs in 11 games. He is averaging just under a touchdown per game (.762 tpg) as an Aztec.
Ned On Doak Walker Short List
* SDSU running back Larry Ned is one of 35 players selected as a preseason candidate for the 2000 Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate running back. The award will be presented at ESPN's Home Depot College Football Award Show on Dec. 7. He is one of only two backs from the Mountain West Conference (Air Force's Scotty McKay) to make the preseason list.
Demps the Man
* Junior safety Will Demps was named the Mountain West Conference' inaugural 2000 defensive player of the week, Sept. 4, after accounting for a career- and game-high 15 tackles, including 10 solo stops, versus ASU. The former walk-on also registered three tackles for loss and seven of his 15 stops resulted in gains of two yards or less. Demps finished with a pair of tackles against Illinois and enters the Arizona game as the Aztecs leading tackler with 18. Demps had 40 tackles for the entire 1999 campaign.
Airing it Out
* Quarterback Jack Hawley's 57 passing attempts last week versus ASU was a career high and the most by an Aztec quarterback since Tim Gutierrez had 59 attempts against Air Force in 1994. It was also the fourth-most in a single game in SDSU history. Hawley's previous high was 46 last season versus New Mexico.
Hawley Golden Arm Candidate
* SDSU signal caller Jack Hawley is one of 23 quarterbacks selected as candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the nation's top senior collegiate quarterback. The winner will be selected from a list compiled by a select committee of football experts from across the United States. The committee will narrow the field to five finalists plus any ties and announce the list on Oct. 25. The winner of the award will be named on Nov. 21.
Catching On
* Wide outs Thomas Howard and J.R. Tolver have both made their presence felt early on this season. Howard, a junior, entered the season with just two receptions to his credit busted out with a career-high six catches for 49 yards against Illinois. Tolver, a sophomore, opened the season with grabbed a career- and co-game high seven catches for a career-best 77 yards. Tolver leads the Aztecs in receiving with eight receptions for 96 yards, while Howard's six for 49 yards ranks third.
New To You
* Freshman Jason Van and sophomore Garric Simmons both had their first career carries versus Illinois. Spelling James Truvillion and Larry Ned, Simmons came off the bench to rush for 27 yards on four carries (6.8 ypc). Van finished with three rushes for nine yards.
Fletcher Firsts
* Freshman tight end Raleigh Fletcher registered a number of firsts in the season opener. The redshirt freshman from Renton, Wash., made his first career start versus the Sun Devils, hauling in his first career catch and scored his first touchdown. The catch and score came on the same play, an 11-yard pass from Jack Hawley in the first quarter. He came back against Illinois with three receptions for 33 yards.
Marathon Man
* After being in on 110 plays against Arizona State, sophomore cornerback Rickey Sharpe was on the field for all 70 defensive snaps against Illinois as well as 27 special teams plays for a total of 97 versus the Illini. For the season, Sharpe has made 17 tackles, third best on the squad, broken up a pass and recovered a fumble.
Quarterbacking the "D"
* Senior safety Brian Russell appears to have made the most of his switch to defense midway through last season. SDSU's starter at quarterback for the first two games of the '99 campaign, Russell has started both games at free safety in 2000. In the opener, Russell finished the game with six tackles, including five solo stops. He was even more impressive against the Illini, accounting for ten stops and a 12-yard fumble return that set up the Aztecs only score of the game. Russell, who calls the plays in the defensive huddle, made three starts in the Aztec secondary a year ago and was a 10-game starter at quarterback in 1998 when he led SDSU to a Las Vegas Bowl berth.
Donte's No Gamble
* Playing in his first Division I-A football game against ASU, junior walk-on cornerback Donte Gamble posted a solid performance, accounting for four tackles, a pass break-up and the Aztecs' first interception of the season. He came back with six tackles, a forced fumble and a pair of pass break-ups against Illinois. A transfer from El Camino Junior College, Gamble worked his way from obscurity to starter during training camp, leapfrogging five contenders for the cornerback spot opposite Ricky Sharpe.
Career Night for Little Big Man
* If there is one Aztec who never lets down its junior defensive tackle Jerome Haywood. Despite being double-teamed most of the night, Haywood had a career night against Illinois, recording six tackles. A 1999 alll-MWC selection, Haywood had 35 total tackles as a sophomore and 30 as a freshman.
Tandberg Climbing Charts
* Aztec place-kicker Nate Tandberg, a Lou Groza award finalist in '99, added seven points to his career total and enters the Arizona game seventh all-time at SDSU in scoring and third in kick scoring with 193 points. In last week's season opener, Tandberg missed on field goal attempts of 37 and 47 yards. His 37-yard miss was his first miss inside 40 yards since the 1998 season. He came back versus Illinois to connect on his only two attempts of the night (28 and 26 yards).
SDSU-UA Connections
There are several connections between the Aztec and Wildcat programs: * SDSU linebackers coach Charlie Camp played linebacker on Arizona's "Desert Swarm" defense from 1991-95.
* Arizona offensive coordinator Dino Babers coached wide receivers at SDSU under Al Luginbill in 1994 before joining Tomey's staff at Arizona.
* Six Arizonans suit up for the Aztecs, however none of them call Tucson home. Freshman QB Jon Stoner is from Glendale Cactus High School, Garric Simmons is also from Glendale (Washington). Freshman Stephen Larson is a product of Chandler (Tempe Desert Vista). Long snapper Jason Asbury attended Cortez High School in Phoenix. Jason Perry, another freshman, is from Apache Junction. Andrew Brigham is a Scottsdale Saguaro product.
* SDSU's Larsen and UA freshman quarterback John Rattay and sophomore receiver Bobby Wade came through the prep ranks at Tempe's Desert Vista High.
* Several Wildcats call the San Diego area home. Freshman cornerback David Hinton attended Lincoln Prep, junior linebacker Ray Wells played at Mt. Miguel High and Mesa JC and freshman tight end Tyrone Brown went to Morse High. Sophomore free safety Jarvie Worcester played at La Jolla High. Thirty-three other UA players hail from the Golden State.
* Aztec defensive end Andrew Brigham and Wildcat linebacker Trevor Wilde played together at Mesa (Ariz.) CC.
* Four players between the two programs attended California's Palomar JC. Aztecs David Moreno, Garret Pavelko and Dylan Robles and Wildcat Brandon Marshall.
* UA junior cornerback Anthony Banks and SDSU junior defensive back and junor wide receiver Craig Mitchell know each other from West L.A. CC.