Aug. 23, 2001
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Happy New Year
Welcome to the 79th season of San Diego State football. The Aztecs enter the 2001 season with an all-time record of 439-314-32. San Diego State is opening at home for the 10th straight season and begins its 2001 campaign with a Thursday night ESPN2 game against a Pacific-10 Conference school for the second consecutive year. SDSU dropped a 10-7 decision to Arizona State to open the 2000 season when a late Aztec field-goal try was blocked.
Home Sweet Home
San Diego State football, and the rest of the athletic department, is in the process of moving into the new Aztec Athletic Center, a $20 million facility that comes from a gift by Padres owners John and Becky Moores. The new complex will house all facets of the athletic department with the second floor dedicated to football. A new state-of-the-art weight room, training center, video suite, Hall of Fame, auditorium and equipment room will compose the first floor.
Tube Time
The Arizona-San Diego State game marks the first of five appearances by San Diego State on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC regional with the next national appearance coming Sept. 22nd with an ESPN game against Ohio State. Following the Arizona contest, San Diego State will face four straight foes coming off of bowl games in Arizona State, Ohio State, Colorado State and Air Force. The first three of those games are all on the road.
For Openers
San Diego State is 42-31-5 all-time in openers and 7-2-1 in season openers since 1991, including last season's 10-7 loss to Arizona State. The Aztecs are even more impressive in home openers, with an all-time mark of 55-17-5. Dating back to 1963, the Aztecs are 32-5-1 in home openers, including one streak of 17 straight wins (1963-79). Under Ted Tollner, San Diego State is 5-2 in lidlifters. Including his days at Southern California, Tollner is 9-2-1 all-time in his season debuts.
Aztecs And Arizona
Arizona leads the series with San Diego State, 9-5, including a 17-3 Wildcat win last year in Tucson. The teams are meeting for the fourth time in five years. Last year's game marked the first start in the career of Aztec quarterback Lon Sheriff, following the season-ending injury to Jack Hawley. The Wildcats have won the last three games versus SDSU. In the previous 14 games of the series, the home team came away victorious 11 times.
'Cats In San Diego
Arizona's last visit to Qualcomm Stadium saw Aztec running back Larry Ned record the first 100-yard rushing game of his career (33 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown) when the Wildcats defeated San Diego State, 35-16, in 1998. San Diego State committed six turnovers in the contest, negating a statistical edge in first downs, rushing yards and total offense.
Last Year In Tucson
Lon Sheriff made his first career start as the Aztecs' quarterback in San Diego State's 17-3 loss in Tucson. By the 2000 Arizona game (the third of the season), San Diego State had already lost five starters for the season, including quarterback Jack Hawley. SDSU was down just 10-3 with 10 minutes remaining in the game when Wildcat Andre Thurman returned a blocked punt 34 yards for the game-clinching score. The Aztec defense became the first to limit the Wildcats to 10 points in a home game since Sept. 23, 1995, when USC turned the trick. SDSU was nursing a 3-0 lead when Arizona scored its only offensive TD of the night with just 12 seconds remaining in the first half. SDSU had an early chance to take control, but was held out of the end zone on first-and-goal at the 1-yard-line before missing a 20-yard field goal try. San Diego State held the ball for nearly 32 minutes, but was forced into 10 punts and rushed for just 72 yards.
New Sheriff In Tucson
In his first start as an Aztec, then-sophomore Lon Sheriff completed 15 of his 29 passes for 124 yards and an interception at Arizona Stadium.
Pac Men
San Diego State is opening the season against a Pac-10 opponent for the second straight season and the fifth time in 10 years. However, SDSU will be opening the season against two straight Pac 10 teams (current members) for the first time since 1934, when San Diego State College began 0-2 with losses to UCLA and Arizona. The Aztecs will be looking to end a nine-game losing streak against the Pac 10, dating back to a season-opening 33-9 win over Cal in 1995. The Aztecs are 11-47-3 all-time against current members of the Pac-10, including three losses last year (Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon State). In its two years of existence, the Mountain West Conference is 4-9 vs. Pac-10 schools, including wins over Cal, Washington State and two wins over Washington.
New Coaches--The Line Starts Here
Head coach Ted Tollner will be shaking some new hands this fall. Each of San Diego State's first three opponents, Arizona, Arizona State and Ohio State, are all under the direction of first-year head coaches. Arizona and Arizona State will be playing their first games under John Mackovic and Dirk Koetter, respectively. Ohio State's Jim Tressel will have one game under his belt as a Buckeye. SDSU will face a fourth first-year boss in conference play when Brigham Young and Gary Crowton come to town.
Stability In San Diego
While there will be some new faces across the sideline, San Diego State's Ted Tollner is beginning his eighth season directing the Aztec program. His tenure on The Mesa is now tied for the fourth longest in school history. Under Tollner, San Diego State has won at least seven games three times in seven years, despite a perennial heavyweight schedule. The Aztecs were the Pacific Division champs of the WAC in 1998 and made an appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl. Under Tollner, the Aztecs have non-conference wins over California and Oklahoma.
Looking Ahead
Despite an injury-plagued 3-8 season in 2000, optimism is running high in San Diego for the upcoming season. The Aztecs welcome back a Mountain West Conference-high 43 lettermen and 19 starters, including all-conference performers David Moreno in the offensive front, Will Demps at safety, Gray McNeill (1999 all-MWC) at tight end, Jerome Haywood on the defensive line, wide receiver J.R. Tolver and linebacker Jomar Butler. Also back in the fold is running back Larry Ned, who was granted another year of eligibility after he earned his degree in criminal justice in four years. The 2000 Doak Walker finalist is currently pursuing a second degree in economics. Lon Sheriff returns at quarterback as the Mountain West's total offense and passing yardage champ. Senior receiver Derrick Lewis is back for his last go-around after leading America last season with an average of 25.2 yards per catch.
Injury Wire
The final injury tabulations are in and they are significant. The 2000 Aztecs underwent 17 surgeries during the injury-plagued campaign. Four of those players are back in the fold. They are tight end Gray McNeill (knee), running back Larry Ned (shoulder, knee), defensive lineman Akbar Gbaja-Biamila (Achilles) and offensive lineman Zach LaMonda (foot). Ned played six games before being lost for the year, the rest of the quartet was not as lucky. LaMonda was lost for the season before the team had its first full-pad workout, Gbaja-Biamila played just one game before tearing his Achilles in a bicycle accident and McNeill went down in the second game of the season vs. Illinois on the Aztecs' first play from scrimmage.
The Next Year
One year ago, San Diego State opened against Arizona State with just six starters returning from the 1999 season finale vs. Wyoming. In 2001, SDSU has 19 players returning that started the 2000 season finale -- a last-minute loss to UNLV. In fact, San Diego State returns 39 of a possible 44 members from its final 2000 two-deep. That total does not include three players who are projected as starters for the Arizona game: running back Larry Ned, defensive tackle Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and tight end Gray McNeill. All three began the 2000 season as starters before being injured.
The Black Shirts
San Diego State is a school heaped in the offensive traditions of Air Coryell, Marshall Faulk and Company. However, defenders on The Mesa are now establishing their own heritage. SDSU's defense returns 10 starters from a team that allowed 350 yards per game last season while helping out an offense that averaged just 305 yards per contest in 2000. In 1999, the Aztecs finished 18th nationally in total defense. Look for the defenders to again grab the headlines in the opener as SDSU has not allowed an opponent to reach 300 yards of total offense in an opener since 1997.
Walking On
During the early portions of fall camp, Ted Tollner confided to the media that the group of 2001 walkons may be the best he has been around. On the surface, that statement may not turn many heads. However, consider the following:
* Linebacker Jomar Butler was scholarshipped, lost his scholarship, returned as a walk-on and became San Diego State's 2000 MVP and the leading tackler in the Mountain West Conference, despite not seeing his first extensive playing time until the third game of the season at Arizona.
* Safety Will Demps, a 2000 all-Mountain West performer, walked on at San Diego State.
* Offensive lineman Chester Pitts is an incredible walk-on who may be headed to a career in the NFL. He didn't play high school football and spent much of his early career working at a grocery store. He joins receiver Derrick Lewis as an Aztec starter that did not compete in high school football.
* Offensive lineman Mike Houghton has started 20 games over the past two years after walking on at SDSU.
* Defensive back Jeff Shoate walked away from a scholarship at Division I-AA power Montana to walk on at SDSU. He is a likely starter at a corner.
* Brian Simnjanovski is a second-team all-conference punter and Ray Guy preseason watch list member who walked on at SDSU after one year of high school football.
Kicking Cousins
Look for a strong resemblance when placekicker Tommy Kirovski takes the field. His holder, and the Aztec punter, is Brian Simnjanvoski. They are second cousins out of Escondido. Kirovski is also the first cousin of Jovan Kirovski, a member of the U.S. National Soccer team. Streaking Into '01 The Aztecs enter 2001 carrying the following streaks into play:
* San Diego State dropped its last two games of the 2000 season.
* SDSU has finished below .500 for two straight years for the first time since 1987 and '88.
* The Aztecs have lost nine straight vs. the Pac-10, including near misses last year vs. Arizona State (7-10) and in 1999 at USC (21-24).
* San Diego State will be looking to produce its first 100-yard rusher since Nov. 27, 1999, when Jonas Lewis ground out 131 yards on 22 carries in a 39-7 Aztec victory over Wyoming.
* Senior defensive tackle Jerome Haywood has started ever game of this three-year career and enters the 2001 season opener with a string of 34 consecutive starts.
* Junior reciever J.R. Tolver, who last season ranked 31st nationally in receptions per game (5.6) and 40th in receiving yards per game (73.5), enters the opener with a string of seven straight games with at least six receptions. Tolver hauled in a season-high eight last year vs. Utah and has had at least one catch in 14 straight games.
* Senior wideout Derrick Lewis, who brings 15-game reception streak into 2001, cracked the 100-yard barrier in receiving yardage in four of the final five games last year, including a season-best 153 yards in the 2000 finale vs. UNLV. He enters the new year riding a two-game 100-yard streak.
* Offensive guard David Moreno graded out over 90 percent in final four games of 2000, including a season-best 93-percent rating at Air Force.
* Senior safety Will Demps recorded three double-digit tackle performances last season, including 17 at Air Force and 14 vs. UNLV to close out 2000. * Senior linebacker Jomar Butler notched double figures in tackles in five of the final six game last year, including a career-best 19 at Air Force.
Trend Talk
The following is a look at trends the 2000 Aztecs were showing at the conclusion of the season.
* Five of San Diego State's last seven opponents in 2000 failed to crack the 100-yard mark in rushing.
* One month into the 2000 season, SDSU averaged under four yards per offensive snap. The Aztecs averaged 6.5 yards per play in their final two games of the year against bowl squads from Air Force and UNLV.
* Third downs, as usual, will be critical. A year ago, San Diego State converted just 30 percent of its third-down plays into first downs, including just 10 of its last 51 attempts.
He's Baack
After an injury-plagued 2000 campaign, Doak Walker candidate Larry Ned will be out to re-assert himself as the premiere running back in the Mountain West Conference in 2001. He gets his first chance versus Arizona, a team he has fared well against in previous two meetings. * In two games vs. Desert Swarm, Ned has carried the ball 62 times for 231 yards, an average of just under four yards per carry and 115.5 yards per game.
* Ned broke off his first collegiate 100-yard performance as a sophomore against Arizona, Sept. 24, 1998, when he rushed for 146 yards on 33 attempts and a touchdown. The performance, which came during his first career start, opened a four-game streak of 100-yard outings by Ned, who became the first Aztec in 34 years (Jim Allison, 1964) to rush for 100-plus yards in each of his first four starts.
* San Diego State's leading rusher for the past two seasons, Ned has gained 2,038 rushing yards on 463 carries (4.4 ypc) in his three-year Aztec career and ranks ninth in yardage and sixth in attempts all-time at San Diego State. He needs 806 yards this season to surpass No. 2 Jonas Lewis, who gained 2,843 yards as an Aztec from (1996-99). Marshall Faulk (1991-93) is SDSU's all-time leading rusher with 4,589.
* Ned has seven 100-plus yard rushing games for his career.
Like A Fine Wine
San Diego State Quarterback Lon Sheriff may have gotten off to a slow start when he was thrust into the starting role as a sophomore last season, but as with all quality products the 6-3 signal caller only got better with time.
* After not cracking 200 yards passing in his first two starts behind center versus Arizona and Oregon State, Sheriff was a new man once he got some snaps under his belt. Sheriff had his break out game in start No. 3 at Wyoming, passing for 317 yards and a touchdown en route to MWC Player-of-the-Week honors. He would go on to pass for at least 239 yards in four of the last five games of the year, including a career best 393 yards against league-champ Colorado State and 328 yards vs. bowl-bound UNLV.
* Sheriff ended the year as the Mountain West's top passer in conference play, averaging 264.4 yards per game. He was also the league champ in total offense, finishing with 1,744 yards.
* Sheriff also proved capable in crunch time, leading the Aztecs to come-from-behind road victories at New Mexico and BYU.
Must Be A Toll Call
Derrick Lewis didn't get off to a steller start in 2000, but over the final five games of the season there may not have been a hotter receiver in the country. Lewis, who led the nation with a 25.2 yards-per-catch average, cracked the 100-yard mark in four of the season's final five games, including 138 yards at Air Force and 153 yards against UNLV in the season's final two games.
* Lewis' numbers have been even more impressive on his seven touchdown receptions, which have averaged 57.4 yards over his two-year career.
Mr. 7-11
Wide receiver J.R. Tolver was just like 7-11 last season -- always open. When the Aztecs needed a go-to guy, more often than not it was Tolver, who led the Mountain West in receptions per game with a 6.57 average.
*For the season, Tolver accounted for over 30 percent of San Diego State's receptions (62-of-194) and 32 percent of the Aztecs' total aerial yardage (808-of-2,501).
* Tolver, who last season ranked 31st nationally in receptions per game (5.6) and 40th in receiving yards per game (73.5), enters the opener with a string of seven straight games with at least six receptions.
* Neither Tolver nor Derrick Lewis played receiver in high school. Tolver, who prepped locally at Mira Mesa HS was a quarterback, while Lewis did not even play high school football.
Breakfast, Anyone?
San Diego State's offensive line will be anchored by returning all-Mountain West guard David Moreno. In just his first year of Division I action, Moreno started all 11 games for the Aztecs and graded out at a team-leading 86 percent for the year, including rating over 90 percent in each of the final four games of 2000. Moreno was also credited with a team-leading 33 "pancake" blocks as a junior.
The Butler Did It
He wasn't listed in the San Diego State media guide last season, but no player had more of an impact during 2000 than Jomar Butler. An unlikely hero who missed all of the 1999 season after an injury-plagued and academically challenging freshman campaign, he exploded on the scene as a junior, ending the year as SDSU's team MVP and earning second-team all-league accolades.
* A 2001 preseason all-conference selection by the leagues coaches, Butler was the MWC's third-leading tackler last season with 112 stops, 86 of which were solo, despite not seeing regular playing time until game three at Arizona.
* Butler's finished 2000 with five double-digit tackle performance, including a staggering 19 at Air Force and 17 at New Mexico.
The Robles Rules
Every college football player has things they need to keep track of in their lives ... class, schedules, homework assignments, responsibilities with football, etc. But SDSU linebacker Dylan Robles has to track something that's a little more serious ... his blood-sugar level. Robles, who is the Aztecs' starting outside linebacker, lives with diabetes, follows a strict diet and checks his blood-sugar regularly. It apparently hasn't slowed him down much, however, as the Poway High School and Palomar Junior College product appeared in all 11 games a year ago (six as a starter), recorded 63 total tackles and led the Aztecs in sacks with five.
* Robles also recorded a pair of double-digit tackle games during 2000, included a 15-stop outing at New Mexico that earned him Mountain West Conference Player-of-the-Week honors. San Diego State-Arizona Connections
* San Diego State linebackers coach Charlie Camp played linebacker on Arizona's "Desert Swarm" defense from 1991-95. Camp was a member of the 1993 top-10 Wildcat team that went 10-2 and defeated Miami 29-0 in the IBM OS/2 Fiesta Bowl.
* Arizona freshman fullback Antoine Singfield's relative Henry Allison played football for the Aztecs from 1969-70. Allison, a first-team All-American selection by The Sporting News, Time Magazine and Newspaper Enterprise Association, later played in the NFLfor the Eagles, Rams and Broncos.
* Six San Diego State players hail from the Grand Canyon state. Senior defensive end Andrew Brigham (Scottsdale, Ariz.), junior running back Garric Simmons (Glendale, Ariz.) and freshmen linebacker Stephen Larsen (Chandler, Ariz.), long snapper Casey Naylor (Phoenix), defensive end Jason Perry (Apache Junction, Ariz.) and quarterback Jon Stoner (Glendale, Ariz) call Arizona home.
* A host of Arizona players are from the Golden State. Wildcats who call San Diego home include Tyrone Brown (Morse), David Hinton(Lincoln Prep), Johnny Jackson (St. Augustine), Brandon Marshall (Oceanside), Ray Wells (Mt. Miguel)Jarvie Worcester (La Jolla) and Brad Brittain (Torrey Pines).
* Arizona's most recent bowl appearance came in the 1998 Holiday Bowl in Qualcomm Stadium. The Wildcats defeated Nebraska, 23-20.
Demps Looking For Repeat Performance
Though he finished as the Aztecs' second-leading tackler a year ago with 97 stops and had four double-figure tackle performances, Demps may have played his best game in the season opener versus Arizona State. The one-time walk-on was credited with 15 tackles, including three behind the line of scrimmage, and was named the conference's player of the week.
* Demps would go on to emerged as one of the Mountain West's top defensive backs in 2000, earning first-team all-conference honors and posting double-digit stops against BYU (11), Air Force (17) and UNLV (14). He enters 2001 as a preseason all-MWC selection by the league's coaches.
Preseason Accolades
Four Aztecs have been named to the Mountain West preseason team by the league's coaches. Senior David Moreno, a 2000 second-team all-conference selection, teamed with classmate Larry Ned on the offensive side of the ball. Receiving the nod on defense were senior linebacker Jomar Butler, the Aztecs' team MVP from a year ago, and 2000 first-team all-MWC choice senior safety Will Demps.
More Preseason Honors
Below is a quick look at Aztecs that have garnered preseason awards from various magazines.
Defensive Lineman Sagan Atuatasi
Second-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP Linebacker Jomar Butler First-team all-Mountain West, MWC Media First-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's First-team all-Mountain West, The Sporting News First-team all-Mountain West, Street and Smith's Second-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Safety Will Demps
First-team all-Mountain West, MWC Media First-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's First-team all-Mountain West, The Sporting News First-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP First-team all-Mountain West, Street and Smith's
Defensive Lineman Jerome Haywood
First-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's First-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP First-team all-Mountain West, Street and Smith's
Linebacker Loo Heather
First-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Offensive Lineman Mike Houghton
First-team all-Mountain West, Street and Smith's Second-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's Third-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Kicker Tommy Kirovski
Second-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Wide Receiver Derrick Lewis
Second-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's Second-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP Kicker Returner, Second-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Tight End Gray McNeill
Second-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's First-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Offensive Lineman David Moreno
First-team all-Mountain West, MWC Media First-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's First-team all-Mountain West, The Sporting News Third-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Running Back Larry Ned
First-team all-Mountain West, MWC Media Second-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's No. 5 Player in Mountain West, Lindy's First-team all-Mountain West, The Sporting News
Defensive Back Ricky Sharpe
First-team all-Mountain West, Street and Smith's Third-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Quarterback Lon Sheriff
Second-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's Third-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Punter Brian Simnjanovski
Second-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's Second-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP
Wide Receiver J.R. Tolver
First-team all-Mountain West, Lindy's First-team all-Mountain West, Street and Smith's Second-team all-Mountain West, 2001 CFP