San Diego State still trying to right the ship

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Aug. 24, 2001 | 11:11 a.m.

Facts and figures on the San Diego State Aztecs:

Head coach: Ted Tollner (66-60-1, 12th season)

2000 record: 3-8 (3-4, tie for 5th in Mountain West Conference)

Returning starters: 20

Player to watch: RB Larry Ned

Guy they'll miss: DB Brian Russell

Key game: Sept. 22 at Colorado State

Sun projection: 5th place

Simply put, it's do or die time for Ted Tollner.

Entering his eighth year at San Diego State, the likeable Tollner has recruited some of the West Coast's top talent. However, he has just a 40-40 record and a 1998 Las Vegas Bowl bid to show for it.

Add to the fact that the Aztecs have endured losing seasons in three of the last four years, including a disappointing 8-14 mark over the last two seasons, and that his $350,000-per-year contract is only guaranteed through the end of this season, and it's easy to see why Tollner finds himself on a very hot seat entering 2001.

So why didn't Tollner bail out of San Diego in February when Butch Davis of the Cleveland Browns offered him a considerable raise to be his assistant head coach/offensive coordinator?

"For a while, I was going to leave and take the job," Tollner told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "The money and the security were guaranteed and better than I have now. They were even going to pay the buyout of my contract ... You know, I've been doing this 40 years and it would have meant a lot to my retirement. I also love the challenge of the NFL. It's an exciting place to be."

But Tollner turned it all down for one more shot at turning things around in what has been billed as America's most liveable city.

"I kept coming back to one thing: I came here wanting to play and beat these good schools and get this program to a level where it is a respected, legitimate Division I-A program," Tollner said. "Well, we have been given the opportunity to prove it this year and I want to take advantage of it."

It also doesn't hurt that Tollner welcomes back 20 starters to what arguably could be the conference's most talented team.

Senior running back Larry Ned has drawn rave reviews in fall camp after being slowed by knee and shoulder injuries in the 2000 season. And he will be surrounded by an experienced crew that includes 1999 all-MWC first team tight end Gray McNeill, who was lost in the second game last season with a knee injury, and two NFL-caliber wide receivers in senior Derrick Lewis and junior J.R. Tolver.

Lon Sheriff, who shredded UNLV's defense for 328 yards and one touchdown before throwing a game-deciding interception to Amar Brisco in the final minute, returns at quarterback.

The defense, which allowed a respectable 350.2 yards and 24.8 points per game, also is experienced and could emerge as one of the Mountain West's best. Senior linebacker Jomar Butler returns after leading the MWC in tackles with 113 as does first team all-MWC safety Will Demps. And the Aztec defensive line, led by tackles Jerome Hayward and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, is as deep as any in the conference.

The big questions are whether the Aztecs can avoid the injury bug that plagued them last year as well as whether they can survive another challenging non-conference schedule that includes a Aug. 30 home game against Arizona and back-to-back road games at Arizona State and Ohio State.

The players, apparently aware of the talk that Tollner's job could be on the line, seem determined to make sure they do their part.

"The speculation about (Tollner's job) is only motivation for us to go out and work harder for the man," Tolver said. "He is always preaching to us about having class and taking care of our responsibilities and being good teammates and treating people right and sticking together as a family. When it came down to it, he practiced what he preaches. He could have easily left for a better job and a lot more money for his family. But he didn't."

Only time will tell whether Tollner made the right move.

This is the fifth in a series of stories previewing the 2001 MWC football teams. Monday: Utah.