Aztecs defense expects to shine in this darkness

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Aug. 27, 2004 | 10:06 a.m.

(Fifth in a series previewing the Mountain West Conference)

Head coach: Tom Craft, 3rd year, 10-15.

2003 record: 6-6 (3-4, tied for fourth in the Mountain West).

Returning starters: 16.

Top player: LB Kirk Morrison.

Key game: Oct. 16 vs. Colorado State.

2004 MWC media poll projection: 3rd.

Monday -- Air Force

Tuesday -- BYU

Wednesday -- Colo. State

Thursday -- New Mexico

Today -- San Diego State

Monday -- Utah

Tuesday -- Wyoming

Move over, George Steinbrenner. Your New York Yankees have some company when it comes to Star Wars analogies.

Although Steinbrenner and company are not too fond of the "Evil Empire" references that have come their way in recent years, the San Diego State Aztecs are openly promoting their switch to "The Dark Side."

In fact, gracing the back of this year's Aztecs football media guide is the phrase, "San Diego State, Episode II, The Dark Side."

In this case Aztecs coach Tom Craft is keeping his fingers crossed that the sequel is as good as the original.

The Aztecs return seven starters from their Dark Side defense, which finished eighth in the nation in total defense, allowing just 289.75 yards per game en route to a 6-6 record. That unit notched two shutouts, including a 7-0 win against UNLV, held Air Force to just a field goal, and, perhaps even more impressive, went to the Horseshoe in Columbus and yielded just 196 yards in total offense to defending national champ Ohio State.

The leaders of that Dark Side defense, so named for the black jersies the Aztecs wear at home, linebackers Kirk Morrison and Matt McCoy, both return. Morrison was named the MWC defensive player of the year by the coaches (UNLV's Jamaal Brimmer won a media poll) while McCoy edged out UNLV's Adam Seward for the conference lead in tackles with 125.

Craft must replace both starting corners as well as two defensive line starters. But the Aztecs enter 2004 with what most coaches would say is the best defense in the MWC.

"We don't expect them to be in the top 10 again," Craft told the San Diego Union-Tribune recently. "But if they're in the top 25 and we're more aggressive on offense and special teams, that should result in more wins."

Ah, the offense.

Craft came to San Diego State with a reputation for building high-powered passing attacks at perennial junior college power Palomar Junior College in San Marcos, Calif. And behind veteran quarterback Adam Hall, the Aztecs finished fifth in the nation in 2002 in passing offense.

But San Diego State finished a dismal 102nd in the nation in scoring (18.7 ppg) last fall and 97th in passing efficiency thanks in part to an ankle injury Hall suffered in the first game of the season. The team's "Air Craft" offense sputtered badly as highly touted Illinois transfer Matt Dlugolecki struggled at quarterback.

The one bright spot was the running of true freshman tailback Lynell Hamilton, who joined Marshall Faulk (1991) as the only freshman back to break the 1,000-yard rushing barrier in school history. But Hamilton's season came crashing to an end in the Aztecs' hard-fought win at UNLV on a tackle by Seward that resulted in a broken ankle and a broken leg.

Hamilton had screws and a steel plate inserted to help the injury heal. He had the screws removed during surgery in February and the plate taken out in May. His status for the upcoming season is still up in the air.

"I think if I was out there right now I'd be 70 percent," Hamilton told the Union-Tribune on Wednesday after sitting out a scrimmage. "You've got to be 100 percent to play football. If you play less than 100 percent, you get injured. That's what it's all about --- I've got to get back to 100 percent."

Speculation is that Hamilton will sit out the Aztecs' Sept. 4 opener against Idaho State. The team has a bye the following week before traveling to Michigan, which would give the injury another week to heal.

The Aztecs have solid backups at running back if Hamilton can't go in junior Michael Franklin and redshirt freshman Brandon Barnes (6-1, 230), a star on the scout team last year. But quarterback and offensive line are still major question marks.

Dlugolecki returns with another year under his belt but Craft has hinted he won't be afraid to turn to a couple of freshmen, Kevin O'Connell or Darren Mougey.

"I'm in no hurry," Craft said when asked who his starting quarterback would be. "We have a lot of positions to sort out. That's not the only one."

The offensive line, which returns just one starter in huge tackle Mike Kracalik (6-9, 325), suffered a big blow when junior center Jasper Harvey, a Rimington Award candidate, was suspended from school for the season.

And both potential starting guards, redshirt freshman Brandon Dombrowski from Green Valley High School and highly touted junior college transfer Chris Pino, have been slowed most of preseason camp by injuries.