CNNSI.com - 2000 College Football Preview - CNNSI.com's San Diego State preview

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San Diego State Aztecs

Expect high scoring -– by someone

College Football: The New Century

'99: 5-6, 3-4 Mountain West

Coach

Ted Tollner (seventh season, 37-32; 63-52-1 overall)

Key offensive players

Jack Hawley, QB, Sr.
Had a solid spring, which is crucial to improving on mistake-filled '99.

Larry Ned, RB, Jr.
With Jonas Lewis gone, should get most of the work and perhaps 1,000 yards.

Gray McNeill, TE, Sr.
His blocking is crucial with only one other starter back; plus, he can catch.

Key defensive players

Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, DT, Sr.
With older brother gone to NFL, he'll be asked to play both tackle and end.

Ivan Maisel's Player of the Century: Marshall Faulk, RB, 1992-93
"Went from nowhere to All-American in one fall."

Brightest Moment: Watching Faulk run for a school-record 386 yards in a 55-34 victory over Pacific in 1991. The performance helped springboard Faulk to a 1,429-yard season and the Aztecs to an 8-4-1 record.

Lowest Moment: The Aztecs lost their 1957 homecoming game to the Hawaii Marines 25-0 to conclude a streak of four straight shutout losses -- the Aztecs were outscored 164-0 in the span -- that contributed to a 2-7 season under coach Paul Governali.

Jerome Haywood, DT, Jr.
Packs 280 pounds onto his 5-foot-9 body, and can get under opposing blockers.

Will Demps, SS, Jr.
Top returning tackler (39 stops last season), he's part of an uncertain secondary.

Key newcomer

Ross Marchbanks, LB, Jr.
One of 11 junior-college transfers, he's slated to start on the outside.

Throwback player

Safety Brian Russell is like players used to be -- eager to play any position possible. That's why, after trying quarterback did not work out, he moved to defense, where he is expected to start this year.

21st century player

There is not much call for it in the Aztecs' rather specialized scheme, but wide receiver Sean Pierce caught 22 passes last season and ranked among the best punt returners in the league.

Fast Fact

The Aztecs have won only one bowl game, the 1969 Pasadena Bowl over Boston University 28-7, and lost their other four appearances.

Outlook

How do you like your glass, half-empty or half-full? The Aztecs might be able to return to their wild offensive ways if Hawley has improved as much as the coaches believe he has, but will they be able to stop anybody? Defensive coordinator Claude Gilbert built the best defense in the league last year, only to retire and leave promoted assistant Ken Delgado only one full-time returning starter. The picture didn't clear up, either, when projected starting cornerback Bishop Miller was suspended while police investigated his role in an off-season shooting. What's more, the Aztecs have a schedule with six bowl teams on it, meaning it's going to be pretty tough for Tollner to do much better than break even. Remember, he's only 17-18 the last three seasons.

--Michael C. Lewis