AZTECS UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : SDSU’s Transition to Irvine Going Smoothly, Luginbill Says

IRVINE â€”  The Aztecs had their first practice at UC Irvine Sunday in preparation for next Monday’s Freedom Bowl, and Coach Al Luginbill said the transition from SDSU to Irvine went well.

“I felt we did the things we’ve talked about, and that’s focusing five hours a day on football,� Luginbill said. “Our team did that today. If we continue to do so, we will play well on the 30th.�

The Aztecs are happy with UC Irvine’s facilities and practice fields.

“They’re great,� Luginbill said. “We couldn’t ask for anything any better. The courtesy has been what everyone told us it would be. That’s why the Freedom Bowl is one of the ones people like to go to.�

People talk about youth on SDSU’s football team. But how about the Aztecs’ coach? This is Luginbill’s first bowl game as the head man.

“As a head coach, I don’t do anything differently,� said Luginbill, who participated in three Fiesta Bowls as an assistant at Arizona State. “I’m going to do the same things that got us here.�

There was one thing differently Luginbill nearly did, though. Attempting to shore up a defense that was 103rd in the nation out of 106 Division I teams--and a secondary that has allowed 1,084 passing yards in its past two games--he said he nearly un-redshirted defensive backs Michael Landry and John McCartney for the Freedom Bowl. Both players are in their first seasons after sitting out last year because they didn’t meet NCAA admission standards.

After thinking about it, though, Luginbill decided against it.

“We came close, but we didn’t feel it would be fair to them or to the team,� Luginbill said.

There was one glitch, though, with SDSU’s move to Irvine. Offensive coordinator Dave Lay and assistant head coach Dan Underwood got lost on the 10-minute drive from the team hotel to UC Irvine and arrived at practice about 35 minutes late. . . . After practice Sunday morning, the Aztecs departed for team day at Disneyland.