AZTEC NOTEBOOK / DANA HADDAD : Bulldogs Tough Foe for SDSU

Al Luginbill’s pleas for a more spirited effort against Hawaii paid off in a 52-28 victory Saturday, and the residuals were obvious Tuesday.

At their first practice since the do-or-die victory that kept their Holiday Bowl hopes alive, the Aztecs were screaming and growling. There was even a fight.

But now that he has transformed SDSU to Enthusiasm U, Luginbill warns that beating Hawaii was the easy part. This week’s “must win” must come against Fresno State: the nation’s No. 1 scoring team.

“They’re the best offensive football team we’ve played since BYU,” Luginbill said. “Up front, they’re very physical on their offensive line. But we’ve become very physical on our defensive front. There’s going to be some wars going on up front.

“We’ve got to get pressure on (Bulldog quarterback Trent) Dilfer. You let him sit there, he’s going to drill us. He’s got really good pocket awareness. He steps around blitzers, steps around pressure, then finds things that are open down field.”

Fresno State averages 39.8 points per game, highest in Division I, and is fourth in total offense per game (473.4). Dilfer has thrown for 2,317 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading a precision offense that has scored 43 of the 46 times it has had possession inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

The Bulldogs have also rushed for 1,969 yards--62 more than the Marshall Faulk-led Aztecs. At stake for Fresno State (6-4, 4-2 in the Western Athletic Conference) are potential Freedom Bowl and Copper Bowl berths and a slight chance at the Holiday Bowl.

“They have nine starters back on offense,” Luginbill said. “All their receivers are back, all their tight ends are back. They lost one running back.”

Luginbill called Dilfer a smaller, quicker, more athletic Dan McGwire. With the Bulldogs gobbling up yards and racking up points at such a clip, Luginbill said the Aztec offense will have to use the clock and SDSU’s special teams can’t afford to be generous with field position.

And with the kickoff being moved up to 12:30 p.m. from 6:05 p.m. because of a live telecast by ABC, the Aztecs (5-3-1, 5-2) can’t afford to be groggy in the first quarter. The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents, 159-49, in the opening 15 minutes.

SDSU punter Scott Oatvall is scheduled to be examined by a heart specialist today, said SDSU trainer Brian Barry. Oatsvall, a senior who collapsed and stopped breathing for two minutes on the sidelines near the end of the Hawaii game, has had only negative results to a battery of tests to determine the cause.

Barry said Oatsvall, 22, took a treadmill test Tuesday and was examined by a cardiologist and a neurologist under the supervision of team physician Dr. Jeff Anthony. So far, no evidence has been found to indicate Oatsvall’s trauma was caused by anything but severe back spasms.

Oatsvall watched practice Tuesday and said he felt fine. Barry said Oatsvall plans to resume punting today. His status is day to day.

In other injuries, Barry said nose tackle Turaj Smith (left great toe dislocation) is doubtful for Saturday, but tight end Marc Ziegler (right hip contusion), linebacker Terrill Steen (right knee sprain) and defensive end Ramondo Stallings (sprained left ankle) are all probable.

Stallings, who was injured Oct. 31 against Colorado State, momentarily took out his frustrations on running back Joe Abdullah during a scrimmage before teammates and coaches intervened. The two got into a shoving match before Stallings, a 6-foot-7, 280-pound junior, pounced on the redshirt freshman (6-0, 200).

“I haven’t played in a long time and I can’t wait for Saturday,” Stallings said. “I’m just kind of (angry) at myself. My ankle is still not 100%.”

During a question-and-answer session with Luginbill on a local radio station Tuesday, one caller--identifying himself as a former teammate of SDSU punter Jason Savorn at Rancho Cordova High--asked if Savorn was still on the team.

Luginbill said Savorn, who was replaced by Oatsvall, is the No. 2 punter who now covers on kickoffs.

The caller was heartened by the news, adding that Savorn is “a little loose upstairs.”

Luginbill’s hasty reply: “Jason marches to the beat of several drummers.”