AZTEC NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : Miami Coach Erickson Receives Death Threat

By SCOTT MILLER

Nov. 29, 1992 12 AM PT

SAN DIEGO — As if things weren’t crazy enough during No. 1 Miami’s 63-17 pummeling of San Diego State on Saturday night, someone telephoned a death threat directed at Hurricane Coach Dennis Erickson during the fourth quarter.

Security was beefed up significantly after the game, but Erickson left the stadium without incident.

“It came down in the fourth quarter,” Erickson said. “Somebody called.”

Erickson’s reaction?

“I noticed all of the other coaches getting away from me pretty fast,” he said.

And you thought U2’s Zoo TV tour left town a couple of weeks ago. If Saturday night in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium wasn’t a zoo, then it was a circus.

Either way. . . .

The Aztecs get whipped. Something called the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile arrives on the field during the second quarter. It is carrying the San Diego Chicken. And to top it off, there are two benches-clearing brawls.

SDSU offensive lineman Tony Nichols started the first one when he shoved Miami’s Jessie Armstead after Armstead tackled Aztec quarterback David Lowery near the sideline.

Nichols said Lowery was out of bounds; television replays seemed to show he wasn’t quite out.

“As offensive linemen, we protect our quarterback,” Nichols said. “When (Miami) hits somebody like that, stuff is going to happen.”

The referees did not call Armstead for a late hit on the play.

“I just couldn’t believe that,” Nichols said. “He was about a yard out of bounds.”

The second brawl was instigated by Miami defensive lineman Mark Caesar and SDSU offensive lineman Carlson Leomiti.

“I was picking up my quarterback and he shoved me from behind,” Leomiti said. “To me, that’s chicken.”

Caesar tackled Lowery, said he and Lowery were exchanging words when Leomiti pushed him.

Caesar said he looked at Leomiti and said, “I ran right through you.”

Then, Caesar said, Leomiti spit in his face.

The only ejection of the evening was SDSU receiver DeAndre Maxwell. His came in the second brawl for hitting Zev Lumelski.

Aside from Marshall Faulk, who sat the game out with an injured knee, the Aztecs lost two more players.

Back-up center Chris Rodahoffer, starting for Mike Alexander, went down in the fourth quarter with a neck sprain. X-rays showed no spinal damage.

Lowery left with a bruised leg in the third quarter. To add insult to injury, Miami’s Ryan McNeil intercepted Lowery’s pass on the play and returned it 36 yards to make it 49-10, Miami.

Ray Peterson caught the first touchdown pass of his career, a 36-yarder from Tim Gutierrez in the third quarter.

Of course, that only made the score 49-17, Miami.

“Seems like the best things happen to me at the worst times,” Peterson said.

He’s got a point. During last week’s loss to Fresno State, Peterson returned a punt a school-record 92 yards for a touchdown.

Trivia note: Peterson’s catch was also Gutierrez’s first career touchdown pass.