San Diego State can only hope Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, known for crafting quarterbacks, had tongue firmly in cheek last week when he announced his intentions for the Irish offense this season.
“We're going to pound it,” Weis said.
Uh-oh.
His defensive front decimated by a litany of injuries, coach Chuck Long said yesterday that SDSU may be forced to employ linebackers at defensive line spots when the Aztecs visit South Bend, Ind., on Saturday in Notre Dame's season opener.
The Irish average 315 pounds across the offensive front. In last week's season-opening loss to Cal Poly, the Aztecs' defensive line averaged 270. Of course, that was before starting defensive end Tony DeMartinis was lost for the season with torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments. It also was before true freshman defensive tackle Jerome Long and sophomore defensive end Eric Ikonne suffered ankle sprains, junior defensive end Ryan Williams endured a concussion and sophomore nose tackle Ernie Lawson aggravated a lingering foot injury.
“I don't want to sound hypocritical,” Weis told the Chicago Sun Times, “(but) ever since I've been here, I've wanted to pound the football and we haven't.”
It's doubtful the Irish ever will be offered a better opportunity. SDSU, which finished 118th among the nation's 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams last year against the rush, surrendered 263 yards on the ground against Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) Cal Poly. The Mustangs finished with 483 total yards.
And while Notre Dame was brutal offensively last year, ranking last in the nation in total offense and 115th in rushing, the Aztecs are largely operating with one arm tied behind their backs and the other in a sling. Before the conclusion of fall camp, SDSU already had lost defensive tackles Neil Spencer (shoulder) and Avery Williams (knee) for the season.
Yesterday, the Aztecs briefly experimented with using senior Russell Allen at an end spot, with senior Zach Clarke filling Allen's strong-side linebacker position. True freshman J.J. Autele could also figure into the mix at right defensive end behind Williams.
Projected as one of the team's starters at tackle, senior Siaosi Fifita (knee) again was held out of practice yesterday, as were Jerome Long and Ikonne, both of whom wore protective boots. Long is expected to practice today, but Ikonne likely will miss Saturday's game.
Familiar ground
In falling to Cal Poly for the second time in three years, SDSU dropped its fourth straight season opener. The Aztecs had been hoping that a revamped nonconference schedule, largely free of BCS schools, would allow them to gain confidence in the early going.
“Losing is a tough thing to get through,” Chuck Long said. “The first day I was here I knew it was going to be a challenge. But I do know we're on the right track. . . .
“Obviously, you want to follow everything else you do in trying to build a program, and we will build a class program where wins will follow. Anytime you have a loss or go through seasons like we did the past two years, it's tough. You want to see a little light at the end of the tunnel.”
Extra points
Junior tailback
Atiyyah Henderson, who missed the opener with a hamstring pull, resumed practicing yesterday . . . Long was impressed by the play of left tackle
Peter Nelson on Saturday, making it unlikely that the former defensive tackle would return to defense despite the team's injury situation.
Mick McGrane: (619) 293-1850; mick.mcgrane@uniontrib.com
