Titans’ Defense Planning a Rush Party Against San Diego State

The lesson of the week for Cal State Fullerton’s defense has been the pass rush. The test is tonight, when the Titans take on San Diego State and Dan McGwire, the Aztecs’ 6-foot-8 quarterback, at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

McGwire, brother of Oakland Athletics’ first baseman Mark McGwire, has been sacked only twice in two games and has passed for 647 yards. Fullerton has yet to face a quarterback of his ability this season, and certainly not one of his stature.

Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy jokes that it would take Fullerton basketball players just to get a hand in McGwire’s face.

Gary Spielbuehler, the defensive line coach, is more straightforward.

“I just hope we can get to him,” Spielbuehler said.

This is Fullerton’s last chance for a victory against a Division I team in its four-game nonconference schedule. After three games, the Titans are 1-2, the only victory over Division II Cal State Northridge.

The consolation for the Titans is that they play their first Big West Conference game next Saturday. As poorly as Fullerton has done in nonconference games in recent years, the Titans have remained competitive in the conference--which is good for the Titans but not flattering for the conference.

San Diego State (0-2) is just trying to get a victory.

The Aztecs were embarrassed in in their season-opening 52-36 loss to Air Force, then just missed upsetting UCLA last week when the Bruins scored in the final three minutes to win, 28-25.

To the Aztecs, Fullerton looks like a victory waiting to be won.

“Everybody thinks we will win (this) football game,” San Diego State Coach Al Luginbill said. “I just want to win a football game. We need to sing our fight song in the locker room, which is what we do when we win. We know it; we just haven’t had a chance to sing it.”

San Diego State still puzzles some observers after two games, but not Murphy.

“People say UCLA is down,” Murphy said. “I think San Diego State is up.”

Fullerton has struggled with mistakes in its first three games. The Titans turned over the ball seven times in a 42-14 loss to Colorado State last week, and are minus-eight in turnovers.

Quarterback Dan Speltz particularly has struggled, throwing nine interceptions.

“I think we’ve played hard, but we’ve made so many mistakes,” Murphy said. “I just hope we improve as a football team.”

Fullerton hasn’t had much success getting to opposing quarterbacks this season, in part because the Titans have faced some scramblers.

Fullerton has four sacks in three games.

John Bavaro, the Fullerton nose guard who signed at San Diego State out of community college but never played a game there, is the team’s leading tackler for losses with six.

Bavaro knows McGwire presents a challenge.

“You’ve just got to get in there,” Bavaro said. “He’s too tall for you to block his passes. You’ve got to get his mind off throwing. You have to get him worried about getting hit.”

Bavaro also knows there are some Aztec players who remember his sudden departure for personal reasons in 1987.

“People need something to focus on during a game,” he said. “It’s gonna be me, I think.”

Titan Notes

San Diego State has dominated the series against Fullerton, winning all three meetings by a combined score of 120-45. The most lopsided victory was 59-14 in 1975. The Aztecs also defeated Fullerton in ’76 and ’77. . . . Dan McGwire’s Claremont High School coach was Bob Baiz Sr., father of Fullerton reserve safety Bob Baiz. . . . Fullerton is 3-14 against Western Athletic Conference teams, all on the road. The victories are against Hawaii, Wyoming and Colorado State. . . . Fullback Tim Byrnes has taken over as the starting tight end, beating out Bill Brennan and Mike Kent.