Aztec Defense Makes Difference : College football: Scoring actually is down this season, altering the image of the offensive-minded Western Athletic Conference.

SAN DIEGO —  Notice those scores Saturday in the Western Athletic Conference?

Air Force scored 20 points--and won. San Diego State scored 24--and won. In that game, the Aztecs and Utah Utes were tied, 7-7, at halftime despite numerous scoring opportunities. Wyoming and Colorado State were separated by seven points.

Only Brigham Young, playing New Mexico, scored a WAC-like 41. And BYU only led by seven points at the half.

Those who’ve been paying attention this season are catching on: The WAC is playing defense.

The Utah defense, which has given up 66 points to SDSU and 70 to BYU in recent seasons, has been ranked in the top 10 nationally this year.

SDSU Coach Al Luginbill was shocked last week at Texas El Paso when one of his wide receivers, apparently on the way to a touchdown, was caught from behind.

“Usually in the WAC, if you had a kid that fast he’d be on offense. The conference is flipping,” Luginbill said after a recent practice. “Everyone’s playing defense. You’re not seeing scores like you’ve seen in the WAC. We’re taking better athletes and putting them on defense. The athletes in our conference have usually been on the offensive side of the ball.”

When BYU surged into national contention, Luginbill asserted, the offense got all the notice but the Cougars played good defense. “BYU’s secret in all those successful years was their defense,” he said.

In Salt Lake City, where the Utah program is getting better, the player being pushed for postseason honors is linebacker Anthony Davis.

The Aztecs’ defense on Saturday held the Utes on downs in the final minute to preserve a 24-21 victory. On Utah’s fourth-down play, receivers from each side converged toward the center of the field, with several Aztec defenders covering closely. They went for the ball and collided inside the five, leaving defensive back Robert Griffith and linebacker Lou Foster shaken and one Utah receiver dazed.

It typified the intensity Luginbill said WAC teams have been demonstrating on defense lately.

The victory improved SDSU’s record to 6-2, 4-1 in the WAC. BYU remains unbeaten in conference play, SDSU and Air Force have one loss apiece as all three remain in the running for a Holiday Bowl bid. The Aztecs play their next three WAC games at home, facing Wyoming on Saturday, Colorado State the following week and closing conference play Nov. 16 against BYU.

Don’t look for many traditional WAC shootouts down the stretch. Defense is in. “The diversity in this conference is still the thing,” Luginbill said. “(But) People are making a commitment to defense.”

Running back T.C. Wright said the lively race and lower scores “are a tribute to the WAC. The WAC is playing good football. You can get beaten on any given day. There’s not just one great team anymore. A play here or there, (Utah) could be in our shoes. It’s a very competitive conference.”

The outlook was bleak for the Aztecs in the second half Saturday, when Utah took a 21-10 lead as the SDSU offense sputtered. The Aztecs suffered a potentially costly blow when 275-pound freshman offensive lineman Louie Zumstein limped off the field early in the third period with a sprained ankle.

But little-used sophomore Mark Koenig came in and picked up the slack. He was one of several players singled out by Luginbill after Saturday’s game as “people we weren’t counting on who came up big.” In fact, the Aztecs drove 61 yards and scored a field goal shortly after Koenig entered.

Tight end Ray Rowe said Koenig “stepped in for Louie, and he didn’t have that scared look in his eyes. He was getting everybody pumped up in the huddle.”

Luginbill says the offensive line has been the team’s secret weapon all season. On Saturday, they dominated Utah, consistently opening holes for freshman running back Wayne Pittman, who gained 153 yards, and protecting quarterback David Lowery, who passed for 308 yards. Utah leads the WAC in sacks, but the line kept the pressure off Lowery.

And all that was accomplished without 340-pound Carlson Leomiti, who was home with a sore ankle.

“The secret to us is our offensive line,” Luginbill said. “We can talk about all our skill people but (the line) has played well against everybody, including UCLA, and at times they’ve played extremely well.”

Zumstein sustained ankle contusions, and his status is day-to-day.

The Aztecs hope to have Leomiti back in uniform for Wyoming.

Freshman running back Marshall Faulk will begin running today and return to practice Tuesday, although he has not been cleared to participate in contact drills. Faulk, who sustained fractured ribs and a punctured lung Oct. 12 against Nex Mexico, is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game.

Patrick Rowe’s NCAA record of nine consecutive games with at least 100 yards receiving, set last season, was surpassed Saturday by the University of Pacific’s Aaron Turner in UOP’s 27-20 victory over New Mexico State.

Running back T.C. Wright returned kicks, ran three times for 26 yards and caught a touchdown pass, and said he expects to be near 100% health next week.