It’s become old form for new San Diego State offensive coordinator Dave Lay: leave SDSU only to return several years later.
This is exactly what he has done on two separate occasions.
He first coached for the Aztecs during the 1978-80 season, serving as linebackers coach under current defensive coordinator Claude Gilbert. He returned to Montezuma Mesa nine years later to take on the role of offensive coordinator.
It was a role he thrived in. SDSU averaged 35.1 points per game during Lay’s stint as offensive coordinator. In his last season as coordinator in 1991, the Aztecs finished sixth in the nation in total offense and went on to play in the Freedom Bowl.
But however gaudy those numbers were, they weren’t enough to stop then-head coach Al Luginbill from firing him following that season.
Being fired led him to Fort Collins and the campus of Colorado State, where he became the Rams’ offensive coordinator and helped lead the team to back-to-back WAC championships during the 1994-1995 season.
From the outside looking in, it seemed a perfect fit.
But a part of Dave Lay wanted to return to San Diego. And when SDSU offensive coordinator Tom Craft announced he was leaving to become head coach at Palomar Junior College, Lay seemed a natural candidate.
“It was time for me to come back. I like it out here; this is kind of my area out here in San Diego,” Lay said. “My wife teaches here and I had coached with Ted (Tollner) and Claude (Gilbert) before, so it was an easy decision to come here.
“I’ve put all of the things that happened here before behind me. It’s old news and I’m over all of that.”
Along with Lay’s return as offensive coordinator came several changes in the style of play calling. The days of Tom Craft signaling in plays from the sidelines are gone, and in their place is a more structured style of offense one that features a huddle and only uses the no-huddle under certain circumstances.
“We’ll still use the no-huddle in games, but mainly just as a speed-up device,” Lay said. “The toughest thing for the players will be all of the new terminology we’ll be implementing.”
So now the biggest hurdle for the Aztecs this spring and next fall will be grasping this new offense an offense that is laying its foundation this spring for the upcoming season.
The coaching staff has decided to make the adjustment of switching offenses easier during the spring drills by not throwing too many new plays at the team.
“We’ve been taking it slow so we can get a grasp on some of the new plays,” wide receiver Az Hakim said. “The offense is different than with Craft, but it’s not too complicated and it’s been sort of easy to catch on to.
“We just need to keep on practicing the plays every day and continue working on them in the fall.”
It’s fall that will feature Dave Lay at Montezuma Mesa once again.
News and notes
Tollner said the No. 1 priority coming out of the scrimmage besides no injuries is the team’s progress.
“We need to keep on improving every day, including the scrimmage,” he said. “We don’t need any negative surprises.”
He said returning starters will be evaluated the same as new players.
“It would be just as bad if a returning starter plays bad or a new player doesn’t show improvement.”
Boys will be boys
At the beginning of this week, Tollner said he wanted to see some toughness in his players. However, he didn’t have fighting in mind.
A full-scale fight between the offense and defense in a seven-on-seven drill forced Tollner to cancel the drill. He then made his team run wind sprints and gave them a 10-minute tongue-lashing before ending practice.
“We can’t have any of that kind of stuff going on here,” Tollner said. “We just won’t allow it. If we let it go now, then we’ll have a bunch of undisciplined players on the field doing what they want.”
On the injury front
Tollner is happy with Hakim’s progress from his season-ending ankle injury. But he doesn’t expect the wide receiver to go long in tomorrow’s scrimmage.
“We’ve got to get Az over the hump,” Tollner said. “He’s actually had very good practices this week, but (yesterday) was the first day he’s been tackled. I’d like him to make a play or two in the scrimmage just so he’s used to getting hit.”
Hakim also said he’s happy with his recovery.
“It’s a little sore,” he said about his ankle. “I’m taking it day by day and getting my treatments. But I’m definitely pleased with the way it’s going.”
Sophomore running back Marty Graham isn’t quite so fortunate. Graham had his toe stepped on by one of his offensive linemen Wednesday and wasn’t suited up for practice yesterday. Tollner said he won’t participate in tomorrow’s scrimmage either.
Other players out of the scrimmage due to injury are linebacker Joe Jackson (groin), offensive lineman Ricky Austin (ankle), wide receiver Jesus Reyes (hamstring) and defensive back Sheldon Pope (knee).
