By David Cordero and Steve MullinsSports Editor and Assistant Sports Editor
COLORADO SPRINGS — While this season may be a wash, San DiegoState certainly has found themselves a pair of wide receivers tobuild on for next year.
As the season has progressed, there has been gradual improvementin the play of junior Derrick Lewis and sophomore J.R. Tolver. Weekone was a nightmare for the pair as they made a big chunk of theteam’s 10 or so dropped passes against Arizona State. Since then,they have become the players they were expected to be.
Tolver has caught 56 passes for 748 yards and Lewis has hauled in28 for 629 yards (22.5 per catch), both surpassing their 1999 totals.
“We have a lot of ability at wide receiver,” Lewis said. “I thinkwe maybe let our egos get in the way of what we were supposed to bedoing. We felt that we were just that good. Now we see what it’sreally about, making the catch, making the key block, running theroute at the right depth.”
Saturday, Lewis (four receptions, 138 yards) established himselfearly, pulling down a 47-yard bomb on the first play from scrimmage.Later in the quarter, Lewis grabbed a 50-yarder, which helped set upthe team’s first touchdown. Both plays were on deep posts and bothpasses needed more than ordinary effort to corral.
“When you have a deep post like that, you have to just lay it upto an area that gives your guy a chance to get it,” said SDSUquarterback Lon Sheriff. “Derrick went up and got them both.”
Tolver (six catches, 75 yards) ended his season-long absence fromthe end zone with 23 seconds left in the first half, snagging onesideline pass from Sheriff and putting a move to get past two AirForce defenders.
Arnold’s injury
During Friday afternoon’s walk-through, defensive end Amon Arnoldslipped on an ice puddle near the entrance of the locker room. Thesophomore fell on the side of his face and tweaked his alreadyinjured left ankle, which kept him out of the game.
Other bumps and bruises
Because Tolver twisted his ankle during Thursday’s practice, thedecision to play him was made just before kickoff. He played thefirst three quarters before suffering a minor concussion. He shouldbe OK for next week’s game.
After rushing for 25 yards on six carries, a vicious hitre-aggravated James Truvillion’s neck injury. Currently, his statusis uncertain.
Bitter cold?
Colorado’s typical mid-November weather wasn’t enough to botherthe Aztecs. Although the temperature at kickoff was 15 degrees withthe wind chill, many players performed in short sleeves.
Said linebacker Brian Berg: “It wasn’t that cold.”
Apparently it was for one fan. According to the Academy’s medicalstaff, a female cadet was treated for frostbite.
Turning point
Early in the fourth quarter, with Air Force leading 31-24, theFalcons were faced with a third-and-4. Expecting an option, thesafeties played close to the line of scrimmage. But quarterback MikeThiessen fooled everyone, faking the option, and threw to a wide-openChris Jessop for a 40-yard touchdown, giving Air Force atwo-touchdown cushion.
“By bringing up the safeties, it left us vulnerable for the optionpass,” said SDSU cornerback Brian Russell. “Thiessen faked it welland the guy was by himself. You have to be real, real disciplined topick that guy up.”
Quotable
“Man for man, they’re not better athletes than us. They don’t haveguys that can dominate us. The fact is they run their schemesprecisely, and if you make a mistake they’ll gash you.”
–Russell on the Air Force option attack
MWC Standings
Conf. Overall Colorado State Air Force SDSU UNLV Utah BYU New Mexico Wyoming 6-1 5-2 3-3 3-3 3-3 3-3 3-4 0-7 9-2 8-3 3-7 5-5 4-6 5-6 5-6 1-10
By the numbers
33 — Combined tackles by Will Demps (17) and Jomar Butler (16)
36:40 — Falcons time of possession
172 –The total number of pushups completed by the cadets afterscores by Air Force
202 — All-purpose yards by Lewis
230 — Combined rushing yards for Thiessen and Qualario Brown
418 — Falcons rushing yards
563 — Combined yards in the first half (SDSU — 282, Air Force –281)
