San Diego State University Aztecs at SDCCU Stadium
Now that the NFL's Chargers have cleared out of town, the Aztecs are the principal tenant of SDCCU Stadium (formerly known as Qualcomm Stadium, formerly known as Jack Murphy Stadium, formerly known as San Diego Stadium). The stadium sits about five miles from the SDSU campus. Designed for pro crowds, SDCCU Stadium offers a loose fit for the light-drawing Aztecs, who make up for it with an entertaining brand of mostly nighttime football.
The team's trademark is its all-black uniform, which dates back to the era of coach Don Coryell. The mascot is the Aztec Warrior, and a "warrior shield" accompanies the team on the sidelines, to be held aloft after victories during the fight song. About two hours before kickoff, the players accompany the Marching Aztecs and members of the spirit squad on the Warrior Walk from the stadium's parking lot to the tunnel leading out onto the field.
San Diego State University Aztecs Football History
The first San Diego State football game was in 1921, but the history of Aztecs football began in earnest with coach Don Coryell, one of the greatest innovators ever to walk a sideline. Coryell took over as coach in 1961, leading San Diego State to undefeated seasons in 1966 and 1968 in the NCAA's small-college division and in 1969 at the NCAA's top level. Instead of competing directly with college football's big schools, he built his program by doing the things they tended not to do. He recruited heavily from junior colleges, and on offense he took to the air rather than play the game on the ground. The Aztecs produced a number of NFL quarterbacks during his time on campus: Don Horn, Jesse Freitas, Dennis Shaw and 1980 NFL MVP Brian Sipe. Coryell decamped for the NFL in 1973, and his radical emphasis on the passing game came to be known as the Air Coryell offense.
If Coryell put San Diego State on the map, it was Marshall Faulk who left an indelible mark. A nimble-footed, soft-handed running back, in 1991 Faulk recorded one of the best freshman seasons in college football history, rushing for 1,429 yards and 23 total touchdowns, while scoring 140 points in all. As a junior, in his final season, Faulk did a bit of everything, running for 1,530 yards and catching 47 passes for 640 yards. In 1994, Faulk was the second overall pick in the NFL draft.
