4th year head coach Ron Caragher is hoping to put last year’s 4-7 season behind him. With an overall record of 22-9, Caragher took a program which reached elite levels in the Pioneer League under Jim Harbaugh and carried the tradition through two seasons. Last year, injuries and defections at quarterback led to a collapse midseason which the Toreros could not escape.

In 2010, a toughened defense and some exciting skill players on offense have USD thinking about a return to contention. The season opener for the Toreros will be Saturday at 6pm against Azusa Pacific. We’ll preview USD’s season all week long on 619Sports.Net, starting with this 1-on-1 video interview with the Toreros’ head coach:

Seven thoughts on the seventh day…

1) Small tweaks are starting to add up to a defensive problem for the Padres.  I’m not worried about their current three-game losing streak.  Heck, by the time you read this column, their Sunday magic may have already put a winning touch to the weekend.  But I am worried about how this team’s defense is shaping up for the playoffs.

Losing Tony Gwynn to a broken hamate bone has turned out to be a bigger blow than expected to the Padres’ mojo.  While Chris Denorfia has been swinging an almost ridiculously hot bat during the summer, he is clearly not the equal of Gwynn defensively.  Gwynn’s speed and range were Gold Glove-caliber, while Deno is average at best and leaves his feet too much, turning hits into triples.

Miguel Tejada has hit well, played with passion and seemingly over-achieved defensively at shortstop.  What was supposed to be a major issue for the Padres has been a pleasant surprise so far.  But Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Philly contained a play I’ve been waiting to see for a while.

In the fifth with a runner at second base and one out, Tejada was challenged defensively…to his left.  He had made a couple of nice plays in the hole to his right so far, but I hadn’t seen him make a rangy play to his left.  Shane Victorino hit a ground ball up the middle which I’m convinced Everth Cabrera would have caught…probably Jerry Hairston Jr. as well pre-shin splints.  Tejada dove and couldn’t get it, and the Phillies were on the board.

It’s just one play.  But while Tejada’s solid positioning and strong arm have served him well so far at shortstop, you can’t escape the fact that his range is limited.  Baseball saw this two years ago, so the Padres might as well keep their eyes open.  David Eckstein is a similar player at second base.  He’ll make the play on everything he catches, but some balls are going to get through.

Center field, shortstop, second base…the most important defensive positions on the diamond, and right now the Padres are average at best.  Hairston had defended well at both short and second this year, but his range had seemingly decreased in recent weeks as well.  Now Jerry’s out of the lineup for some time defensively, meaning it’s Tejada or nada at shortstop, and Eck all the way at second base.  Keep an eye on this as the season continues into October.

Note: in Sunday’s starting lineup, Will Venable is starting in center, as Chris Denorfia has a sore back.  I’d like to see Bud Black try out Venable more in center in the coming weeks.  If you’re not going to have Gwynn’s services available, Venable has the most range of the remaining Padres outfielders.

Six more thoughts, including a Chargers/Saints review and an unbelievable story from Del Mar, after the jump:

2)

Along the same lines, defense will prevent the Giants from making a run at the Padres.  San Francisco came into the season with a team very similar to San Diego.  Great pitching, solid defense in the outfield, and very questionable hitting.  Giants’ GM Brian Sabean and Padres’ GM Jed Hoyer each had to decide how to approach their respective team’s struggling lineups.

He's "Pat the Bat" but his glove ain't all that

Sabean made the choice to revamp from the outside, and each move he’s made has crippled the Giants’ defense.  Pat Burrell is a DH in left field, and Jose Guillen is one of the worst defensive outfielders around in terms of range.  Around the infield, there are no standouts and a couple of louts (I’m looking at you, Kung Fu Panda).

Any wonder this team just played a 12-11 game at home, where they committed five errors?  Combined with the struggles of their starting pitchers (and of course, the problems are inter-related) and you’ve got a team which is collapsing on multiple fronts.

3) Things I liked from the Chargers game on Friday night:

• Ryan Mathews (again)
• Ball-control offense
• Run defense (mostly)

The combination of Cam Thomas and Vaughn Martin give the Chargers legit beef on the defensive line.  If Ron Rivera can manage the substitution patterns he wants to get the right matchups on the field, the Bolts could be better up front than anticipated.  I expect lots of teams to do what the Saints did on Friday, which was to go hurry-up and try to limit San Diego’s ability to substitute.

Mathews is going to make this offense so much better, it’s not even funny.  We’ll have another Chargers video up later tonight on this subject, but his 3rd-and-1 sweep for 16 yards is just another on the list of “wow” moments the rookie has already provided in preseason.

His biggest contribution, though, will come in the natural fight and desire he brings to gain those extra couple of yards.  L.T. used to fight for yards like that when he came into the NFL, but time (and thousands upon thousands of hits) led Tomlinson to seek the safety of the sideline or the ground on contact.  I’m sure a veteran running back calls it “being smart”.

Mathews doesn’t know better yet, and that will give the Chargers offense those 3rd-and-3’s which were once 3rd-and-6.

4) Things I didn’t like from the Chargers game on Friday night:

• Stupid penalties (again)
• Pass rush (as usual)
• Cason on the corner

Can this Chargers team be a championship-level defense?  I believe Eric Weddle when he says the defensive secondary is playing together in a way they haven’t seen in years.  I believe what I see up front, even while knowing there are no obvious stars in the group.  But the linebacking corps looks like the same old group of rascals that could cost the Bolts a big game.

Is Shaun Phillips determined to lead the league in dumb personal fouls?  Will Shawne Merriman ever actually play, or will he remain in injury limbo for the rest of his Chargers career?  Seems like Lights Out is more like Light Flickering, he’s never quite in or out and it’s starting to annoy me.  I thought Larry English was supposed to replace that flickering bulb anyhow.

Kevin Burnett has looked terrific in preseason, and Stephen Cooper seems like himself,  but there are questions remaining unanswered right now in the linebacking corps, and the Shaun/Shawne portion of the locker room is where the biggest question marks are directed.

Meanwhile, Drew Brees had all the time in the world to throw on Friday, but I can’t necessarily blame that on the Chargers.  After all, there are three Pro Bowlers on a Saints offensive line which returns all five starters, and Brees is a master of quick release and fast-break offense.

Still, somebody better touch the darn QB if the Chargers want to get to the promised land.  Haven’t seen much of it so far outside of safety/corner blitzes.

Last but not least, is Antonie Cason going to hold up to the pressure?  Norv Turner was complimentary toward Cason during Saturday’s press conference, explaining away the touchdown that went through his hands as a mistake he’ll correct.

Maybe he will.  But mistakes on the corner usually lead to six points, and Cason has made enough mistakes during his time in San Diego to make you wonder if he’ll be a persistent target for opposing quarterbacks.

5) My first high school Top-10 list of the year looks like this:

1. Cathedral Catholic
2. Vista
3. Oceanside
4. Eastlake
5. Helix
6. Mission Bay
7. Point Loma
8. SF Christian
9. Ramona
10. Escondido

Hey, what do I know?  None of these teams have taken the field yet, so I’m going on a respected source’s say-so, along with spreading around the ‘dap to some of the top programs around the county.

Cathedral Catholic is the closest thing I’ve seen to Mater Dei or Concord De La Salle in San Diego County, so they go to the top until proven otherwise.  Vista is supposed to be even better than last year’s talented team, and while Oceanside lost a ton (thankfully, much of the talent going to Brady Hoke and SDSU), the Pirates are a “reload not rebuild” type of program.

Teams like Mission Bay and Escondido will have a lot to prove with superstars Dillon Baxter and Ricky Seale moving on to college, while it looks like Eastlake has more than enough to withstand Tony Jefferson’s departure to Oklahoma.

I left La Costa Canyon off my Top-10 list because with head coach Darrin Brown having left along with a lot of senior talent, I need to see them succeed before they earn a ranking.  My eyes are still on you though, Mavericks.

We’ll be back out covering the Friday Night Lights like no one else on 619Sports.Net this fall.  If you are (or you happen to know) a college upperclassmen or above and would like to join our prep football reporting crew, please drop me a line at craig@619sports.net with your qualifications.

6) Will our local college quarterbacks be allowed to stay upright this season?  It could determine the fate of both SDSU and USD.

A visit to Toreros practice last Thursday  (where we taped a number of video interviews you’ll see in the coming week) revealed a USD team with some great skill players on offense.  I think Sam Scudellari can have a big year throwing to John McGough, Godfrey Smith and tight end Patrick Doyle.

The question is, will Scud have time to fire?  Four new starters on the offensive line could lead to Scudellari running for his life.  At the practice I witnessed, it was tough for Sam to get off anything short of a quick pass or bubble screen without getting hit.

Same question goes for the boys at Montezuma Mesa as they get ready for the opener against Nicholls State next Saturday.  Lindley, with time to operate, should have a career year throwing to Vincent Brown, DeMarco Sampson and Alston Umuolo.  Ronnie Hillman’s injection of speed into the running game will keep defenses from pinning their ears back.

But there’s a lot of inexperience up front for SDSU and I wonder when conference play starts if Lindley will be under duress.  Ryan hasn’t shown great accuracy or touch on quick, short passes in his Aztecs career, the best remedy for a pass rush.  He’s been a guy who needs a pocket to work from so he can aim downfield.

Hopefully, Lindley’s improved on those underneath passes.  Otherwise, keeping him clean will be a difficult and demanding task.

7) Overheard on the felt this week…the story of a lucky day at the races.  You can’t believe everything (or even many things) you hear at a poker table.  But this man’s story I believe, and the Del Mar Racetrack results back up his account of fortune turning on a scratch and a scramble.

On Wednesday, the 6th race at Del Mar was a $15,000 purse claiming race for three year olds and upwards, fillies and mares.  Our hero (we’ll call him Mike) was dragged out to the racetrack with his buddies.  Mike is not a horse player, not even close.  His previous trips to the track have been fun but never profitable.

As the sixth race rolled around, Mike was drinking beers with his buddies and making small bets (saving his money for the poker table).  He filled out a $2 exacta ticket, putting the 8 horse (Celebration) together with a couple of medium longshots, the 5 horse (Entabeni) and the 10 horse (Tribul Witch).

As the horses were being loaded into the starting gate, the 8 horse spooked and bucked, bolting early.  He was scratched, and so was Mike’s trifecta.

Except, Mike’s trifecta didn’t have to be scratched…but it did have to be changed.  It was announced over the track public address system that the betting windows would re-open for 3 minutes so players could take out the 8-horse and replace him with another entrant.

Mike, busy chatting with a friend, frittered away at least a minute of his three-minute window.  He wasn’t even sure if it was worth it, but decided last second to go ahead and change his ticket.  By this time, he had to wait for two other people in front of him at the betting window.

As Mike reached the window, he told the cashier “take out the 8 horse and replace him with the 1″, handing him the proper trifecta betting form.  The 1-horse (Too Pink) happened to be a 46-1 longshot.

“It’s too late,” said the cashier, “the time’s up”.

“Run the ticket”, said Mike.

The cashier obliged, and voila!  A betting slip popped out of the computer, meaning the bet was in on time and valid.

“Wow, that must have gotten in at the literal last second,” said the cashier, “because my screen said there were 0 minutes remaining.”

Mike settled back in to watch the race…and was promptly on his feet and screaming as Too Pink hit the wire first, followed by Tribul Witch and Entabeni.

The $2 exacta ticket, originally a loser, then switched at the last possible second for a winner, paid $7,008.00.

Now that’s what I call being lucky.  Hope you have a very fortunate week as well!

Seven thoughts on the seventh day…

1) Count August 15th as the day I decided the 2010 Padres were going to win the NL West for sure.  At the All-Star break, the division was a four-team race.  After last week, it became a two team race.  After today, it’s a one-team race.

Sure, the Giants could still make the playoffs, but for San Francisco to win the NL West, the Padres will have to collapse.  All of their changes seemed to make the Giants a better team…and they are improved.  But are they better than the Padres?  Clearly not.

San Diego is 9-2 against the Giants.  Why should San Francisco be pleased about the fact they play San Diego seven more times?  They’ll lose five or six of those games based on the track record.  That means trying to make up seven or eight games in the standings based on the Padres playing poorly against others.

Not.  Gonna.  Happen.

San Diego is a good enough TEAM to win the NL West.  They’ve proven it over and over, and this weekend, in the biggest road test of the season, they looked like the more composed, better team in all three games.  Sure, they stranded a ton of runners on Saturday, but that happens.

The only way the Padres lose the NL West now is if they give it away themselves with a complete collapse, a three-week funk when they can’t win a game.  Now, go ask any member of the Giants, Dodgers or Rockies if they really, truly think that streak is coming.  It’s not.

2) Why aren’t the Giants a better team than the Padres?  Because Tim Lincecum is a shadow of himself.

San Francisco’s “ace factor” is where they had an edge on San Diego.  Lincecum was the hammer the Giants could count on to pound the Padres.  But he’s not the same.

Still competes.  Still has a great changeup, good secondary pitches.  But the fastball is 90-92 and his location is so-so at best.

Lincecum reminds me exactly of Johan Santana.  Like Santana, Lincecum was dominant beyond his body type.  Like Santana, Lincecum had a nearly unhittable combo of a 95+ fastball with a Hoffman-esque changeup.  Like Santana, Lincecum threw a ton of pitches in a short time racking up dominant starts.

Like Santana, Lincecum’s fastball is gone.  And so are his days as a dominant pitcher.  He can be effective, even great still (just like Johan Santana), but it won’t be on pure dominant stuff anymore.  It will be on the days he locates perfectly and pitches like a savvy veteran.

It was great while it lasted.  And he’s got a long career ahead of him still.  But Lincecum “the freak” is done.

More Padres, plus a review of last night’s Chargers game, USD and SDSU after the jump:

3) Jose Guillen was a brilliant acquisition…for San Diego. Yes, he’s on the Giants roster, but only to serve as a double agent.  His sole purpose is to deliver the NL West to the Padres.

Call him: The Mole.  Where’s Anderson Cooper when you need him?

Guillen, who had the audacity to talk down to the young Royals, calling them “babies” and “fundamentally the worst team in baseball”, goes out and shows his new team how not to play the game on Sunday.

In the first inning, with two on and the count in his favor, Guillen swings for the fences, twice, against a soft-tossing lefty (Wade LeBlanc).  Predictably he strikes out.  Not exactly what you’d call situational hitting.

In the 4th, trailing 6-2, Guillen ropes a double into Triples Alley in right-center field.  Yes, it’s called Triples Alley, but only if you can run faster than Frank Langella.  Guillen, dust blowing in the wind behind him from the piano he’s dragging around the bases, is gunned down at third base trying to stretch his hit into a leadoff triple.

Because, you see, a double would have been dangerous and forced Wade LeBlanc into the stretch.  But an out, now that’s gravy on the Padres’ mashed potatoes.

Jed Hoyer, it’s your most brilliant move yet.  I’m looking forward to September, when Guillen’s anti-Bochy tirade and bat throwing exhibition knocks the final wheel of the Giants’ playoff wagon.

Maybe before he leaves town, Bud Black can show Boch some of those jujitsu moves he used on Milton Bradley back in the day.

4) What I liked from the Chargers game:

• Ryan Mathews reminds me of…LT.  Low to the ground, great center of gravity, explosive speed, and the ability to bounce out of tackles.
• On fourth and one, they gave it to Mathews and he actually got the yards, and then some!  This is something we haven’t seen in a while.  Young running backs still have that Madden “turbo button” they can hit when times are tough.  Mathews has full turbo.
• Antwan Applewhite will help the pass rush.
• The Chargers sent Donald Strickland on a slot corner blitz four times in the first quarter alone.  I wonder if they’ll use that play four times all season.

5) Things I didn’t like from the Chargers game:

• 

  All these penalties aren't on the chart...

  Too many penalties.  Way too many penalties.  It’s the first preseason game, so let’s hope the Chargers were getting the jumps out of their system.  Jeromey Clary looked like someone had put fire ants in his uniform pants.

• I know, I know…it’s entertainment for the fans, it’s a celebration to pay tribute to a loved one, it’s part of the schtick, I get it…but do we really need sack dances and defensive celebrations in the first preseason game?  It’s bad enough to do a sack dance on first or second down (and then give up the conversion on third down), but when you’re celebrating a truly meaningless event, it means the celebration itself is what matters.
• I’d like to think the Chargers defense will be a year more mature and (with the subtraction of Cromartie) a few years smarter…but when I see that stuff, I think there’s still a long way to go.  And this is before Shawne Merriman takes the field.
• Is anyone else worried about special teams coverage with Kassim Osgood out of town?  I didn’t see anything last night to tell me the coverage units are going to be special.

6)

Scudellari showed me a lot playing through a painful injury last year

Head coach Ron Caragher says the competition is wide open, but here’s a vote for Sam Scudellari to be the starting quarterback for USD this year. Scudellari and Bo Stompro were both forced into the fire last year when incumbent Toreros quarterback Sebastian Trujillo quit on his team—errr—-transferred for personal reasons.

Scudellari was raw and had his struggles, but showed me a lot when he tried valiantly to lead his team against Jacksonville despite a serious ankle injury.  Hopping around on a broken ankle, Scudellari stayed in the game and did whatever he could despite being hopelessly injured.

That type of toughness and selflessness cannot be taught.  Scudellari’s a leader and he should get the first chance to lead the Toreros on the gridiron this year.

7) How do you sell Aztecs football to the Aztecs community?  Hire some Aztecs to get the job done.

San Diego State is using telemarketing to try and boost attendance for the upcoming football season.  This is not unusual.  But before you hang up on that call, know that it’s probably a Red and Black student (or alum) on the other end of the line.

John Freeman’s Trilogy PR Group in La Mesa got the latest chance to try and peddle Aztecs football to the masses.  His idea was to turn the job over to those who could speak with personal passion about the subject.

Nicole Stone, a successful sprinter on the SDSU track and field team, is now picking up phones and trying to sell fans on the Hoke Era of Aztec football.

“We’re proud of our school, and this is a great way to stay in touch with the sports program and make some money at the same time.”

Many of the students involved come from the SDSU Business Management MBA program.  Then, there’s Bruce Adams, who’s talking about the game he loves, and the game that was taken from him.

A former star QB from Montana, Adams got a full ride to Washington State in 1980, but was tackled from behind in his first game with the Cougars.  He suffered a spinal cord injury which led to permanent paralysis.

Adams, 48, is now on the phones talking Aztecs football every day.  It’s his way to stay connected to the game.

“I’m a football fan all year round,” said Adams, a lawyer who’s a frequent volunteer in the Aztecs’ athletic department, “We’re all Aztecs fans here and can’t wait for the season to start.”

Neither can I.  Now, please just avoid calling in the dinner hour, m’kay?

The Road to Omaha just got a lot tougher for the University of San Diego.

Monday morning’s NCAA Selection Show started off with a thud as 15th ranked USD, the WCC champions, were sent to Tempe, Arizona as the #2 seed against the #2 team in the nation.  The Arizona State Sun Devils (47-8) are one of three teams in the country considered to be a class above the rest (Virginia and Texas being the others).

The Toreros (36-20) will open regional play against the WAC champions, #3 seed Hawaii (33-26) on Friday.  #4 seed Milwaukee (33-24), the Horizon League champs, round out the four-team regional field.

Not surprisingly, the ebullient leader of the Toreros, head coach Rich Hill, is enthusiastic about his team’s chances and excited about getting out of Southern California and traveling for an NCAA regional. Hill joined 619 Sports after the selections were announced:

Download audio file (053110-rich-hill.mp3)

Read more after the jump AND listen to a reaction podcast from 619 Sports!

Short of being placed in the UCLA “Regional of Death”, which contains defending champ LSU and UC Irvine, the Toreros received arguably their toughest possible draw.  USD has taken on all comers in 2010, but their trip to Packard Stadium in Tempe was the stuff of nightmares.

Kole Calhoun (13 HR, 52 RBI) is one of many tough hitters in the ASU lineup (ASU photo)

While many of USD’s toughest non-conference games came midweek when the Toreros’ dominant weekend rotation was on the shelf, head coach Rich Hill challenged all his top pitchers in their Arizona State trip, and they were all beaten back.

The Sun Devils took the first game 15-0, knocking Kyle Blair out after one inning (2 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned), then handling Sammy Solis for six hits and four runs (three earned) in two innings.

The next day, USD jumped out to a 5-0 lead before losing 11-6.  A.J. Griffin started and worked six innings, allowing seven hits and five runs, three earned.  Arizona State clinched the game against the Toreros’ top two relief arm, Matt Hauser (1.1 IP, 7H, 6R, 4ER).

USD faced their first-round opponent, Hawaii, on March 29th, losing 8-6 in a game when the Rainbow Warriors saw none of the Toreros’ top arms.  They have not faced Milwaukee this year.  The winner of the ASU regional will face the winner of the Arkansas regional in the super regionals.

UPDATED: 619 Sports’ Craig and Chris react to USD’s draw in their latest podcast:

Download audio file (053110-usd-regional.mp3)

Two series remain in West Coast Conference play, but the USD baseball team has already clinched the regular season crown and an automatic berth in the NCAA Regionals.  Ranked 15th in the nation, the Toreros (31-17, 15-0 WCC) have one of college baseball’s best and deepest rotations (including Sammy Solis, pictured), a senior-led offense, and an ebullient coach who keeps it positive and preaches process over result.

619 Sports’ Craig Elsten and SDNN videographer Steven Bartholow visited USD practice on Thursday to catch up with some of the stars of the Toreros as they get ready to make a run for Omaha and the College World Series:

After the jump, watch a one-on-one interview with USD head coach Rich Hill:

In his 12th year at USD, Rich Hill has turned a tiny San Diego private school into an NCAA baseball power. With four trips in five years to the NCAAs, Hill is hoping that 2010 will be the season the Toreros take the next step and reach a super-regional, and hopefully the College World Series.

Kirby St. John pitched a complete game in the clincher for UCSD (Jimmy Gekas, Sideline Photos)

The #1 ranked UCSD baseball team has been the standard of West Coast college baseball this year in Division II.  Now, the Tritons (48-7) are conference champions once again.

UC San Diego used both of their opportunities to clinch the CCAA conference tournament yesterday in Stockton, losing to Cal State Dominguez Hills 6-3 before coming back to win 8-3 in the championship game.  In the double-elimination tournament the Tritons were undefeated heading into the title round, giving them two chances to win.

“We didn’t show up to compete today and it cost us a ballgame,” said head coach Dan O’Brien. “But I’m proud of our guys for bouncing back and playing a very solid ballgame to win the tourney.”

O’Brien was named CCAA Coach of the Year prior to the weekend tourney, and first baseman Brandon Gregorich (.468, 7 HR, 79 RBI) was named CCAA Player of the Year.  Senior right-hander Matt Rossman (9-0, 2.37 ERA) earned Pitcher of the Year honors.

Read more, including a college wrapup from the rest of San Diego, after the jump:

Senior right-hander Kirby St. John pitched a complete game victory in the clincher for UCSD, allowing seven hits and three runs.  He tied a single-season school record with his 11th victory of the year (11-1).

Evan Kehoe: HR, 3 RBI in UCSD win (Jimmy Gekas, Sideline Photos)

Third baseman Evan Kehoe homered and drove in three in the Tritons’ victory, while Gregorich was 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI.

The Tritons will advance as the top seed in next weekend’s NCAA Division II West Regionals.  However, given that Triton Field does not have lights, UCSD will be unable to host the regional.  The Urban Youth Baseball Academy in Compton is considered the likeliest host site, which would be considered the home field for the 2nd seed, CSU Dominguez Hills.

3rd seed Chico State and 4th seed Hawaii Pacific will round out the four-team regional field.  The winner will advance to the College World Series in Cary, North Carolina.

619Sports.Net will be there with UCSD as they attempt to make school history with back-to-back trips to the College World Series.  Craig Elsten will be in Compton with live play-by-play of the Tritons’ games next Friday and Saturday in the regional.

Check back in with 619 Sports throughout the week for the updated schedule of broadcast times, along with preview interviews and more!  Go Tritons!

MORE COLLEGE BASEBALL

• USD (19-16, 14-0 WCC) is closing in on an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Regionals.  The Toreros used more sublime pitching from Sammy Solis (8-1, pictured) to beat Portland 5-1 yesterday, increasing their lead over the Pilots to three full games in the WCC standings.  The regular season champion gets the league’s automatic tournament berth, as the WCC canceled their conference championship series this season.  Solis pitched his 2nd straight complete game, striking out a season-high 10 batters without a walk, allowing one run on four hits.
• SDSU (24-23, 9-8 MWC) hammered the hopeless Air Force Academy 21-6 at Tony Gwynn Stadium on Saturday afternoon, but in a season filled with mixed results, even this win came with a heavy cost.  Emerging sophomore third baseman Chris Wilson left the game after hitting a two-run triple in the bottom of the first, and had to be helped off the field with a left knee injury.  Wilson will be taken for an MRI exam today.  Aztecs starter Bryan Crabb took a line drive off his left heel in the 2nd inning and was looked at by SDSU trainers on the field.  He gutted his way through another 1 1/3 innings before departing, and will be re-evaluated today.  In addition, head coach Tony Gwynn announced prior to the weekend series that freshman star hitter Jordan Van Hoosier was placed on academic suspension.  Josh Chasse has taken over for Van Hoosier in left field.  Cory Vaughn (pictured) had four hits, including two homers, and drove in a season-high 7 RBI for the Aztecs.  It was the 33rd consecutive victory for SDSU over Air Force, a streak which dates back to 2003.  The two teams will wrap up their season series this afternoon at 1pm at Tony Gwynn Stadium.  619 Sports’ Craig Elsten will have the play-by-play (with live video and audio streaming) on goaztecs.com.

The Lakers are still the NBA’s team to beat, but if the Zen Master’s lads can’t get it done for Southern California basketball fans, maybe the “San Diego Cavs” can.

The braintrust of the Cleveland Cavaliers includes three hardcore basketball dudes who were part of the University of San Diego’s program nearly 20 years ago — head coach Mike Brown, his grizzled assistant Hank Egan and assistant general manager Chris Grant.

All three have deep roots at the small Catholic school that overlooks the Pacific Ocean, not to be confused with UC San Diego, where Cavs star LeBron James stages his summer basketball camp.

All three are devout believers in firm defense, tenets of which they learned in the West.

All three paid their hardwood dues in the NBA before reuniting in Cleveland.

Same as San Diego, Cleveland has gone four decades-plus without a major sports championship, and the San Diego Cavs know the heat is on.

“We feel like we’ve got to get it done,” Egan told me by phone on Friday, a day before Cleveland defeated the Celtics in Game 1 of their second-round series. “No doubt about it. That’s on our minds, for sure. But if you are in this business in the NBA, the pressure is on you all the time.”

Hank Egan

Defense is at the heart of the Cavs’ West Coast connection, some Cavs concepts being similar to what Egan taught at USD from 1984 through 1994.

“Sideline defense,” is how Egan described it.

Egan, whose admirers include Bob Knight, learned sideline defense at the Air Force Academy under legendary coach Bob Spear. Later Egan would become Air Force’s head coach and on his bench was Gregg Popovich, the defense-first coach who would guide the Spurs to four NBA titles, one with Egan on his bench.

“Sideline defense is the way we played defense,” Egan said. “Now, it’s called a bunch of names. We tried to keep the ball on one side of the floor and out of the middle as much as possible. Some coaches didn’t want to give up the baseline — we’d trap the ball on the baseline.”

Egan said Brown played under superb coaches at Mesa Community College in Arizona, notably Tom Bennett, who never had a losing year in 19 seasons there. Bennett’s son Randy, who coached under Egan at USD, led St. Mary’s (Calif.) to its first Sweet Sixteen in March.

In two seasons at USD, Brown wasn’t much of a ballhandler or a shooter. But the former military brat scrapped on the court and sponged off of it.

“He thought the game out,” Egan said. “He wasn’t just out there flying around. He wanted to know why we’re doing this or doing that. He was building up a file of information to use down the line. The fact that he became a coach didn’t surprise me. He’s extremely organized. He’s great at preparation. Attention to detail.”

Brown moved into coaching as a graduate assistant under Egan. He reached the NBA as a video coordinator for then-Nuggets coach Bernie Bickerstaff, a former USD coach. Later he apprenticed under esteemed defensive minds such as Popovich and Rick Carlisle, then with the NBA’s Pacers, before taking over the Cavs in 2005.

It was Brown’s good fortune to inherit James, then in his third NBA season.

But if Brown hadn’t created a defensive culture within the Cavs, it’s doubtful that his career win rate would be .663, or that Cleveland would’ve reached one NBA final and two Eastern Conference finals on his watch.

Brown made sure to learn well from the defensive wizards who coached him, said Grant, who played alongside him in 1991.

“Gregg Popovich is a future Hall of Fame coach,” Grant said. “(Brown) had a unique opportunity from a pretty young age to be around some very good technical people from that side of the ball.

“Here,” he added, “(defense) is one of our biggest staples. It’s a priority and a lot of who we are.”

Chris Grant

Both Grant and Brown graduated from USD, Grant staying to get a graduate degree. Grant worked for nine years with the NBA’s Hawks, rising to the assistant GM job. Cavs GM Danny Ferry hired him in 2005.

Grant recalled Brown as a popular teammate who communicated well.

“Along the way, he’s grown so much.” Grant said. “It’s pretty amazing. A guy from a little place, the University of San Diego — to go from that to this is pretty unique and special. Obviously he has done an outstanding job.”

Tom Krasovic writes for AOL Fanhouse and is contributing to 619 Sports.

San Diego sports broadcasting icon Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph has agreed to join 619 Sports as a minority owner, columnist and contributor.  Randolph, the widely self-proclaimed “Dean of American Sportscasters”, will begin by writing a weekly column for 619Sports.Net.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Chainsaw to 619 Sports,” said company co-founder and president Craig Elsten, “Cookie’s wit and wisdom will be a tremendous addition to our website.  We look at the addition of Chainsaw to our team as another step toward 619 Sports becoming the premier online destination for San Diego sports talk and sports writing.”

Randolph spent 20 years as part of the “Dave, Shelley and Chainsaw” program on 101.5 KGB-FM, the top-rated and wildly popular morning radio show.  While the DSC is currently in between radio gigs, Randolph has been itching to continue to contribute to the San Diego sports scene.

“Thank you, President Obama!” said Chainsaw, “Thanks to an obscure clause in ‘Cash for Clunkers’, Craig and Chris get a tax credit for donating a portion of their website to the unemployed.  I’m happy to take advantage of this sports welfare.”

“Chainsaw is one of the funniest, most entertaining sports personalities I’ve ever listened to in San Diego,” said company co-founder and vice president Chris Ello,  “It’s going to be a lot of fun to work with him and I can’t wait!”

Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph will be officially introduced as a member of the 619 Sports team on Tuesday night, April 13^th, at the Tilted Kilt downtown in San Diego.  619 Sports will be hosting a “tweetup” from 6:30-8:30pm, open to the public.

We will be announcing multiple ways to get free VIP tickets for this exciting tweetup, within hours on 619 Sports, so check back!

USD running back J.T. Rogan has been sharing a journal with 619 Sports of his training for NFL Pro Day.  This weekend, J.T. participated in a pro day at USD, and he will do so again at SDSU next weekend.  In his latest journal post, J.T. talks about the NFL Combine and how his training has prepared him for these key dates:

The NFL scouting combine and the pro days that collegiate football players have are unique events. As was documented by the NFL network, how fast somebody runs, how high they jump, how quick somebody is can really be fascinating coverage. All over America, any college football player that aspires to play professionally understands that he must undergo extensive athletic testing either at the NFL combine, a pro day or at both.

There is a terrific amount of hype surrounding the entire process. The elite athletes tell NFL teams what drills they will and won’t be performing at these extravaganzas and how much money they’d like to make when they are officially welcomed into the NFL. The combine and the pro day act as one huge sales pitch for anyone trying to make it big.

The argument is often made against the importance of the 40 yard dash, “When do you ever run 40 yards in a straight line?” To the NFL decision makers (i.e. scouts, GMs, etc.) the more appropriate question is “Who runs 40 yards fastest in a straight line?”

The NFL is a business and it is about job security as a player and it is about job security as an executive. It is difficult to draft, support and/or employ players that don’t perform as well statistically as others.

There are players like Chris Johnson where people can point to the combine. He ran fast and he still runs fast, to the tune of over 2,000 yards in a season. However, for every Chris Johnson there is a Darrius Heyward-Bey. Sometimes you just won’t know how good a football player is until he puts on the pads.

I watched the NFL combine paying particular attention to the running backs, and this year’s class appears to be average in its depth of talent.

Below are the primary tests at the NFL combine, where 31 running backs participated. The best performance is listed along with the minimum performance necessary to finish in the top 1/3 of running backs at that given drill. My projected numbers are listed as well.

Drill Fastest Top Third     My Projection

40 yard Dash 4.35 sec. (C.J, Spiller) 4.58 sec. 4.60

Bench Press 26 Reps (Lonyae Miller) 18 Reps        13 Reps

Vertical Jump 41 in. (Montario Hardesty) 36 in. 32 in.

Broad Jump 10’4” (Montario Hardesty) 9’10” 9’0”

3 Cone Drill 6.75 sec. (Jahvid Best) 6.98 sec. 6.80 sec.

20 yard Shuttle 4.06 sec.(Dexter McCluster) 4.33 sec. 4.20 sec.

I have done all that I can do to prepare myself for my opportunity. I trained relentlessly and with focus. My uncle, Sean Karl Rogan, has reinvested in me as he always does so as to allow me to reach new maximums for my strength. For the record, Sean ended up benchpressing 225 lbs. 22 times placing him neatly in the top 3 for running backs and making him stronger than every quarterback and wide receiver in the draft.

I will actually be performing these tests at our pro day, Mar. 5th at the University of San Diego and then again at San Diego State University at their pro day on Mar. 12th. SDSU receives a better turnout of NFL scouts so attending both is beneficial.

The Chargers are low on running backs and here’s to hoping they can find one in their own backyard.

Mitch Blackburn (SDSU photo)

LINDA VISTA–Down 4-0 in the 7th, and having been shut out for their last 16 innings, the San Diego State Aztecs rediscovered their offense at just the right time.  The Aztecs scored four in the 7th and five in the 9th to cap a dramatic comeback at Cunningham Stadium, rallying past the 19th ranked USD Toreros for a 9-5 victory.

“I’m proud of our guys,” said head coach Tony Gwynn after the game, “they hung in there.  It would have been easy to hang their heads after punching out (11) times, but they didn’t, they hung in there, and got some big hits in the 7th and 9th innings.”

USD starter Kyle Blair had the Aztecs twisted in knots through six, striking out 10 batters, with six caught looking.  Even worse for SDSU, Blair walked four batters and hit another but none of those runners had come around to score.

The Toreros had built a 4-0 lead on a pair of run scoring hits by James Meador and some solid fundamental baseball.  The Aztecs turned the game, and weekend series, around with big hits and great relief pitching.

Read more, and hear interviews with Tony Gwynn and Mitch Blackburn, after the jump:

In the seventh, Blair walked two more, with Chris Wilson and Josh Chasse reaching base.  With one out, Mitch Blackburn finally broke through with a double to left-center field, scoring Wilson and chasing Blair from the mound.

Cory Vaughn, Brandon Meredith and Brandon Decker celebrate the Aztecs' win (619 Sports photo)

Reliever Matt Hauser entered the game and was greeted by Jomel Torres’ soft floater for an RBI single, making it 4-2 USD.  Torres then stole second base (his second steal of the game), and Brandon Meredith followed with his first big run-scoring hit of the season, a game-tying two-run double down the right-field line.

Given a second look at the game, the Aztecs rode the right arm of Kegan Sharp to victory.  The senior reliever from Poway High and Palomar College entered the game in the fifth and didn’t allow a hit until the 9th inning.  He wound up working 3 2/3’s innings with one hit and one run allowed, walking two and striking out three.

“He’s the star of the game today,” said Gwynn, “(Kegan) put the zeros on the board that gave us the opportunity to come back and win.”

Listen to Tony Gwynn’s postgame interview:

Download audio file (022810-tony-gwynn.mp3)

In the ninth, Blackburn again sparked the SDSU rally against Toreros’ closer Matt Thompson, lining a one-out single to center field.  Torres (2-for-3, two walks, 2 SB, RBI, 2 RS) then singled past second base, with Blackburn running through a stop sign to easily make third base.

Listen to Mitch Blackburn’s postgame interview:

Download audio file (022810-mitch-blackburn.mp3)

The Aztecs then took advantage of a rare USD miscue.  Brandon Meredith lofted a high fly ball down the line in short right field.  Toreros’ outfielder James Meador had a long run and would have had a very tough play to make at the plate, but in his haste to do so Meador dropped the ball for a sac fly and error.

Given a 5-4 lead, SDSU broke the game open from there with some quality at-bats.  Cory Vaughn was hit by a pitch and Jordan Van Hoosier followed with a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-4.  Blair Moore then grounded to shortstop, and when Zach Walters bobbled and had only one play at first base, another run came home to score.

Chris Wilson then greeted reliever Chris Jensen with a two-run single to left, capping the five-run 9th inning rally.  Steven Moranda finished the game on the mound for San Diego State after Sharp tired in the bottom of the 9th, allowing Meador’s 3rd hit and RBI of the game but nothing more.

After an inauspicious 0-4 start that included the injury to Ryan O’Sullivan, the Aztecs had a much-needed bounce-back 3-1 week.  USD, meanwhile, has seen their 3-0 start dissolve into a 4-4 record that includes three home losses.

More importantly for Tony Gwynn’s Aztecs, the bullpen has overcome a rocky start and started to show some promise.  John Pecoraro, Ryan Wynveen and Kegan Sharp have all excelled over the past few games, giving pitching coach Eric Valenzuela the flexibility to survive with a rotation shredded by injuries.

Drew Leary, thought to be a closer candidate at the start of the season, made his first career start for SDSU on Sunday and worked four innings, allowing five hits and four runs.

The fourth game of the Black and Blue Series, scheduled to be played at Tony Gwynn Stadium, will be made up at an undecided future date.

NOTES: SDSU pitching coach Eric Valenzuela had a wild weekend that included his wife Betty giving birth to twin boys Benjamin and Noah overnight on Friday.  Betty went into labor two weeks early, adding perfect chaos to a weekend that was already filled with the stress of returning to USD.  Valenzuela had spent the past six years as Rich Hill’s recruiting coordinator and pitching coach before leaving for SDSU.  Mother and babies are doing well…SDSU returns to action Tuesday night at 6pm when they travel to Riverside to face the UC Riverside Highlanders for the second time in 8 days.