---- Chuck Long delivered a stern message to his San Diego State football players Monday: Get kicked out of one game and you will also be missing the next one.
Long, the Aztecs' first-year coach, suspended senior cornerback Donny Baker and senior guard Nick Smith for Saturday's game at Brigham Young as punishment for being ejected from last Saturday's game at San Jose State.
"It's a one-game suspension based on the circumstances of what happened in the game," Long said. "Then we'll move on from there."
The two players won't travel with the team to Provo, Utah. According to Long, Baker and Smith have decided to write letters of apology to San Diego State president Stephen Weber and San Jose State coach Dick Tomey.
Long didn't allow the two suspended players to speak to the media.
The Mountain West Conference planned to review the ejections to see if the league's sportsmanship policy was violated, but no additional penalties are expected now that the Aztecs have handed out the suspensions.
Assistant commissioner Javan Hedlund said Monday night that in previous situations where a school policed itself, the conference hasn't added further sanctions.
Long said it was important to send the message that being ejected from a game is unacceptable behavior.
"That's not going to be tolerated," Long said. "The message should and will be sent.
"I want to run a class program here, above all else. Class gives you a better chance to win and most class teams do win. That's what I want."
There were also developments regarding the program's top three quarterbacks on Monday:
+ Junior Kevin O'Connell had the hard cast removed from his right arm and the pin removed from his injured throwing thumb. O'Connell will begin throwing a baseball today and is hopeful of returning to practice in about two to three weeks.
+ Sophomore Darren Mougey will have to wait for a fractured bone in his throwing shoulder to heal before deciding whether or not to have surgery on his separated shoulder. It will take four-plus weeks for the fracture to heal.
+ Redshirt freshman Kevin Craft worked as the first-team quarterback for the first time as he prepares for his first career start against Brigham Young. Craft said his first practice as a starter went well.
"It's real exciting," said Craft, a Valley Center High graduate. "It's something that I worked really hard for. I feel really bad for Darren and Kevin. That's the unfortunate thing, but I'm really excited for it. This is what you play for, and it's going to be an exciting deal for me going into BYU."
O'Connell, the opening-game starter, vowed to return to the team sometime this season after receiving encouraging news from the doctor on Monday. He was wearing a removable small hand cast split into two pieces while at the school's practice field.
O'Connell, a La Costa Canyon alumnus, hinted that as long as the Aztecs are bowl-eligible ---- they are 0-4 entering Saturday's game ---- he will continue to approach his rehabilitation in terms of getting back as quickly as possible.
"The last time I checked, there are eight games left and nowadays you only need to win six to go to a bowl game," O'Connell said. "Who says we can't win all eight?"
Mougey said the team's record will not factor into his decision process. As he pointed out, he's got another four weeks or so to investigate his options.
"Once the fracture heals, then I'll take a good look and figure out whether I want to have the surgery or just live with it," Mougey said. "The biggest thing is the future. In the long run, what's going to be best for my health?"
AZTECS NOTES: Coach Chuck Long said he will consider using junior Alan Gomez as the punter. Junior Michael Hughes is struggling along with a 36.4-yard average after having foot surgery during the summer. ... Long said that either true freshman Whitley Fehoko or sophomore Mike Schmidt will start at left guard in place of Nick Smith and that redshirt freshman Aaron Moore will make his first career start in place of CB Donny Baker.
Long, the Aztecs' first-year coach, suspended senior cornerback Donny Baker and senior guard Nick Smith for Saturday's game at Brigham Young as punishment for being ejected from last Saturday's game at San Jose State.
"It's a one-game suspension based on the circumstances of what happened in the game," Long said. "Then we'll move on from there."
The two players won't travel with the team to Provo, Utah. According to Long, Baker and Smith have decided to write letters of apology to San Diego State president Stephen Weber and San Jose State coach Dick Tomey.
Long didn't allow the two suspended players to speak to the media.
The Mountain West Conference planned to review the ejections to see if the league's sportsmanship policy was violated, but no additional penalties are expected now that the Aztecs have handed out the suspensions.
Assistant commissioner Javan Hedlund said Monday night that in previous situations where a school policed itself, the conference hasn't added further sanctions.
Long said it was important to send the message that being ejected from a game is unacceptable behavior.
"That's not going to be tolerated," Long said. "The message should and will be sent.
"I want to run a class program here, above all else. Class gives you a better chance to win and most class teams do win. That's what I want."
There were also developments regarding the program's top three quarterbacks on Monday:
+ Junior Kevin O'Connell had the hard cast removed from his right arm and the pin removed from his injured throwing thumb. O'Connell will begin throwing a baseball today and is hopeful of returning to practice in about two to three weeks.
+ Sophomore Darren Mougey will have to wait for a fractured bone in his throwing shoulder to heal before deciding whether or not to have surgery on his separated shoulder. It will take four-plus weeks for the fracture to heal.
+ Redshirt freshman Kevin Craft worked as the first-team quarterback for the first time as he prepares for his first career start against Brigham Young. Craft said his first practice as a starter went well.
"It's real exciting," said Craft, a Valley Center High graduate. "It's something that I worked really hard for. I feel really bad for Darren and Kevin. That's the unfortunate thing, but I'm really excited for it. This is what you play for, and it's going to be an exciting deal for me going into BYU."
O'Connell, the opening-game starter, vowed to return to the team sometime this season after receiving encouraging news from the doctor on Monday. He was wearing a removable small hand cast split into two pieces while at the school's practice field.
O'Connell, a La Costa Canyon alumnus, hinted that as long as the Aztecs are bowl-eligible ---- they are 0-4 entering Saturday's game ---- he will continue to approach his rehabilitation in terms of getting back as quickly as possible.
"The last time I checked, there are eight games left and nowadays you only need to win six to go to a bowl game," O'Connell said. "Who says we can't win all eight?"
Mougey said the team's record will not factor into his decision process. As he pointed out, he's got another four weeks or so to investigate his options.
"Once the fracture heals, then I'll take a good look and figure out whether I want to have the surgery or just live with it," Mougey said. "The biggest thing is the future. In the long run, what's going to be best for my health?"
AZTECS NOTES: Coach Chuck Long said he will consider using junior Alan Gomez as the punter. Junior Michael Hughes is struggling along with a 36.4-yard average after having foot surgery during the summer. ... Long said that either true freshman Whitley Fehoko or sophomore Mike Schmidt will start at left guard in place of Nick Smith and that redshirt freshman Aaron Moore will make his first career start in place of CB Donny Baker.
