SDSU’s Rowe Says He Feels Great After First Day Practicing in Pads

SAN DIEGO â€”  Patrick Rowe was all sweaty, and all smiles.

“Catch me outside the locker room,� he said Tuesday afternoon. “I’m jogging it in.�

Thus ended Rowe’s first practice in pads with San Diego State. It was the first day since Rowe broke his collarbone in a high school all-star game Aug. 1 that he practiced like the other Aztec receivers.

“It felt great,� said Rowe, a Parade All-American last season at Lincoln High School. “I can’t wait for the next step.�

That could come this afternoon when Rowe takes his first hit. And if that goes well, the big test could come in the home opener against Utah Saturday night, when Rowe might play in his first collegiate game. He is to be X-rayed today before practice.

“I feel like I’m able to take a hit,� he said. “It really helped my spirits to get out there and put on the pads.�

SDSU Coach Denny Stolz had expected Rowe to contribute immediately. As a senior at Lincoln, Rowe caught 53 passes for 1,176 yards and 14 touchdowns.

“We’re bringing him along at his pace,� Stolz said. “When he’s ready, he should play.�

Aztec Notes

The only serious injury suffered by the Aztecs in their 47-14 loss to UCLA at the Rose Bowl Saturday was to reserve linebacker Emmett Flores, a junior transfer from Bakersfield College. Flores is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery Thursday to repair cartilage damage in his right knee. The only other player to be held out of practice Tuesday was reserve cornerback Gary Triplett (right leg). Split end Randy Peterson is nursing a hip bruise that has slowed him in practice. . . . SDSU Athletic Director Fred Miller estimated a crowd between 25,000 and 32,000 for the Utah game. Miller said the school has sold 17,300 season tickets, an increase of 50% over last season. These include 3,700 student season tickets. . . . Tight end Rob Awalt, a third-round draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals, was the only player from last season’s Aztec team to make a National Football League roster. Two players were placed on injured reserve last week: offensive lineman Doug Aronson (strained Achilles’ tendon) with the Cincinnati Bengals and linebacker Richard Brown (hamstring) with the Rams.