Aztecs' Gilbreath Sounds Just Like a Broken Record : College Football: By the time he finishes his career Saturday, Monty Gilbreath will have set a number of career and season marks.

By SCOTT MILLER

Nov. 23, 1989 12 AM PT

SAN DIEGO — Record-setting receiver Monty Gilbreath, the most famous Monty this side of Monty Montezuma on the San Diego State campus, was sitting on a bench outside the SDSU football building Tuesday.

It was the final Tuesday of his college football career. Gilbreath was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, both Aztec black. He was sipping a Coke and reading a release listing all of his SDSU records.

His eyes scanned the words. He flashed a grin.

“That’s pretty cool,” he said, finally. “I didn’t know I had claimed four career records.”

This is what it has come to: As Monty Gilbreath prepares for his final game at SDSU, Saturday in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium against Brigham Young, even he cannot keep track of his records.

He actually has seven career records, plus two season marks.

He knew about the career all-purpose yards (4,409). And he knew about the career receptions (181).

But what about career records he owns for punt-return yards (769) and kickoff-return yards (1,505)? And also for receptions in consecutive games (36), most kickoffs returned (72) and most punts returned (86). The season records are for kickoff returns (40 in 1987) and return yardage (880 in 1987). And Saturday, he will most likely move into second place in career receiving yards. He has 2,186, just two fewer than Gary Garrison. (Tim Delaney, 1968-70, leads with 2,535).

Say what you will about being a record-holder at SDSU. Maybe it’s not exactly Nebraska or Oklahoma, or some other assembly line. But it isn’t Slippery Rock, either. Some pretty fancy receivers have come through, guys such as Haven Moses, Isaac Curtis, Webster Slaughter and Garrison, guys who have become NFL stars.

And then there is a 5-foot-9, 170-pound Smurf named Monty Gilbreath. The guy who has caught more passes at SDSU than anybody else.

“It’s kind of funny,” said Gilbreath, who Wednesday was named first-team All-Western Athletic Conference. “You look at all of the great receivers that have been here, and now my name is being mentioned with them. I don’t know if I should be considered in that upper echelon.

“I don’t know if I’m worthy of those guys. They all had great professional careers, and I’m not sure what the future holds for me. If people think I should be mentioned with them, I take that as a big-time compliment.”

His favorite records are his career receptions and all-purpose yardage.

“They show something I like--consistency,” Gilbreath said. “They show that game in and game out, I produce for the team. And I’ve prided myself in doing more than one thing.”

Gilbreath has been able to do more than one thing at more than one level, but he always has to prove himself first. Gilbreath also was proud of his versatility during high school, but college scouts thought he was too small. No matter that in high school Gilbreath rarely came off the field. He played free safety, outside linebacker, quarterback, running back and wide receiver. He returned kicks and punts. He kicked off.

At the end of his senior season at Taft High School in Los Angeles, he was selected as a Sunset League tri-player of the year. Despite that, just one university recruited him as a wide receiver: SDSU.

“My size has been something I’ve had to live with since I was 7 years old playing Pop Warner football,” he said. “I was one of the smallest then, too, but I was probably one of the most gifted athletes. Then, in high school, I was too small and had to prove myself again. And when colleges were recruiting, they said I was too small.”

Small or not, Gilbreath opened some eyes when he finally got his chance at SDSU during the 1986 Holiday Bowl. Anthony Conyers was suspended for drug use by the NCAA, and Gilbreath stepped in and caught five passes for 87 yards. The most impressive was a 28-yard touchdown reception.

He played well enough his sophomore season to earn All-Western Athletic Conference honors as a return specialist. Last year, as a junior, he was named second-team All-WAC as a wide receiver.

But those heady days of Holiday Bowls and poinsettias have long since disappeared. In his time at SDSU, Gilbreath has seen the rise, fall and rise again of SDSU football. He has played in several more losing games than winning; he has said goodby to Stolz and said hello to Al Luginbill.

“The thing about it is when we were at the top, I was just a freshman and didn’t contribute as much as I’d like to have,” Gilbreath said. “When we were down, I was a significant factor. That doesn’t make you feel that good. It makes you feel like you’re not doing enough to help the team, and I took that kind of personally.

“It feels good now though. The program is on the rise, and I’ve had a lot to do with it.”

The program isn’t the only thing on the rise. Since a meeting last spring with Luginbill, Gilbreath’s grade-point average has improved, too. For all of Gilbreath’s records on the football field, Luginbill says Gilbreath’s improvement in the classroom is what stands out.

“He rose to the challenge when we challenged him academically,” Luginbill said. “He’s a great competitor who always attempts to compete at the highest level. He wasn’t ever in trouble; it’s just that when he’s challenged to do something, he competes at a real high level.”

Gilbreath said it was just a case of him not studying the way he should.

“When he came in, he said, ‘I know you’re only doing enough to get by,’ ” Gilbreath said. “I’m always looking for a competitive situation.”

Once he started working harder in the classroom, he found it wasn’t so bad after all.

“I found it was easier than I thought,” Gilbreath said. “You just have to apply yourself. What you put into it is what you get out of it.”

Gilbreath, who is majoring in public administration, said that his GPA was just below a 2.0 last year at this time. In the second semester last year, he said he was able to earn a 3.14. And this semester, Gilbreath said, it should be “well over” 3.2.

“It’s even helped my football,” Gilbreath said. “I have more confidence. It heads you in the right direction on and off the field. I feel a lot better about myself since I’ve been getting good grades.”

How he will grade out come NFL draft time this spring is another question. He would like to continue his football career but, as usual, he will be battling other people’s perceptions of his ability as it relates to size.

“I would like to be given the opportunity,” Gilbreath said. “If you ask me do I think I can play in the NFL, I think I can. I just hope to get the chance to prove it one way or another. A lot of people I’ve talked to, such as scouts at practice, think I can play in the NFL. As long as I get the opportunity to prove it, I’ll be satisfied.”

Wherever he goes, Gilbreath usually has something to prove.

“He’s an individual who maybe doesn’t have great physical tools,” Luginbill said. “He’s not the tallest person around, and he doesn’t have sprinter’s speed. But he makes up for the deficiencies with a great effort. A lot of guys don’t do that, but he goes to a different level.”

As far as Gilbreath is concerned, though, you can hold the compliments until after his career ends Saturday. Sometimes you can’t fully appreciate something until it is taken away from you, and that’s the way it will likely be with Gilbreath. He said he appreciates his records now, but at the same time, he doesn’t have time yet to sit and think about them. He’s got one more game to go.

“I think I’ll feel even better once my career ends,” he said. “People will remember Monty Gilbreath, and know that he did some things to help the program here.”

Said Luginbill: “The records are a great honor. He’s played four years here, and obviously over time he has shown the ability to be consistent. He will go down as one of the greatest receivers this university has ever had.”

Aztec Notes

John Wesselman, a 6-2 senior defensive back, was also named first-team All-WAC. Wesselman leads the Aztecs in tackles with 116, has nine interceptions and has run a fake punt 73 yards for a touchdown this season. Named to the second team were senior offensive tackle Roman Formin and junior cornerback Clark Moses. Honorable mention were junior quarterback Dan McGwire, senior running back Ron Slack and sophomore defensive tackle Eric Duncan. . . . Improved work on the injury front. Trainer Brian Barry is optimistic that offensive guard Tony Nichols (ankle), long snapper Jason Bill (ankle), long snapper/offensive guard Jim Jennings (ankle), defensive end Todd Coomes (knee) and defensive end Steve Matuszewicz (knee) will be able to play Saturday against Brigham Young. Reserve inside linebacker Thane Fisher (hand) is out.

MONTY’S MARKS Monty Gilbreath’s SDSU records (one game left):

Career

Receptions, 181

All-purpose yards, 4,409

Punt-return yards, 769

Punts returned, 86

Kickoff-return yards, 1,505

Kickoffs returned, 72

Consecutive games/reception, 36

Season

Kickoff-return yards, 880 (1987)

Kickoffs returned, 40 (1987)