Times-Advocate from Escondido, California • 27

TIMES -ADVOCATE Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1980 C-1 Missouri and 10 a.m. start put Gilbert in 1 a slump By JOHN MAFFEI is off and flat, we might make a game T-A Sports Editor of it." SAN DIEGO Normally, Claude One of the biggest reasons for Gil-. Gilbert is the oracle equivalent of a bert's state of depression is his team's blocked punt. lack of offense. Against BYU two weeks ago, the Aztecs scored just 11 As a matter of fact, a booster once points in losing to the Cougars.

Last described the Aztec football coach as Oklahoma Indian dead- week, Matt Kofler over took at quarterback for Mark Halda and the San possessing an pan Diego State offense generated only 13 personality. a thing to say and he was as eloquent as Force team. But yesterday, Gilbert had some- points in a victory over a weak Air the best speechmakers in the House of "We have more problems on ofRepresentatives. fense than anyone ever realized," GilHe was upset that his team had to bert said. "We are in extreme trouble not only take on the 12th-rated Missouri Tigers without the Aztecs' top KFMB (760) will carry the radio actwo runners, but that the game is count of tomorrow's game with Ted scheduled to start at the ungodly hour in San Sta- Leitner and Eddie Doucette calling of 10 a.m.

tomorrow Diego conflict the action. Ron Reina and Tommy dium. because of a scheduling Nettles will have the call on TV at 11 with the San Diego Padres. p.m. on Channel 6.

"I don't relish the prospect of playing at 10 a.m.," Gilbert said. "That means we have to roust our kids out of in the backfield. Our offense is gropbed at 6:15 and trot them down to ing and we're searching for answers. breakfast. My greatest fear heading into this "I don't think the human body was game is that we won't be able to move designed to sit in front of runny eggs the ball a lick against Missouri." at 6:15, then go out suit up and slam "We are going to have to find a way head long into another human being to get the ball into the end zone, or at 10 a.m.

we'll be in real trouble." "I think it's ridiculous. I think it's Coaches normally stretch the truth, damn ridiculous." but in Gilbert's case, he may not be Another thing that Gilbert thinks is far from wrong. ridiculous are his team's chances The Aztecs will again open with against Missouri. The Tigers are Kofler at quarterback. He is a gifted ranked 12th in the nation this week runner and passer who has quick feet and are fresh from a 47-16 victory and a quick mind but, he has very over New Mexico and a 52-7 pounding little help.

of Illinois. Steve Fogel, the man whom Gilbert "Missouri is ranked 12th and I think counted on to play fullback in the new they're underrated." Gilbert said. option offense, is out for the season "They are a great football team. with an achilles tendon injury. Paul They're big, strong, fast and highly Palumbo, his backup man, may not disciplined.

play because of an ankle injury. If "Honestly now, if my team comes Palumbo can't go, the fullback job DYNAMIC DUO Running back James Wilder (left) games of the 1980 football season. Wilder has gained 179 out sky high and highly motivated, falls to Derrick Harvey, who labored and quarterback Phil Bradley are two of the reasons why yards on 26 carries in the first two games and is averaging plays perfect football in all areas and last year at San Fernando High 12-rated Missouri has rolled up 99 points in its first two 6.9 yards per carry. is lucky as the devil and, Missouri School. Chargers give a big hand to other de defensive tackle FULLER By DON NORCROSS T-A Sports Writer SAN DIEGO Gary Johnson approached the receptionist in the Channel 10 offices, introduced himself and told the woman he was there to appear on the Don Coryell Show.

After notifying the producer, the receptionist asked Johnson what position he played. Johnson was in a good frame of mind, since it was just one day after he had played a key role in the Chargers 30-13 romp past Denver. He smiled, then answered the woman's question. "I'm a quarterback." The woman was not the most feverish Charger fan, but she knew few quarterbacks fit Johnson's mold 6-foot-3, 252 pounds. After a second inquiry, Johnson gave in and told the woman he was a defensive lineman.

"Oh yeah," she said, feeling proud. "You're No. 74." Johnson's smile then became forced. "No," he said with his southern politeness. "I'm No.

79.17 And so it goes for No. 79, Gary Johnson. He is the Chargers other Reds are still alive and kicking in NL West Don Roberts started the season as the Aztecs No. 1 running back. He is a strong, quick runner with good instincts.

Unfortunately, his instincts didn't help avoid a tackler at BYU and he's out for the season with a sperated shoulder. Speedster Craig Ellis, who has a tendancy to fumble the ball, is his replacement. Added to the Aztec problems is the fact that Missouri ranks third in the nation in rushing defense, allowing opponents just 38.5 yards per game. The Tigers, however, have none of the Aztecs' problems. The Missouri backfield has two of the brightest stars in college football in running back James Wilder and quarterback Phil Bradley.

In the first two games of the season, Wilder has carried the ball 26 times for 179 yards and three scores. He is averaging 6.9 yards per carry. "Wilder is one of the premier runners in the country," Gilbert said. "He's big, strong and has breakaway speed. The pro scouts rate him very highly.

"Bradley is good because he runs the option extremely well, but he's also a fine passer" Gilbert said. "He really presents us with a two-prong problem." Last year in Missouri, the Aztecs gave the Tigers problems for quarters before falling apart and losing, 45-15. But Gilbert feels his team's task is much tougher this season. "Last year, we went to Missouri and gave them an unorthodox defensive look and it worked for three quarters," Gilbert said. "'This year, we won't be able to surprise them and that scares me.

I'm very concerned about what might happen in the game." Apparently the fans aren't, however. Because of the 10 a.m. start, Aztec officials fear tomorrow's crowd won't crack 32,000. Officials vow Expo to return defensive tackle. No.

74 is a man named Kelcher, who inspires the fans to chant "Looooo-ie, L00000- ie" when he makes a tackle. Johnson does not creat such a fuss. On his very own team, he is only the third best known defensive lineman, Kelcher and Fred Dean ranking ahead of him. But if Johnson continues to play as he did against the Broncos, fans will have to begin to take notice. The Chargers recorded six sacks against Bronco quarterbacks Matt Robinson and Craig Morton and Johnson was credited with four of them.

He now has six on the young season to lead his team, the same number he had 1 last year when he went to the Pro Bowl for the first time. Johnson's lack of notoriety bothers him, but he is more troubled by the fact that the San Diego defense as a whole is under publicized. "I'm sort of disappointed, we work hard, too," Johnson said of his defensive pals. "'We don't get anything, not even a pat on the back. But you have to live with it.

"The offensive guys are the ones were dressing for a flight to Houston and a three-game weekend showdown with the Astros. "People have given up on us five or six times, but we've managed to battle back all year. "This club has a lot of character and this game is typical of the way we've played recently." After jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Reds saw Gene Tenace slam a two-run homer in the fourth and Dave Winfield a solo shot in the sixth to give the Padres a 3-1 advantage. The Reds tied the game in seventh when pinchhitter Harry Spilman singled to drive in pinchrunner Eddie Milner and Ron Oester. But, the man who won the game for the Reds is the perfect example of the character of the Reds' ball club.

With one out in the 10th, George Foster roped a double to right. After Dan Dreissen flied out, Ray Knight was purposely passed to bring catcher Vic Correll to the plate. Correll, who spent the past two seasons with Cincinnati as Johnny that get the publicity. Those are the breaks." While Johnson suffers from a Rodney Dangerfield-type image as far as fans and the press are concerned, he has plenty of respect in the Charger inner circle, particularly from its center, coach Don Coryell. When the Chargers were training at UC San Diego this summer, Coryell would address the press after each morning's practice.

Seldom did he miss the opportunity to sing Johnson's praises. That praise has continued into the regular season. "Gary Johnson had just a tremendous game," said Coryell of the defensive tackle's performance against the Broncos. It was not always this way for Johnson. He came to the Chargers as the valedictorian of the team's 1975 draft.

That lottery is referred to as the draft by the Chargers. The team built its defense with that draft, claiming such starters as Johnson, Mike Williams, Louie Kelcher, Fred Dean and Mike Fuller. Offensive players Billy Shields, Rickey Young and Ralph Please see Chargers, C-2 Bench's caddy, had spent 1 most of the 1980 season rehabilitating his left ankle after tearing his achilles tendon in spring training. In fact, yesterday was only the ninth game Correll has played this season. But the time off hasn't warped his skills.

Correll picked on the first pitch from Padre reliever Dennis Kinney Since rejoining the Reds on Sept. 1, Correll is hitting a cool .500 (who took his sixth loss against four victories) and drilled a two-run double up the alley in left-center field to give the Reds the margin of victory. The hit gave Correll eight safties in 16 at bats and a very lofty .500 batting average for a lifetime .226 hitter. "I'd like to think that I outsmarted that pitcher," Correll said. "The last three times I've hit, I took the first pitch.

I'm sure the Padres took note of By MARTIN KIVEL T-A Turf Writer GARY JOHNSON (79) GETS TO that and the pitcher just tried to slop something up to the plate get a strike and get ahead of me. "He threw me a hanging slider and I jumped on it. I had it in my mind the entire time that I would swing at the first pitch." Correll's season almost ended before the first pitch of spring training, however. He tore his tendon in a freak accident during infield practice prior to a game in March. Doctors told him that he wouldn't play again this season, but thanks to a tendon graph, Correll was back on the Reds' roster on Sept.

1. "I knew the NL West was going to be a dogfight from the first day of spring training," Correll "That's one of the reasons I've worked so hard to get back. I worked as hard as I ever have in my life to get ready. It feels like I've run a million miles and lifted two million pounds of weights to get this ankle ready to go. "Waiting to play was the toughest time I've ever had in my life, but the waiting and the work will all be KC'S STEVE FULLER IN '79 GAME worthwhile, though, if we win the division.

But, nothing was worth the pain I went through. Nothing, I mean NOTHING." The Reds won't have to wait too much longer to see if their plans for a seventh championship in 11 years are within reach. The three-game series with Houston will have a lot to say on who wins the division. But after the weekend, it's a win and wait game for the Reds, who play the Padres and Atlanta Braves to close out the season while the Astros and Dodgers go head-to-head down the stretch. But Correll knows all about waiting now.

His hope is that he doesn't feel the pain of coming in second. Ozzie Smith of the Padres stole three bases and Jerry Mumphrey one yesterday to join Gene Richards at 50 steals for the season. They are the first National League trio to steal 50 or bases in National League history. The only other trio of teammates to steal 50 in a season were Don Baylor, Bill North and Bert Campaneris of the '76 Oakland A's. DEL MAR No matter how you slice it, officials of the just-ended Expo race meeting insist that they are off to a 'fair' start.

The final figures aren't in yet, but whether they are red or black, the 22nd District Agricultural Association plans to make the 12-day meet a regular event. "We'll ask for the same dates next year and every year thereafter," Fair president Arlene Straza said Thursday. Financially, the inaugural Expo meet didn't live up to expectations even though it followed on the heels of the regular 43-day Del Mar season. Attendance was bout half of the 19,000 summer average and daily betting was nearly $1.4 million below the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club session. In explaining the drop off, Mrs.

Straza said, "Our problem has been that people were not aware Del Mar was open after the regular meet ended. The message didn't get out loud enough. "I think if we had advertised earlier and more extensively, the crowds would have been bigger. For instance, I was talking to some friends in East County and they said they'd heard nothing about a Fair meeting. "This year we had an agreement in our contract that we wouldn't have an ad campaign blending with the DMTC meeting.

"That hurt us because a lot of people thought the racing season ended with the close of the summer meet. We began to advertise the final few days of their meet, but it wasn't as effective as it could have been." Straza, who lives in Rancho Santa Fe, was elected to her post Sept. 9, just three days before the meet began. "I was very happy to become president," she said. "I've been interested in racing since I was young.

I've been on the racetrack leasing commission and was appointed to the Fair Commission for the first time in 1976. This year I was chairman of the Expo Commission that put together the contract with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. "If Fair racing does show a profit, it's expected to be around $50,000. However, we'll be happy just to wind up in the black. There are many hidden costs that we didn't anticipate." All the profits, if any, will go into a fund to improve the Fair Grounds.

"Hopefully there will be enough money available to open the infield for our fans by next summer," Straza said. "That will help both the Fair and the regular By JOHN MAFFEI T-A Sports Editor SAN DIEGO For a corpse, the Cincinnati Reds still have a little kick left. Given up for dead two weeks ago after dropping a three-game series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Cincinnati to fall games behind the leaders in the fight for the NL West pennant, the Reds have taken advantage of some shoddy play by both the Houston Astros and Dodgers and have quietly slipped back into the race. Yesterday, before a crowd of just 5,309 in San Diego Stadium, the Reds cut that once-insurmountable game margin to only behind second place L.A. while staying behind front-running Houston.

The Reds gained a game on the Dodgers with a 10-inning 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres. The Astros took over sole possession of first place in the NL West with a 3-2 victory over Atlanta while the Dodgers dropped a game back, losing to San Francisco, 3-2. gave up on us but ourselves," said Reds' skipper John McNamara as the Cincinnati players.