In 2007, defense was the Achilles' heel in San Diego State's rebuilding process under then-second-year coach Chuck Long. Then the offense graduated almost in its entirety.

Now, it appears defense will be the motor that carries the Aztecs into the 2008 season.

That SDSU worked hard in the offseason to rectify a defense that was helpless by the end of 2007 was evident during spring practice. As much progress as the defense made, however, the inexperience on offense made it look that much better.

Not only are the Aztecs trying to replace quarterback Kevin O'Connell, whose 3,471 yards of total offense accounted for 76.8 percent of the team's offense, but they're also looking for four new linemen, two wide receivers and a running back to emerge.

That could explain the 110 total yards of offense produced on 45 plays in the annual Red-Black spring game. Three quarterbacks -- redshirt freshman Ryan Lindley, sophomore Kelsey Sokoloski and junior transfer Drew Westling -- combined for 9-of-24 passing for 79 yards and one touchdown that came on a 27-yard Lindley-to-Marcus Montgomery pass on the game's final play.

"Offensively, we still have a young line that is in transition right now," Long said. "We still have some work to do. We went to a three-play rotation with the quarterbacks (in the spring game), and we are grading them on the entire spring. In all fairness to them, when you are in a three-play rotation, you don't get in a groove."

The Aztecs will take any positive on defense, and the coaching staff likes the way the unit is coming together. Defensive coordinator Bob Elliott went so far as to say the unit was "where we want to be" at the end of spring. Usually, coaches are reserved about a team's progress during this time.

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