Taylor Wallace isn't practicing and his coach isn't talking.
Wallace, the junior college transfer who was expected to compete for a starting job at offensive tackle, was a no-show yesterday as San Diego State staged its first two-a-day workout of fall camp.
Aztecs coach Chuck Long referred to Wallace's absence as a “personal issue,” declining to go into specifics.
“Taylor is working through something right now and I'm not going to disclose it at this point,” Long said.
The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Wallace, who transferred to SDSU this fall from El Camino College in Torrance, originally attended Utah State. During his time at Utah State, Wallace was placed on probation for a drug-dealing conviction after being accused of providing marijuana to five teammates in July 2006. He originally was charged with felony drug distribution, but pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor. According to Utah records, Wallace was sentenced to six days in jail, plus a fine of $1,850 and one year of probation, which concluded on Jan. 22.
Attempts to reach Wallace yesterday for comment were unsuccessful.
“It was a big mistake on my part,” Wallace told the Union-Tribune shortly before the completion of his probationary period in January. “I was in Utah and was really bored all the time. I got involved in the wrong things, and I turned my life around. From that point on I said I'm not going to be that way. That's why I had to get out of there. I went to El Camino and earned another scholarship.”
Wallace, who enrolled at Utah State in 2005 before transferring to El Camino, was expected to join the Aztecs in time for spring drills in April. His arrival was delayed until the start of fall camp because of academic issues. The Aztecs currently feature a pair of redshirt freshmen – Mike Matamua and Kurtis Gunther – at the starting tackle spots.
While Long declined to say whether Wallace's absence was related to academics, fall classes have yet to start at SDSU and Wallace has been practicing with the team, something he would be unable to do if he were academically ineligible. Long routinely has been forthcoming in acknowledging if a player's absence is because of academics.
Asked if Wallace would be returning to the team, Long said, “We'll see; we're working some things out right now.”
Wallace has two years of eligibility remaining.
Sandifer catching on
As a true freshman last season,
Vincent Brown quickly turned heads with his skills as both a receiver and punt returner. Brown ultimately played in all 12 games and started eight of the last nine, finishing third in school history for most receptions by a freshman (31) and fourth in receiving yards (349).
Thus far, the Vincent Brown of this year's camp has been Dominique Sandifer, who in the past two years at Beverly Hills High caught a combined 106 passes for 1,691 yards and nine touchdowns. An accomplished high school hurdler, Sandifer also considered Oregon, Washington State and Nevada before settling on SDSU.
“If he keeps going the way he is, we'll throw him into the lineup just like we did with Vincent Brown,” Long said. “He's not there yet, but we'll see where he is at the end of camp. He's a fast learner who is really a good route runner.”
Extra points
Long said sophomore running back
Devon Brown will likely be held out of practice the next couple of days after suffering a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee . . . Sophomore defensive lineman
Neil Spencer, who played in all 12 games last season, will undergo an MRI on his injured left shoulder on Thursday.
Mick McGrane: (619) 293-1850; mick.mcgrane@uniontrib.com
