Life after football

Last year, SF State wrestler Lee Lofton forged his way into the SF State history books -- but it wasn't on the mats. He caught the last pass on the last play of the last game for SF State's now-defunct football program.

What Lofton is not quick to tell, is that it was also the last fumble in SF State football history.

"It was the last game of the season and we were losing pretty bad. I was playing tight end and caught a pass on a play across the middle," Lofton said explaining the final chapter of SF State football. "Then this guy came from behind me and knocked the ball loose. I didn't think it would be the last football game I played in."

Today, Lofton is gearing up for the NCAA Division II Championships in Greely, Colo., and the biggest wrestling matches of his career, as seventh-ranked grappler in the nation in his weight class.

But just one year ago, Lofton and 73 other football players were told their careers at SF State were over.

"I can still remember when coach Mannini came into the team meeting with a tear in his eye and said he had bad news to tell us," the 21-year-old Lofton said. "Then he just flat out told us the football program was being dropped. There wasn't even any rumors before, no one had a clue."

The SF State football program was dropped a year ago in order to meet a gender-equity order given by the California State University system. The order was the result of a lawsuit filed by the California chapter of the National Organization for Women.

Even though Lofton could have transferred to another school to play football, like so many other refugees of the Gator program, there was another group of people that he couldn't disappoint -- his wrestling family.

But Gator wrestling coach Lars Jensen thought it was much more than the wrestling program that kept Lofton at SF State.

"The business program is excellent here and he is a business major, plus he was more successful at wrestling than football," said Jensen, who has been SF State's wrestling coach for 12 years. "His high school wrestling coach graduated from SF State and I think that also kept him here because he is still close to him."

Former SF State football coach Dick Mannini believes that Lofton could have performed at another Division II school if he wanted to.

"He is a good football player and could have gone somewhere else to play. He could've been one of the players who transferred out," Mannini said. "But I think he wanted to stay because he liked coach Jensen and all the wrestlers on the team."

Besides enjoying the camaraderie of his teammates and coaches, Lofton follows some strict personal goals he set for himself following an extremely tough loss in the state wrestling championship as a senior at American High School in Fremont.

"I choked in the high school state meet and that still motivates me today," said Lofton, whose record is 20-16 against mostly Division I opponents. "Going into my senior year I think I have a chance to win the whole thing in Division II. I just want to feel what it's like to be at the top."

Last year in the Division II regionals' second round, Lofton lost a 2-1 overtime match in the championship bracket. He finished fifth overall.

The absence of the football program has in some ways cast a positive light on Lofton's wrestling career. After participating in two sports for most of his high school and college years, he has never felt healthier or been in better condition than this year.

"I don't have the lingering bumps and bruises of football anymore to give me trouble during the wrestling season," said Lofton, who is also the team captain. "Now I don't have the excuse of football injuries when I lose."

Jensen also agrees that without the football season Lofton's body and mind have more time to focus on wrestling.

"I think he is better at wrestling," Jensen said. "And without football his mind is always set on wrestling."

Football may be out of sight, but Lofton says it's not always out of mind.

"I've been playing football for 11 years and its kind of hard when August comes around and spring training is supposed to start," he said.

[ Golden Gater Online March 12, 1996 ]

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