AZTECS SHOW OFF PASSING AS WELL AS RUSHING IN SNAPDRAGON DEBUT

John Debello remembers coming to a brand new stadium in Mission Valley on Aug. 20, 1967, for an exhibition game between the Chargers and Detroit Lions.

“My family drives into the massive parking lot, sunlight glinting from thousands of cars, the magnificent edifice looming larger by the second,” Debello said. “From inside, a thunder of drums. The mighty NFL is finally here, today, in little San Diego. I’ve waited nearly half of my 14 years for this moment.

“We get in line for tickets. Reaching the window, my dad sees the prices: General Admission $4.50.”

“Four-fifty!” he explodes. “That’s ridiculous!”

Sept. 3:

12:30 p.m., Snapdragon Stadium Ch. 8; 101.5-FM,

On the air:

Line:

“We get in the car and drive home,” Debello said.

That was 55 years ago — to the day — before San Diego State opened Snapdragon Stadium to fans for the first time with Saturday evening’s intrasquad scrimmage.

Debello said he wasn’t about to miss this opening. In fact, he arrived a day early, attending Friday afternoon’s ribbon-cutting ceremony outside Snapdragon.

Tickets were free for SDSU’S scrimmage, though they were limited to season ticket holders and other invited guests.

SDSU averaged about 1,000 fans — a good percentage of them the family and friends of players and coaches — for the event the past decade at SDCCU Stadium. This scrimmage drew a crowd estimated at 10,000 for an exclusive inaugural glimpse of the new 35,000-capacity facility.

After getting a good look around the place, fans settled into their seats to watch the Aztecs (although plenty remained in standing areas

Snapdragon Stadium gets a trial run before 15,000.

NELVIN C. CEPEDA U-T Aztecs QB Braxton Burmeister (green jersey) runs on a keeper during the team’s scrimmage game at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday.