260:
During his participation in the
Freedom Bowl, coaches, players, and family noticed that Aunese was not his usual self. Teammates told him he looked sluggish on the field and family members wished he would be taken out of the game. In the months following the bowl game, Aunese experienced a multitude
272:
and doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of inoperable stomach cancer. He was given six months to live after his initial diagnosis. Over the course of the next several months, Aunese continued to visit
Colorado games and practices, but he continued to get weaker from the cancer and died at
295:
on the university campus. It was filled to capacity with over 2,000 mourners, and hundreds more outside. He was buried at
Eternal Hills Memorial Park located in Oceanside, California. The football team dedicated
1061:
619:
321:
1051:
191:, where he and his teammates won not only the C.I.F. San Diego section championship, but also the state championship. He attracted interest from several college programs including the
612:
1036:
234:
season and soon took over the starting job at quarterback that same year; he led the
Buffaloes to a 7–4 record, but no postseason bowl game. Aunese was awarded the
605:
326:
1041:
313:
301:
274:
1046:
1031:
1066:
1056:
317:
297:
269:
239:
231:
227:
188:
109:
300:
to Aunese, customizing the team's jerseys with the name "Sal" sewn into their sleeves. They went 11–0 in the regular season, but lost to
706:
292:
894:
192:
157:
628:
441:
196:
149:
724:
338:
Aunese had one child with Kristy McCartney, the daughter of former
Colorado head coach Bill McCartney. His son
430:
886:
485:
453:
392:
371:
559:
541:
522:
504:
644:
207:
153:
57:
1026:
1021:
347:
243:
235:
129:
343:
226:. Because of the Prop 48 conditions, Aunese missed his first year of eligibility with the team in
416:
288:
248:
113:
98:
206:
scores caused him to fall under the 1983 Convention
Proposal No. 48, commonly referred to as
579:
309:
305:
145:
597:
993:
860:
821:
339:
184:
660:
223:
168:
1015:
964:
951:
179:
Born in
Oceanside in northern San Diego County, Aunese was raised there with his six
972:
910:
902:
808:
747:
592:
210:. Because of this provision, he missed the freshman year of his college career.
980:
933:
668:
652:
588:
473:
878:
852:
829:
203:
219:
262:
566:. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 3, 1991. p. D1.
529:. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 2, 1991. p. B1.
180:
161:
261:
of symptoms, including coughing consistently, a loss of appetite, and
278:
238:
Newcomer of the Year award after the season. Colorado was 8–3 in the
74:
218:
Aunese chose
Colorado after heavy recruiting from assistant coach
601:
399:. (Oregon). Associated Press. September 26, 1989. p. 6D.
378:. (Oregon). Associated Press. September 25, 1989. p. 2B.
460:. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 30, 1988. p. 1B.
187:
at home growing up. He was an All-American
Quarterback at
265:
blood, which caused him to miss many workouts and drills.
492:. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 31, 1989. p. 2B.
1062:
Players of
American football from Oceanside, California
442:
All in the family: Miles coaches son of late QB recruit
511:. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. p. B1.
431:
Remembering Sal Aunese: Friends Pay Tribute to Aunese
120:
105:
94:
89:
81:
64:
44:
39:
31:
26:
202:Aunese's final high school transcript and his low
523:"'Lucky' Buffs breathe a sigh, await poll title"
1052:Deaths from stomach cancer in the United States
144:(May 8, 1968 – September 23, 1989) was a
613:
426:
424:
8:
21:
620:
606:
598:
387:
385:
20:
486:"Colorado quarterback stricken by cancer"
469:
467:
631:Colorado Buffaloes starting quarterbacks
548:. (Oregon). (Baltimore Sun). p. 1D.
366:
364:
362:
1037:American sportspeople of Samoan descent
454:"BYU uses 'reliever' to beat Buffaloes"
358:
542:"College polls deliver split decision"
412:
410:
408:
406:
287:Aunese's memorial service was held in
372:"Colorado mourns quarterback's death"
7:
560:"No. 1 Colorado wrecks Tech's dream"
16:American football player (1968–1989)
1042:Colorado Buffaloes football players
85:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
14:
585:– Sal Aunese & T.C. McCartney
540:Preston, Mike (January 3, 1991).
505:"Irish 'Rocket' past No. 1 Buffs"
503:Warner, Rick (January 2, 1990).
346:football player and recently a
25:
1047:Deaths from cancer in Colorado
1032:American football quarterbacks
393:"2,000 bid farewell to Aunese"
1:
1067:University of Colorado alumni
1057:People from Vista, California
268:Aunese was examined in March
308:. The Buffaloes did win the
242:regular season, but lost to
121:Career highlights and awards
770:Randy Essington (1980–1982)
732:Clyde Crutchmer (1973–1974)
132:Newcomer of the Year (1987)
1083:
842:Mike Moschetti (1998–1999)
737:David Williams (1973–1975)
474:Colorado Historical Scores
148:player who played for the
837:John Hessler (1995, 1997)
760:Charles Davis (1979–1980)
696:Bernie McCall (1964–1966)
691:Frank Cesarek (1962–1963)
639:
324:– a title it shared with
125:
790:Mark Hatcher (1985–1987)
755:Bill Solomon (1978–1979)
681:Gale Weidner (1959–1961)
928:Connor Wood (2012–2013)
775:Steve Vogel (1981–1984)
719:Paul Arendt (1969–1970)
714:Jim Bratten (1969–1970)
167:He died at age 21 from
816:Charles Johnson (1990)
197:University of Colorado
193:University of Nebraska
150:University of Colorado
918:Nick Hirschman (2012)
873:Erik Greenberg (2003)
780:Derek Marshall (1983)
686:Larry Ethridge (1962)
546:Eugene Register-Guard
490:Eugene Register-Guard
458:Eugene Register-Guard
417:ESPN OTL: Full Circle
397:Eugene Register-Guard
376:Eugene Register-Guard
322:national championship
183:. His parents spoke
154:Oceanside, California
58:Oceanside, California
941:Jordan Gehrke (2014)
765:Scott Kingdom (1980)
348:New England Patriots
230:. He came into the
40:Personal information
868:Robert Hodge (2002)
803:Marc Walters (1988)
785:Craig Keenan (1984)
320:, earning its only
310:Orange Bowl rematch
275:University Hospital
152:. Aunese was from
142:Siasau "Sal" Aunese
23:
988:Maddox Kopp (2022)
923:Jordan Webb (2012)
742:Jeff Austin (1976)
676:Howard Cook (1958)
68:September 23, 1989
1009:
1008:
1001:Ryan Staub (2023)
946:Cade Aspay (2015)
847:Zac Colvin (2000)
832:(1992, 1995–1996)
350:assistant coach.
256:Illness and death
189:Vista High School
139:
138:
114:Vista, California
1074:
1002:
997:
989:
984:
976:
968:
960:
959:Sam Noyer (2020)
955:
947:
942:
937:
929:
924:
919:
914:
906:
898:
890:
882:
874:
869:
864:
856:
848:
843:
838:
833:
825:
817:
812:
804:
799:
791:
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
761:
756:
751:
743:
738:
733:
728:
720:
715:
710:
702:
701:Dan Kelly (1966)
697:
692:
687:
682:
677:
672:
664:
656:
648:
633:
632:
622:
615:
608:
599:
568:
567:
564:Spokesman-Review
556:
550:
549:
537:
531:
530:
527:Spokesman-Review
519:
513:
512:
509:Spokesman-Review
500:
494:
493:
482:
476:
471:
462:
461:
450:
444:
439:
433:
428:
419:
414:
401:
400:
389:
380:
379:
368:
330:
318:following season
293:Macky Auditorium
284:
252:
166:
158:San Diego County
146:college football
75:Denver, Colorado
71:
54:
52:
24:
1082:
1081:
1077:
1076:
1075:
1073:
1072:
1071:
1012:
1011:
1010:
1005:
1000:
994:Shedeur Sanders
992:
987:
979:
971:
963:
958:
950:
945:
940:
932:
927:
922:
917:
909:
901:
895:Bernard Jackson
893:
885:
877:
872:
867:
861:Bobby Pesavento
859:
851:
846:
841:
836:
828:
822:Kordell Stewart
820:
815:
807:
802:
794:
789:
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
759:
754:
746:
741:
736:
731:
723:
718:
713:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
667:
659:
651:
643:
635:
630:
629:
626:
576:
571:
558:
557:
553:
539:
538:
534:
521:
520:
516:
502:
501:
497:
484:
483:
479:
472:
465:
452:
451:
447:
440:
436:
429:
422:
415:
404:
391:
390:
383:
370:
369:
360:
356:
340:T. C. McCartney
336:
325:
316:by a point the
282:
258:
247:
222:and head coach
216:
177:
164:
135:
73:
69:
56:
50:
48:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1080:
1078:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1014:
1013:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1003:
998:
996:(2023–present)
990:
985:
977:
969:
961:
956:
948:
943:
938:
930:
925:
920:
915:
907:
899:
891:
883:
875:
870:
865:
857:
849:
844:
839:
834:
826:
818:
813:
805:
800:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
757:
752:
744:
739:
734:
729:
721:
716:
711:
707:Bobby Anderson
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
678:
673:
665:
661:Sam Winningham
657:
649:
640:
637:
636:
627:
625:
624:
617:
610:
602:
596:
595:
586:
575:
574:External links
572:
570:
569:
551:
532:
514:
495:
477:
463:
445:
434:
420:
402:
381:
357:
355:
352:
335:
332:
257:
254:
224:Bill McCartney
215:
214:College career
212:
208:Proposition 48
176:
173:
169:stomach cancer
137:
136:
134:
133:
126:
123:
122:
118:
117:
107:
103:
102:
96:
92:
91:
90:Career history
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
72:(aged 21)
66:
62:
61:
46:
42:
41:
37:
36:
33:
29:
28:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1079:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1019:
1017:
999:
995:
991:
986:
982:
978:
974:
970:
966:
965:Brendon Lewis
962:
957:
953:
952:Steven Montez
949:
944:
939:
935:
931:
926:
921:
916:
912:
908:
904:
900:
896:
892:
888:
884:
880:
876:
871:
866:
862:
858:
854:
850:
845:
840:
835:
831:
827:
823:
819:
814:
810:
806:
801:
797:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
749:
745:
740:
735:
730:
726:
722:
717:
712:
708:
704:
699:
694:
689:
684:
679:
674:
670:
666:
662:
658:
654:
650:
646:
642:
641:
638:
634:
623:
618:
616:
611:
609:
604:
603:
600:
594:
590:
587:
584:
583:
578:
577:
573:
565:
561:
555:
552:
547:
543:
536:
533:
528:
524:
518:
515:
510:
506:
499:
496:
491:
487:
481:
478:
475:
470:
468:
464:
459:
455:
449:
446:
443:
438:
435:
432:
427:
425:
421:
418:
413:
411:
409:
407:
403:
398:
394:
388:
386:
382:
377:
373:
367:
365:
363:
359:
353:
351:
349:
345:
341:
334:Personal life
333:
331:
328:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
294:
290:
285:
283:September 23.
280:
276:
271:
266:
264:
255:
253:
250:
245:
244:Brigham Young
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
213:
211:
209:
205:
200:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
174:
172:
170:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
131:
128:
127:
124:
119:
115:
111:
108:
104:
100:
97:
93:
88:
84:
80:
76:
67:
63:
59:
47:
43:
38:
34:
30:
19:
973:J. T. Shrout
911:Tyler Hansen
903:Cody Hawkins
809:Darian Hagan
795:
748:Jeff Knapple
645:Olin Chilson
593:Find a Grave
581:
563:
554:
545:
535:
526:
517:
508:
498:
489:
480:
457:
448:
437:
396:
375:
342:is a former
337:
327:Georgia Tech
286:
267:
259:
249:Freedom Bowl
217:
201:
178:
141:
140:
99:Freedom Bowl
70:(1989-09-23)
18:
1027:1989 deaths
1022:1968 births
981:Owen McCown
967:(2021–2022)
954:(2016–2019)
936:(2013–2016)
934:Sefo Liufau
913:(2008–2011)
905:(2007–2010)
881:(2003–2005)
863:(2000–2001)
855:(2000–2001)
824:(1992–1994)
811:(1989–1991)
798:(1987–1988)
750:(1976–1977)
727:(1971–1972)
725:Ken Johnson
709:(1967–1969)
671:(1956–1958)
669:Boyd Dowler
663:(1948–1949)
655:(1935–1937)
653:Byron White
582:Full Circle
306:Orange Bowl
160:and was of
106:High school
101:(Dec. 1988)
55:May 8, 1968
35:Quarterback
1016:Categories
879:Joel Klatt
853:Craig Ochs
830:Koy Detmer
796:Sal Aunese
589:Sal Aunese
354:References
314:Notre Dame
302:Notre Dame
298:the season
175:Early life
95:Bowl games
51:1968-05-08
27:No. 8
22:Sal Aunese
887:James Cox
236:Big Eight
220:Les Miles
312:against
263:vomiting
195:and the
181:siblings
165:descent.
32:Position
304:in the
289:Boulder
246:in the
983:(2022)
975:(2022)
897:(2006)
889:(2004)
647:(1925)
580:ESPN:
279:Denver
185:Samoan
162:Samoan
82:Height
77:, U.S.
60:, U.S.
130:Big 8
110:Vista
65:Died:
45:Born:
270:1989
240:1988
232:1987
228:1986
591:at
344:LSU
291:at
281:on
277:in
204:ACT
156:in
1018::
562:.
544:.
525:.
507:.
488:.
466:^
456:.
423:^
405:^
395:.
384:^
374:.
361:^
199:.
171:.
621:e
614:t
607:v
329:.
251:.
116:)
112:(
53:)
49:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.