CSUN HAS TO FORFEIT GAMES.

Byline: Marc J. Spears Daily News Staff Writer

For the first time in school history, Cal State Northridge's athletic program has had to forfeit victories because of NCAA violations.

The Matadors football team was forced by the NCAA to forfeit two nonconference wins from 1997 for using three ineligible players, athletic director Paul Bubb announced Thursday.

Northridge self-reported the infraction, which was ruled a secondary violation.

The discrepancy involved wide receiver Brian Comer, running back Deriek Charles and defensive lineman Tyrone Gunn, whom the athletic department incorrectly assumed qualified for the one-time transfer rule.

CSUN doesn't expect any more such problems because it hired its first full-time NCAA-compliance director, Kathleen Heitzman, on March 23.

``Our compliance position is a key to help ward off this (problem),'' said Bubb. ``That is a position we felt we needed for the past three years.''

CSUN, which won two of its first five games last season, will have to forfeit a 63-23 victory at Boise State on Aug. 30 and a 63-21 win over Azusa Pacific on Sept. 20. The Matadors' overall 1997 record is now 4-8. Jim Fenwick was the Matadors' coach that season. He is now offensive coordinator at New Mexico.

Comer was leading the Big Sky Conference in receiving before being ruled ineligible by CSUN after playing in five games. The Chatsworth High graduate attended San Diego State before transferring and playing football at Valley College, California and then CSUN. Charles, who played in two games, began playing football at Washington State before transferring to Valley College, UNLV and Northridge. Gunn, who played in one game, began his football career as a Fresno State redshirt before transferring to Southwest City College, Arizona and CSUN.

``It bothers me that the team is losing the games more than anything,'' said first-year CSUN assistant Rob Phenacie. ``I'm sure it will pass, but the kids as a whole busted their butts to beat Boise State and they know they won.''