SAN DIEGO -- Chuck Long expects his players to celebrate together in the end zone following a touchdown -- a bond San Diego State's second-year head coach felt was missing when he took over the Aztecs.

But with receiver Brett Swain scoring three long touchdowns in the Aztecs' 52-17 victory over Portland State on Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium, Long might have been asking too much of his offensive linemen.

Swain, a Carlsbad High alumnus, caught touchdown passes of 75, 53 and 30 yards -- all in the first half, leaving the heavyset guys winded trying to reach the celebration.

"It was a long way, but I enjoyed running all the way down there," said senior guard Fred Amano of Rancho Bernardo High. "As long as we get seven points, that's all we care about."

Swain is considered the Aztecs' possession receiver with his ability to get open in the middle, but his totals belied the definition on a night SDSU was without senior wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot). Swain caught six passes for career highs in yards (224) and touchdowns (three).

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior's first score was a 30-yarder across the middle from quarterback Kevin O'Connell of (La Costa Canyon) for a 14-0 lead. His second TD, a 53-yard catch and run, also was across the middle when he beat his man and outran the help for a 21-7 lead.

Swain said he approached the game the same as any other start, no matter the defensive coverage he was presented or the absence of Schilens.

"You want to go out and do your job and run your routes as hard as you can," he said. "You want to give this guy (O'Connell) a good look, because he's watching what you do downfield. It makes his job a lot easier if you do your job."

On Swain's third touchdown, he benefited from a blown assignment. He was 25 yards behind the defense, looking like he was waiting for a fly ball in center field, before he caught O'Connell's pass, turned and ran for a 28-14 lead.

Sometimes the easy ones can be the hardest balls to catch.

"You watch the ball, and it's up there and all you're thinking is, 'Please don't drop it; please don't drop it,' " Swain said. "But the ball comes down, and you concentrate on it. You work all week on concentrating on the ball and watching it all the way in."

Swain almost had a fourth touchdown, but a third-quarter pass in the front corner of the end zone escaped his outstretched hands. Still, sharing three celebrations was plenty for him.

"It's a team effort to get into the end zone -- not just one player," Swain said. "It's really special to get down to the end zone and share it with whoever scored, because it's a team effort."