Saddleback Reaps Positive Results : Coach’s Negative Outlook Is an Incentive for His Players

Saddleback College football Coach Ken Swearingen is seldom optimistic about his team this time of year.

He normally spends most of his time talking about the holes the Gauchos have to fill.

But judging from his record, the questions generally get answered, and his teams are usually in contention for a conference title by the end of November.

Swearingen has a 213-54-6 record in 27 seasons. He was 98-31-5 in 14 seasons at El Camino, and is 115-23-1 at Saddleback over the past 13 years.

Swearingen’s teams have won 12 conference titles, 10 at Saddleback. His best season was 1985, when Saddleback was 11-0 and won the J.C. Grid-Wire mythical national championship.

Even with all the success, Swearingen seldom has many positive things to say about his team at the start of the season, and this fall is no different.

“Our quarterback is gone, so is his backup and so is his backup,” Swearingen said.

In fact, Saddleback returns only three offensive starters, none of whom played a full season. There are three part-time starters back on defense as well.

John Burns rushed for 459 yards in 96 carries last season and is back at tailback. He suffered a broken leg, missing three games, but is healthy again. Center Mark Esposito missed the last half of the season because of a knee injury but is also healthy. Dylan Candelaria returns at tackle after being a part-time starter last fall.

John Barnes, who played at Trabcuo Hills High School two seasons ago, and Robbie Adams, who played at Mission Viejo two seasons ago, are the favorites in the quarterback derby.

Swearingen’s concern is that neither has played a down of college football.

Whoever wins the job will be throwing to one of the county’s best freshman receivers: Mike Cook of Fountain Valley High.

Cook passed on nearby Golden West and Orange Coast in favor of traveling to Saddleback, which throws the ball more often than most area colleges. Cook will replace Scott Miller, who led the state with 78 catches. Miller is playing at UCLA this fall.

Mike Allison, an all-Pacific Coast League receiver from Laguna Hills High School, and Toney Jenkins, an all-South Coast League receiver from Capistrano Valley High School, are among many wide receivers.

The defensive line returns Mike Montreuil at defensive end, and Tony Perry is back at tackle after playing mostly on special teams last season.

Saddleback got immediate help at linebacker thanks to a couple of transfers. One is Mike Spinello from Mission Viejo High School, who played very little as a freshman at San Diego State. The other is Chris Drossos from Purdue; he was a USA Today All-American in 1987.

Robby Smith had a team-leading five interceptions last season and is back at one corner. Kendall Robbins and Greg Riles also return, but neither played much last season.

Mission Conference Notes

Riverside joins Fullerton, Golden West, Orange Coast, Rancho Santiago and Saddleback to make up the six-team Central Division of the Mission Conference. El Camino is the favorite again in the Northern Division, which also has Cerritos, Mt. San Antonio, Long Beach and Pasadena. San Diego Mesa and Southwestern appear to be the class of the Southern Division. San Grossmont, Palomar and San Diego City round out the division.