TODAY’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Saddleback’s Todd Norman Going Full Speed Ahead

Those confused about which Todd Norman starts at middle linebacker for Saddleback College have good reason.

Norman, a sophomore from Trabuco Hills High School, was listed as a preseason All-American in one football magazine. But it was at 6 feet 4, 250 pounds, which is four inches too tall and 25 pounds too heavy. The chart also listed him as a transfer from Notre Dame.

Wrong Todd Norman.

That Todd Norman went to Ocean View High School and is now an offensive tackle for the Fighting Irish after also playing linebacker in high school.

But the community college All-American prediction isn’t that far off base for Saddleback’s Todd Norman, a two-year starter for the Gauchos, who play host to Orange Coast College at 7 tonight in a Mission Conference Central Division game.

“A lot of times, I’m thinking that the people recruiting me might not be sure who I am,” Norman said. “I don’t want people to think I’m someone else.”

Norman’s strong play this season is hardly by chance. He spent his summer and fall watching hour-after-hour of tapes on opponents and of himself, trying to improve his knowledge of the game.

“He’s very much a perfectionist,” Saddleback Coach Ken Swearingen said. “One day in practice, we had the first-team offense and defense go against each other and Todd kept saying that was great, we should do it all the time.

“But we can’t or we would have no one left. He is one of two or three guys we have who have only one speed--full.”

Norman graduated from Trabuco Hills in 1989 but sat out the first year at Saddleback because the Gauchos already had about 20 linebackers in the program.

Last season, he became a starter after the first game and went on to have a fine year.

Norman’s forte is attacking the ball. When he looks at film of his past games, he always checks to make sure he is going toward the ball.

“It’s just a habit I want to get into all the time,” he said.

Norman, 20, is third on the team with 39 tackles this season. He also has recovered two fumbles and intercepted a pass.

“I feel very fortunate to play on the unit I do,” Norman said. “But I couldn’t do anything without my teammates and the coaching staff.”

In tonight’s Mission Conference Central Division games:

Orange Coast (5-1, 0-1) at Saddleback (5-1, 1-0), 7 p.m.--Saddleback, No. 12 in the J.C. Grid-Wire national ranking, is home for the first time in a month. Saddleback was 3-1 on the road and was involved in a minor bus accident (no one was hurt) last Saturday in the rain on the way back from Fullerton. Saddleback, usually known for its passing offense, is fifth in the conference in rushing, averaging 190 yards a game. The Gauchos are third in total offense (430 yards game).

OCC has to regroup from a 10-7 rain-soaked loss to Rancho Santiago last Saturday. Another loss would make OCC’s chances of successfully defending the divisional title bleak. The Pirates, who fell from second to ninth in the rankings, have the best defense in the conference, allowing 221 yards a game.

Golden West (4-2, 0-1) at Fullerton (4-2, 0-1), 7 p.m.--Derek Ragsdale has emerged as the top back for Golden West with 320 yards in 79 carries. Doug Cunningham leads the conference in punt returns with a 20-yard average.

Fullerton hopes to rediscover its offense after being held to 115 yards in the 17-3 loss to Saddleback.

Rancho Santiago (2-4, 1-0) at Riverside (2-4, 1-0), 7 p.m.-- Rancho Santiago got several big plays in the 10-7 upset of previously undefeated Orange Coast last Saturday, especially from defensive lineman Kaio Aumua. He had eight tackles, including a sack, and recovered a fumble. He also stopped OCC’s Adrain Steen for a two-yard loss on a fourth-and-one play late in the game.