Costa Mesa: Airing it out

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High football fans who used to utter

disparaging groans when the Mustangs plowed off tackle on third-and-17,

should be in for a pleasant surprise this fall.

During Coach Jerry Howell’s first four seasons at the helm, he

maintained the smashmouth offensive mentality initiated by former coach

Myron Miller in 1992. It was a muscle-bound, though admittedly monotonous

conviction, which fostered five CIF Southern Section playoff appearances

since. This is noteworthy considering the program had tasted the

postseason just five times its first 33 campaigns.

But running with repetition has resulted in zero Pacific Coast League

titles and only one playoff victory since the 1993 squad won the PCL and

played in the CIF Division VIII title game.

So, Howell believes, it’s time for a tweak.

“I’ve always wanted to throw the ball more,” he said. “The old offense

won games easily, but it bored me. We won’t wear people down and win,

50-0, but we may win, 21-0, and play a lot better.”

Sacrilege, one might suggest, from a coach whose team completed just 26

of 83 pass attempts for 500 yards last fall (not quite 17% of its total offensive), and threw one more interception (four) than touchdown pass.

Factor in 14 sacks for 95 lost yards and it’s easier to see how the

off-tackle hole held such game-plan prominence.

But there’s more.

“We’ll throw until someone changes the defense to stop us,” Howell

proclaimed. “We want to get teams to spread out to try and stop our pass,

then we’ll run the ball up the middle.”

For starters, Howell will entrust the controls of his pro set offense to

senior quarterback Dave Weir. An All-Newport-Mesa District and

All-Pacific Coast League safety as a junior, Weir also started eight

games under center last fall. He completed 17 passes for 383 yards, but

had more impact with the ball under his arm, rushing for 568 yards and

six touchdowns in 79 caries.

Senior Shaun Ferryman, all-district at tight end last season, will move

to receiver and is expected to at least double his 1998 totals of 15

receptions for 238 yards.

Weir, the leading ground gainer returning, could eventually be asked to

help fill the void at running back left by the transfer of All-CIF

Division VI Jimmy Herzog to Santa Margarita.

Herzog rushed for 1,491 yards and scored 18 TDs as a junior. Making

matters worse, would-be heir apparent Nick Cabico, who picked up 29 yards

in an impressive varsity playoff debut after starring for the freshmen

last fall, bolted to Mater Dei.

Howell is enthused about 6-foot, 260-pound junior fullback Antony

Grubisich, whom he said “could be special.” Seniors Todd Duddridge and

PCL sprint champion Greg Stewart are additional backfield candidates, but

they boast a combined 69 varsity rushing yards and one TD on just 16

attempts coming in. Stewart, in fact, sat out last season.

Senior Eliseo Martinez, a Daily Pilot first-team all-league and

all-district guard, anchors a large and fairly experienced offensive

line. But last year’s techniques -- blocking down from tight splits --

won’t hold much use this year, when the new alignment will require

linemen to block more in space.

“We don’t have one guy who can carry the load like we did last year, but

our offense could be better,” Howell said.

However tenuous things appear offensively, the good news is, it may not

take many points for the Mustangs to win.

Ferryman and all-district returner Jason Rankin highlight an experienced

and tenacious linebacking corps which will include Weir.

Grubisich, who started as a sophomore tackle, provides a strong

foundation to the front four, though his playing time could be lessened

to accommodate an enhanced offensive presence.

The secondary, which got an Orange County record-tying 13 interceptions from senior cornerback Ricky Martin last season, will be inexperienced.

But Howell believes the collection of athletes he and defensive

coordinator Tom Baldwin can choose from here, including special teams

captain Jake Cleveland, all-district baseball standout Josh Little, and

senior Willy Franco, will not cause any sleepless nights.

Howell sleeps better, these days, anyway, ever since perennial powers

Laguna Hills and Aliso Niguel were shifted from the PCL to the Sea View

League.

Though new PCL foe Corona del Mar figures to provide stiff competition,

Mesa joins the Sea Kings as a favorite to compete for the league crown.

It could all come down to a Mesa-CdM showdown Nov. 12 in the

regular-season finale at Newport Harbor High.

“If we can get past University and Estancia, Game 10 could be for the

title,” Howell said.

Mesa’s seniors won the league title as freshmen and last year’s junior

varsity swept the PCL competition.

“We feel like we have a chance to mold into a real good football team,”

said Howell, who has seized the term “unfinished business” as a theme for

this season. The phrase adorns team T-shirts.

“We felt like we should have won the PCL last year and didn’t,” Howell

said. “This year, we want to finish that business.”