CM pos. by pos.: Mesa linebackers back in black

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Senior Dave Weir is Costa Mesa High’s walking depth

chart.

A quarterback whom Coach Jerry Howell considers the team’s best receiver,

he may also be the Mustangs’ most talented ballcarrier.

And that’s just one side of the ball.

Weir, who started 10 games at outside linebacker as a sophomore, shifted

to safety last fall, when Howell asked him to be the quarterback of the

defense. However, choosing to shorten the distance between his toughest

tackler and the ball, Howell and defensive coordinator Tom Baldwin have

returned him to outside ‘backer this season.

He also punted, returned punts and was a frequent tackler on special

teams last year and figures to do more of the same in 1999.

“Dave has the attitude and work ethic coaches dream of,” Howell said.

“He’s tougher than heck, he wants to win and he wants to lead this team

to a winning season.”

Whether the Mustangs can extend their school-record playoff streak to

four seasons, however, will depend on how much help Weir can enlist from

his teammates.

Here’s a position-by-position look at the Mustangs:

Quarterback: Weir completed 17 of 54 for 383 yards without an

interception last fall and has staved off a challenge from junior Patrick

Hulliger, who guided the junior varsity to an 8-2 record and the Pacific

Coast League crown.

Weir also rushed for 568 yards and six touchdowns in 79 carries and was

All-Newport-Mesa District and All-PCL at free safety in ’98. He has

improved his aerial acumen, according to Howell, who will count on him to

boost pass-run balance in the new pro set offense, which replaces a

double-tight smashmouth running scheme.

“(Hulliger) is a step behind, but we’ll probably play him a quarter in

the first game and maybe a half in the second, just to make sure we’re

making the right choice.”

Weir’s aforementioned versatility could also increase Hulliger’s playing

time, should a need for Weir’s services arise elsewhere.

Senior Josh Little, who played as a freshman, but sat out the last two

years, adds depth, as does sophomores Mike Gardiner and Andrew

Strickland.

Running backs: Senior fullback Antony Grubisich, at 6-foot, 260 pounds,

will help the Mustangs win the battle between the tackles and Howell

believes he could approach 1,000 yards. He started 11 games at defensive

tackle as a sophomore, but will see most of his action on offense this

fall.

“We came to the conclusion after the summer that we had to develop more

plays for him as a ballcarrier,” Howell said. “He has good balance,

mobility, he’s in good condition and he’s very strong. He’s a big horse

up the middle.”

Todd Duddridge, a 6-0, 190-pound senior, will see time at fullback and

halfback and Howell admits the latter may be handled by a committee

including Greg Stewart, C.J. Zuniga, Alvin Nguyen and Edwin Martinez.

Duddridge started nine games at outside linebacker as a junior and saw

spot duty at fullback (13 carries for 54 yards). He’s a slicer, according

to Howell, who will turn to Stewart for speed.

Stewart played as a freshman and sophomore, but concentrated on track and

field as a junior, winning the PCL title at 100 and 200 meters and

finishing sixth in CIF Southern Section Division III in the latter.

Zuniga, who transferred in just before fall practice opened from Prescott

High in Arizona, has impressed in the early going. He was a varsity

starter last year as a sophomore.

Nguyen, a junior, sparkled for the league champion junior varsity last

season, including one or two 300-yard games, according to Howell. “He has

good quickness, works hard and doesn’t make mistakes.”

Receivers: Shaun Ferryman, an all-district and all-league tight end and a

6-foot-3, 200-pound three-sport senior, shifts to flanker, where Howell

expects him to catch around 40 passes.

He had 15 of the team’s 26 receptions a year go and gained 238 receiving

yards.

Little, an all-district baseball player, as well as junior Louis Day, are

battling for the other starting receiver spot, Howell said.

Day and Ferryman (both 6-3 with good leaping ability) could win the

battle with smaller opponents for any ball in the air.

Seniors Josh Cleveland and David Jenkins, junior Robin Stevens, as well

as Strickland, could also see playing time as the Mustangs put a new

emphasis on the passing game after years of grinding it out on the

ground.

Tight end: Senior Willy Franco (6-0, 190) takes over for Ferryman, though

Ferryman could line up here in some situations. Franco saw time at safety

last season and Howell likes his toughness.

Offensive line: Senior left guard Eliseo Martinez (5-10, 230), an

all-district and all-league returner, and senior right tackle Eric

Connaty (6-2, 290) started all season in ’98.

Martinez is a fixture, but the new offensive scheme, which demands

linemen block in space, will force Connaty to show he can adjust to

finding moving targets, rather than the wall of defenders foes used to

throw at the double-tight attack.

Junior Luther Mitchell (5-8, 300) is the front-runner at the other guard

spot, where his athleticism will serve him well in the new system. He

gained some seasoning on boths sides of the ball as a sophomore.

Junior Scott Schepens (5-10, 215) has the starting nod at center, where

he will be tutored by last year’s starter P.J. Stangl, now an assistant

coach.

The other tackle is an ongoing battle between up-and-coming junior

Charlie Amburgey (6-1, 240), senior Bobby Dandy (6-2, 260) and junior

Wayne Hansen (6-2, 260).

Dandy started four games last season, but will have to adjust to the new

scheme.

Amburgey could lessen the logjam if he assumes a prominent role on the

defensive front.

Juniors Jeremy Cooper (6-3, 210) and Paul Mattox (6-2, 250) will back up

at tackles, and Josh Clever (5-10, 165) is an option at center.

Howell listed senior Fernando Aronna (5-9, 200), as well as juniors

Daniel Hunter (5-9, 195) and Danny Mardikian (5-9, 235) as backup guards.

Defensive line: Grubisich will lead a rotation at one tackle, along with

Mardikian, while Amburgey is being counted upon to seize the other tackle

spot, according to Howell.

Duddridge, who started nine games at outside ‘backer and two at safety

could shift to end, filling a whole left when returning starter Robert

Hulliger who elected during spring practice to concentrate on the discus

and shot put.

Aronna is expected to start at the other end, where Gus Sandoval earned

all-district and all-league laurels last season before graduating.

Mitchell, Connaty and Martinez could add support, particularly in

short-yardage situations.

“We should be a little quicker and have more size than we did last year,”

Howell said.

Linebackers: Ferryman is physically imposing and loves to hit, while the

smaller Jason Rankin (6-0, 190), an all-district performer as a junior,

has the proverbial nose for the ball at the other inside spot. They

entered last season as question marks but anchor what is easily the

Mustangs’ strongest position on the field this fall.

Weir, with a mixture of Ferryman’s aggressiveness and Rankin’s instincts

should be a force in his return to the outside spot.

Patrick Hulliger is slated to start at the other outside spot, but Howell

said Duddridge is another option, especially if Hulliger ends up playing

much at quarterback.

Howell likes Clever’s instincts as an inside backup, while Edwin

Martinez, Cleveland and Nguyen provide quality depth outside.

Hunter and Strickland are also in the picture.

As usual, Baldwin will employ an attacking style, which usually allows

one or more of the front eight to go unblocked to the ball.

Secondary: Howell and Baldwin will juggle athletes until they find the

right mix, but Cleveland, Little and Franco figure to fall somewhere at

the top.

Howell said Stewart, Stevens, Jenkins and Strickland could also emerge,

but he is confident whoever lines up behind the front eight can handle

coverage responsibilities.

Cleveland and Franco are known quantities in terms of run support, while

the others will need to display a willingness to be physical, Howell

said.

Kicking game: Junior Luis Avalos booted a 44-yard field goal and

converted 31 of 35 PAT attempts en route to all-district honors a year

ago. He will be backed up by Irwin Salas.

Jenkins assumes the punting chores from Weir and Ferryman could also lend

his strong leg to the place-kicking or punting cause, if need be.

Howell hopes Stewart and/or Strickland can handle return duties, though

the sure-handed Weir is a proven insurance policy.

Schepens and Strickland are the longsnappers, while Weir is the

place-kick holder, backed up by Hulliger.