Prep football: Bravehearts

Barry Faulkner

Football coaches call it de-evolution, but it has more to do with

progress than regression. In fact, in the context of a defensive scheme,

an individual’s willingness to take three steps forward can often mean

one giant leap for the team.

Such is the case for the Newport Harbor defense, which utilizes

linebackers with physiques more common among cornerbacks or safeties.

“We want guys who can run,” Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said.

“We’ll de-evolutionize them by moving defensive backs to linebacker and

linebackers to down guys (from standing erect to a three- or four-point

stance, hence, reversing the evolutionary process).”

Whatever one calls it, the results have been impressive for the

Sailors (6-0-1, 2-0 in the Sea View League), ranked No. 7 in Orange

County and No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division VI.

With senior Cory Ray manning the middle, flanked by senior Tyler

Miller and sophomore Matt Encinias, Harbor’s starting linebackers have

helped the Tars relinquish the fewest points in Orange County (37). That

point total did not budge in Friday night’s 24-0 Sea View win over

Irvine, which had trouble interrupting the path of Ray, Miller and

Encinias, as well as junior utility backup Dave Erickson, to the ball

carrier.

In a scheme designed to free linebackers to make tackles, the

smallish, but strong and aggressive Sailor contingent obliged. Swarming

to the ball, they helped create six Irvine running plays for negative

yardage, one for no gain, three for 1 yard, five for 2 yards and two for

3 yards. That’s 17 plays netting just 7 yards, which helped keep the

Irvine punter busy (six kicks).

Irvine, which managed just 168 yards of offense, did not penetrate the

Newport side of the field until a little more than three minutes remained

in the third quarter. The Vaqueros never advanced inside the Harbor

29-yard line.

“They played really well across the board,” Brinkley said of his

linebackers.

There were off-season questions about who would replace the trio of

middle backer Alan Saenz (now at Montana), as well as outside standouts

Chris Manderino (Cal) and Andy Rankin (Dartmouth).

Originally, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Ray was slated to start outside,

but was shifted to the middle.

“Moving Cory to the middle was a big deal for our defense, because it

allowed us to put Joe (Foley) down (at nose guard),” Brinkley said.

“We’ve been fortunate to have some good Mike ‘backers here and he is in

that group. He runs inside-out to the ball and goes sideline to

sideline.”

Miller (5-11, 190), had flourished on the junior varsity and was a

special teams standout as a junior. He stepped in to provide

aggressiveness outside.

“We knew he could really play, having watched him on the lower

levels,” Brinkley said. “He’s a very tough guy who will strike you and

he’s athletic enough to cover in the schemes we use. He also does a good

job coming off the edge when we blitz.”

Encinias (5-9, 165), who became the first freshman in Brinkley’s 16

seasons to see varsity action during last year’s postseason run, opened

fall practice competing for time in the secondary.

“We thought he might be a corner for us, because of his size,”

Brinkley said. “But we moved him back to linebacker, where he played on

the freshman team, and everything seemed to click for him. He has been

flying around hitting guys ever since.”

Encinias was the Sailors’ defensive player of the week after making

five solo tackles and two assists.

Erickson (6-1, 180) most often spells Encinias, but can also play

inside.

“He’s a swing guy who will most likely be our middle linebacker next

year,” Brinkley said.

“We wanted to find the combination of guys who had the best chemistry

and we think we have. These guys all have the ability to run around.

They’re probably quicker than people think they are.”