CdM is focused inward

RICK DEVEREUX

Good football teams are able to adapt to the team they are playing

and come away with a win. Great football teams don’t care who they

are matched up against.

“We’ll run our offense regardless of the defense we face,” said

Tony Naranjo, the first-year offensive coordinator for Corona del Mar

High. “We’re going to run our stuff and run it to perfection.”

To that end, CdM, ranked No. 6 in CIF Southern Section Division

IX, only practices a few plays. But it practices those plays

repeatedly.

In the team’s Monday practice, Naranjo had the Sea King offense

matched up against a Bear 46 defense, the same attacking formation

CdM (2-0) will face against Troy (1-0) Friday at Fullerton High.

The defense, made famous when Buddy Ryan was the defensive

coordinator of the world champion Chicago Bears in 1985, puts eight players close to the line of scrimmage with the intent of applying

pressure to the quarterback and stopping any running attack.

Naranjo said the offense isn’t concerned.

“They could put 30 guys on defense, but if we follow our rules, we

should be able to execute our offense,” he said.

Facing an attacking defense is nothing new for the Sea Kings.

Costa Mesa tried to take away the rushing game by stacking players

near the line of scrimmage and disrupt the passing game by blitzing.

CdM picked up 213 rushing yards and 268 passing yards in its 35-9

victory Friday.

The Sea Kings have talent galore in the skill positions with Tom

Welch at quarterback, Wess Presson and Brett Crowley at running back,

and Austin Brawner and John Shanahan at fullback. Kevin Welch and

Shane Collins give Corona del Mar exemplary wide-receiving tandem.

“The nice thing about the guys we have this year, the team can run

the option and we do it well,” Naranjo said. “But we won’t live and

die by it. We’ll always be able to get a mismatch somewhere.”

But the key to the offense is the play of the offensive line.

“We’ve got guys in the backfield who, if you give them a little

bit of room, they can make plays happen,” Naranjo said. “When the

O-line sees them making plays, they tend to start blocking a little

better.”

The starting offensive line of John Fairbanks, Andrew Keligian,

Chris Reilly, Zach Wishengrad and Robbie Richey averages 6-foot-2,

236-pounds, and has helped the offense score five touchdowns in

consecutive games for the first time since the opening games of the

2001 season.

“My whole philosophy on offense is to go full speed,” Naranjo

said. “We’re going to have our foot on the gas pedal and go as fast

as we can go.”

Going as fast as one can go may result in injuries, but the Corona

del Mar coaching staff believes the fact the junior varsity squad

practices with and against the varsity team will help backups ease

into the lineup when called upon.

The mixed squad practices also allow seniors to help motivate and

instruct younger players in drills, techniques and play recognition.

“[The junior varsity players] get a lot out of that,” said

defensive line coach Bernie Terry.

While Terry was taking the players through drills on a blocking

sled Monday, players were barking out instructions for the sophomores

to, “keep low,” “hit it harder” and “don’t wind up your arms.”

When the team ended practice at 5:40 with wind sprints, seniors

continued to yell words of encouragement for the varsity and junior

varsity players to keep working hard and not to give up.

The coaches admitted the practice was a little lackadaisical, but

the team is not suffering from overconfidence.

“The seniors won’t allow it,” special teams coach Brent Ogden

said.