OCC football bolstered by transfer quarterback

As with most football programs in the preseason, the defense is ahead of the offense at Orange Coast College.

But that may change sooner than later with the addition of transfer Sean Hakes, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound freshman who earned all-state honors while leading Nolan Catholic High of Fort Worth to a Texas state championship in 2005.

Hakes, who received scholarship offers from Mississippi, Colorado State, Bowling Green and Akron before electing to attend Akron last season, redshirted for the Zips in 2006.

“Akron wasn’t working out for me,” Hakes said Thursday, his fourth day of practice with the Pirates. “We had a couple top receivers leave and the program wasn’t going where I wanted it to go. The first day of fall camp, I asked for my release and got it.”

Rather than transfer to a Division I school, where he would be forced to sit out, Hakes said he wanted to play for a community college this year.

He visited OCC, Palomar and Saddleback, over the weekend, before selecting OCC.

“With the facilities here, the coaches here and with this team, I think we can do some big things here,” he said.

Returning sophomore Chris Debowski was penciled in to be the starting quarterback, but he broke the ring finger on his throwing hand before fall practice opened.

OCC Coach Mike Taylor said freshmen Kyle Manning, out of El Toro High, and Taylor Hughes, the Newport-Mesa Offensive Player of the Year last season at Corona del Mar High, were next in line, but were still learning the offense.

Taylor said Hakes could play in the Sept. 1 season opener at Citrus and Hakes is optimistic.

“I feel like I have the offense down pretty well and I’ve only been here four days,” Hakes said. “Me and [Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Mitchell] are working hard to get me up to speed. I’m not saying I’m just going to walk in and take over, but I definitely want to be competing.”

Orange Coast will get a chance to gauge Hakes’ progress when the Pirates scrimmage West Los Angeles today at 1 p.m. at OCC.

— Barry Faulkner