Hancock Football Kicks Off Training Camp with Optimism, Scrimmage Set for Saturday
With nearly 90 players in helmets and pads, the Allan Hancock College football team has officially started preparations for the 2014 season. The Bulldogs open the season on Saturday, September 6, at Santa Ana College. It will mark Hancock's first-ever meeting with the Dons, who went 3-7 last season.
Head coach Kris Dutra returns for his 14th season with the Bulldogs. He enters with an overall record of 78-59 and ranks second all-time in program history for most career victories. Ricky Aguilar remains the team's defensive coordinator, while Paul Ross will resume play calling on the offensive side of the ball.
"We have quite a bit of freshmen in camp," said Dutra. "But the talent level is definitely there on both sides of the ball. We just have to get the pieces to fit together and when we do, we'll be a quality team." Hancock is coming off a 3-7 season that included a 2-4 mark in the Northern Conference.
Five players are in the quarterback competition. Freshmen Curry Parham, a St. Joseph High School graduate, as well as Pioneer Valley High School graduate Andrew Madrigal are in the hunt. "The two of them have size, big arms and are very coachable," said Dutra.
Sophomores Badreddine Assioua, Ricardo Castro, a transfer from Bakersfield College, as well as freshman Sean McComas are also taking snaps in camp. They will look to replace Anthony Maez and Troy Prober, who split duties last season. Maez graduated and Prober is focusing on baseball.
"McComas has good hands and is an amazing punter," said Dutra. McComas will challenge for punting duties after he was an All-State punter for West Valley High School. He averaged 48 yards per punt his junior season.
The competition at tailback is wide open with Santa Maria High School graduate Joel Enriquez departed after graduation. "We have a lot of evaluating to do to determine who will be our primary ball carriers," added Dutra.
Sophomore DeSean Dillard is the early front runner because he rushed for 253 yards on 58 carries (4.4 yards per carry) and scored two touchdowns last season. Jaylin Amerson, who rushed for 23 yards on three carries last season, is also in the mix.
Coaches will also look at freshmen Bakari Davis, Michael Johnson, Fredarius Wade, Shaq Autry, Lauina Futi and Dave Cotterell. Futi is one of six new players added to the Bulldogs from American Samoa.
Jeffries hauled in 21 receptions for 299 yards and two touchdowns last season. The 6'5" Briggs caught 19 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Zak Karsh, a St. Joseph High school graduate, freshman Lavelle Griffin, as well as sophomore Shakeer Williams are also receivers to watch.
St. Joseph High graduate Ryan Mediano leads the tight end crew. Mediano caught nine passes for 78 yards and one touchdown last season as a freshman.
The key for the Hancock offense is the stability of the offensive line. Last year, the Bulldogs were decimated with injuries on the O-line and forced to play backups or move skill players into the slots. "We have a very physical bunch of guys," said Dutra. "The group has a lot of potential as long as they're learning all the time."
Lompoc High School graduate Joshua Powers returns at strong tackle, while redshirt sophomore Francisco Mendez, Jr., is back at quick tackle. Mendez has received scholarship offers already from several four-year universities.
Defensively, the Bulldogs return a majority of their defense, with six returning starters. Jonathon General, who had 8.5 sacks last season as a defensive lineman, will make the switch to linebacker. He'll be joined there by middle linebacker and Lompoc High School graduate Willie Iribarren, a Second Team All-Conference pick last season. He had 59 tackles and forced two fumbles as a freshman. Righetti graduate Eric Wilson, who missed most of last season with an injury, is expected to play SAM. Tim McCullough and Pete Hilvers, both sophomores who saw action last year with the Bulldogs, as well as freshman Sean Brown provide the Bulldogs with a talented corps at linebacker.
The real strength of the defense could be in the secondary. "We have the most depth and talent at cornerback and safety than I've ever had at Hancock," said Dutra.
Atascadero High School graduate Deonte Barnes, who made 59 tackles last season, as well as Lompoc alum, freshman Rafael Arellano are expected lead the group of safeties that also includes Seth Kena, Taylor Cornejo, another Lompoc grad, Calvin Jean and Taupule Asotau.
At cornerback, Logan Sprouse, an Atascadero High graduate, leads the way. He made eight tackles, intercepted a pass, and recovered two fumbles last season. Central Coast natives Codie Corbin (Pioneer Valley) and Elijah Holt (Arroyo Grande) will also challenge for time at corner along with Cameron Lang, Damarion King and Dy'Kari Hickey.
The defensive line took a hit when two expected starters were ruled academically ineligible. Aaron Pringle returns to lead the D-line. A Second-Team All-Conference pick last season, he had 29 tackles, 5.5 for lost yardage and one sack as a freshman. American Samoan native Lawrence Chen, freshmen Kevon Perry, Dominic Walker and Chris Jones are also in the mix.
"The talent on the line is there," said Dutra. "Once we get them squared away, we should be very good up front."
The Bulldogs will play their Blue and Gold scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 3 p.m.
"The scrimmage will be a huge evaluating tool for us. The coaching staff will scrutinize the film so we can quickly get them ready to play a game for real," said Dutra. "I want to see the players get tougher over the next few weeks. Tough teams win championships. There is nothing finesse about us. We are at our best when we are physical."
There are 11 Bulldogs on the roster from Florida, five from Michigan, six from American Samoa. All told, the roster includes players from 15 different states from Washington to New York and Virginia. Among local high schools, there are eight former Lompoc High School players, five from St. Joseph, as well as three from Pioneer Valley and Atascadero. Santa Maria, Orcutt Academy, Righetti, Santa Ynez, Valley Christian Academy, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Mission Prep, and Arroyo Grande High Schools are also represented on the Hancock roster.
Hancock's season opener at Santa Ana is at 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 6. The Bulldogs home opener is Saturday, Sept.13, at Righetti High School against Central Coast rival Santa Barbara City College at 4 p.m.