Bulldog fall football preview
The Bulldogs will compete in the always tough Palomar League again and come CIF playoff time, they will compete in the very tough Division 1 bracket in the newly designed football playoff divisions.
The Bulldogs have what many experts are saying is the toughest 10-game schedule in the San Diego Section. Ramona will play four teams in the new “Super “Open” Division and five teams in Division 1. The Bulldogs will have six home regular season games, and the Athletic Department is hoping for record crowds this year as the exciting 2013 season begins.
The coaching staff began the 2013 season with 11 football practices in the spring.
Team Preview Capsule
Offense:
Sophomore
Marco Cobian
takes the reigns as the quarterback for the Dawgs. Many of the Division 1 college scouts who traveled to RHS this last month remarked that this kid will be special. His future as a QB is open-ended meaning. He can take his game to the highest level if he chooses! Finding a backup to Cobian is priority and
Christian Dominguez
and
Tanner Williams
have the ability to start on most varsity teams, so this will be strength for the Dawgs.
The running back should once again be a force for Ramona. Potential county rushing leader
Nathan Cherek
and super junior
Brandon Gansch
will anchor the 1-2 combination that the Bulldog offense requires. This tandem reminds me a lot of the
Ryan Morgan-Tyler Jackson
tandem that was legendary here three to four years ago.
Teddy Schenck
and
Justin Villagrana
will also carry the ball and provide depth.
Tight end promises to be a strength for the Dawgs. Division 1 college recruits
Matt Lawler
and
Christian Drews
(University of Utah) will headline a very deep position. Drews will actually move to the hybrid spot of the H-TE and will play fullback.
Ben Barnat
and
T-Bone Williams
will be main players at this group along with All CIF potential Lawler.
The wide receiver group will have the most new faces, but starters
Garrett “playmaker” Binkley
and
Tanner Williams
return.
Garrett Dart,
Colton Harris
,
Colton Jansen,
and
Wyatt Scott
all provide excellent depth and ability.
Wyatt Kent
moves from tight end to wide receiver.
The offensive line is the biggest question mark as it will have three new starters. Returning starters
Patrick Hastings
and
William Rieve
will anchor the line with all of the other positions being fought for through August camp. If this group can come together, another run at the CIF title will be possible.
Defense:
The defense will be led by returning 2012 defensive Player of the Year linebacker
Travis Kerchner
and All North County Defensive Lineman
Hastings.
Coach Stephon Pace will lead a veteran group that has been in the system now for three years.
The linebacker looks to be the strongest part of the defense with Division 1 College Prospects
Kerchner
and
Drews
- Drews has had an incredible off season and is now standing at 6’2” and 225 pounds, and moving very well. Kerchner and Barnat
both return 15 to 20 pounds stronger and are ready for the tough schedule and long season ahead.
Schenck
,
Jansen,
and sophomore
Grady Vazquez
are all competing for starting spots.
The defensive back group has many returning players and will be tested early with Grossmont in the second game.
Tanner Williams
returns at safety along with
Binkley
and
Cherek
at corner. Cherek will be needed to play both ways.
Dart, Scott
and Soph
Adam Paredes
are in the mix. There are many players from the JV squad who have moved up and looked good in early spring drills.
The defensive line is one area that must play better in 2013. The group of players is mostly the same as on the offensive line. The potential is fantastic and Coach Brent Harvey is ready and prepared to take on the challenge as this area will dictate how successful the defense is this season.
Dallas Domnitz
and
Hastings
anchor the inside with
T-Bone Williams
and 6’6”
Lawler
anchoring the defensive end spots. T-Bone has moved to rush end and the team needs his leadership at this position.
Lawler
has committed to play college football for Air Force Academy after he was recruited by many big football schools as a defensive end and tight end so we’re looking to see him do great things this season as a two-way player.
Michael Hoover
looked good early in spring drills. Like the Ramona offense, the defense has many different packages that utilize many different players. Many kids will be counted on early to step up and play solid varsity football.
Special Teams:
This area should be very strong as both kickers,
Tyler Vargas
and
Brandon Duarte
, return. This tandem may be the best in San Diego this year. Punters
Tanner Williams
and
Jansen
will compete for that spot and the long snapping position, which is so critical, will be challenged by
Schenck
(last year’s starter),
Keyshaun Crichlow
and
Karl Sapper
, who is up from the JV squad. Short snapper
Trae Rodriguez
returns for PAT and field goals.
The Special Teams areas will be coached by the entire staff and not led by one person.
Coaching Staff:
Ramona continues to operate one of the strongest North County football programs with the least amount of on-campus coaches in the county. I have only TWO on-campus fulltime coaches in WR Coach
Mike Ernst and
JV Assistant Coach
Billy Clark.
The rest of the coaching staff comes from other jobs and occupations. I love my staff’s dedication and commitment to the kids.
The staff is mostly the same as last season with the addition of
Chris Lohman
(former all-league offensive lineman in 2005 and RHS graduate) and
Rheynard Morgan
moving to the running back position after mostly working with off-field quality control and equipment.
Offensively, I will coach the offensive line and coordinate the offense; former three-year varsity player
Erik Ernst
will handle the QB duties and coordinate the JV offense;
Lohman
will handle the JV offensive linemen; and RHS teacher and NJROTC leader
Mike Ernst
will coach the wide receivers.
Defensively there are slight changes as Defensive Coordinator
Stephon Pace
will coach the secondary for the varsity, while 25-year coaching veteran
Gene Andrews
will move to linebackers. Andrews will also coordinate the JV defense.
Brent Harvey
who has been in the program for seven years will become a fulltime varsity coach and handle the defensive line. Harvey is a very bright coach and is someone who will be a future varsity coordinator.
Phillip Skora
will handle the JV defensive line and assist Harvey with the varsity line.
Clark is now back after a short break and will handle the JV defensive backs and wide receivers for the offense.
Jeremy Drews
will lead the freshman staff, which is mostly new but has a tremendous background at all levels of football.
The freshman staff has added former RHS and college lineman
George Cobian
and
Shawn Boyd,
along with longtime youth football coach and administrator
John Pecoraro
.
Ben Cass
returns for his second season on the freshman staff along with newcomer Robert Mason.
Bulldog Angels and Managers:
The Bulldogs currently have 10 “Bulldog Hydration Specialists” and one manager in Emma Lisowski. The staff is looking for more managers and hydration people. These positions are invaluable. Filmers are also needed. If interested in any of these positions, send me an email at dbaldwin@ramonaused.net.