Community College Football : Riverside City Coach’s Complaint Against Saddleback? ‘Too Perfect’

Barry Meier, Riverside City College coach, is a gruff, direct, no-nonsense kind of guy.

Ask him what he thinks about an opponent and he’ll tell you, without mincing words or attempting to sound diplomatic, as so many coaches do.

Saddleback, which Riverside hosts in a key Mission Conference game tonight at 7:30 in Wheelock Stadium, is an opponent he doesn’t think much of.

And it’s typical of Meier, even at the expense of saying something on the eve of the big game that might end up being bulletin board material for the Gauchos, to spell out just why he doesn’t like them.

“Saddleback College is perfect, too perfect,” Meier said. “It’s easy for me to get mad at them. Their players all live in a nice area, and they all drive BMWs and Mercedes.

“We have to drive Volkswagens and pickup trucks. And Saddleback is probably the epitome of success in JC football. They always win. Those are the things that add coal to our fire.” Meier’s distaste for Saddleback is nothing new. Several few years ago, he only half-jokingly complained that Saddleback Coach Ken Swearingen’s hair was “too neat.”

Two years ago, he had his team arrive early at Saddleback Field for a game against the Gauchos and instructed Riverside’s players to insultingly jump up and down on Saddleback’s insignia at midfield for several minutes.

However, despite Meier’s dedicated attempts, Saddleback has maintained its mastery of Riverside City and the Mission Conference since Meier came to Riverside City from Riverside Poly High School in 1980.

Meier has turned the Tigers into consistent winners after years of losing seasons. But Meier has enjoyed only one win over Saddleback (1982) while losing four and has seen the Tigers’ lifetime record against the Gauchos slip to an abysmal 1-14.

The last two seasons, Saddleback has made it especially tough on Meier by beating Riverside in the final seconds. In 1983, Saddleback beat the Tigers, 16-14, on Dan Gasser’s field goal with no time left. Last year, Riverside trailed, 23-18, but drove to Saddleback’s 3-yard line with 1:06 left. The Gauchos responded with an inspired goal-line stand and didn’t let Riverside into the end zone on four rushing plays.

“In both those games, Saddleback got all the breaks,” Meier said. “They always do.”

A few key breaks could decide tonight’s game. Both Saddleback (1-0 in conference, 3-0 overall) and Riverside (1-0, 2-1) have strong defenses and both have explosive offenses.

The big difference between the schools is how they go about moving the ball.

Saddleback, ranked fifth in the nation and third in the Southland, is led by the passing of quarterback Jason Schmid, who has completed 48 of 80 attempts for 731 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Riverside, unranked nationally but ranked fifth in the Southland, relies almost exclusively on its running game. Last week, in a 35-21 win over previously unbeaten Rancho Santiago, Mike Moore rushed for 171 yards and Clark Brown ran for 102 behind the blocking of an all-sophomore line anchored by 6-foot 4-inch, 280-pound tackle Ross Cinti. Meanwhile, quarterback Keith Widener passed only six times.

“We’ll pass more against Saddleback,” Meier said. “Probably seven times.”

Even if Riverside doesn’t pass at all, Swearingen is concerned.

“Riverside City is a very, very good football team,” he said. “They ran all over Rancho Santiago, which is a good team. In fact, they owned them.

“We’ll have to play much better than we did last week against Orange Coast (a 27-15 victory) to win this week.”

In Saturday’s other community college games:

Mission Conference Rancho Santiago (0-1, 2-1) vs. San Diego Mesa (1-0, 2-1), Merrill Douglass Stadium, 7:30--Rancho Santiago is coming off a 35-21 loss to Riverside City and will need a win tonight if it is to stay in contention for the conference title. The Dons have allowed an average of only 101 yards passing in their first three games but haven’t faced a team nearly as proficient at throwing the ball as the Olympians. San Diego Mesa has two good quarterbacks in David Darroch (744 yards, 8 touchdowns) and Eric Bridge (160 yards, 1 touchdown) and Dave Ogas, Rancho Santiago coach, expects the Olympians to throw between 40 and 50 times. If the game is close, Don kicker Darryl Willis could be the difference. The sophomore from University High School made field goals of 40 and 29 yards against the Tigers and is 4 for 6 on the season.

Orange Coast--bye

Pac-9 Conference Pasadena City (0-2) vs. Golden West (0-2-1), LeBard Stadium, 7:30--The Rustlers lost to defending national champion Taft, 31-10, last Saturday and things don’t get any easier tonight. Pasadena, which will be playing its conference opener, may be winless, but its defeats came at the hands of Tyler, Tex. (45-33) and Henderson, Tex. (20-16), two teams perennially among the best in the nation. Golden West’s offense had been struggling but compiled nearly 300 yards against Taft. However, the Rustlers had little success stopping the Cougars, who ran for 499 yards. Besides playing better defense, Golden West will have to concentrate on avoiding turnovers against Pasadena. The Lancers have blown out Golden West in their last two meetings, 38-0 in 1983 and 43-16 last year, in large part because Golden West has turned the ball over to Pasadena a combined total of 17 times.

Fullerton--bye