DAY OF DECISION FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECRUITS : CSUN Commits to Its Defense

Cal State Northridge led the Western Football Conference in team defense last season and the Matadors will take major strides to maintain that strength today, the first day high school athletes can sign letters of intent for fall sports.

Of the 10 players who have given their verbal commitment to sign with Northridge, six are defensive players, including Greg Spaulding of Calabasas, the Frontier League’s defensive player of the year.

Spaulding (6-4, 230) played defensive end for Calabasas but may move to nose tackle at Northridge.

Among the other defensive players the Matadors will sign are tackles Tom Osendorf of Savanna and Terry Ferguson of Chaffey and linebackers Victor Elliott of Long Beach Poly, Wayne Hall of Azusa and Hector Valdez of Sierra Vista.

Northridge also has received commitments from tight end Jason Dallas of Long Beach Poly, split end Don Martin of Dorsey, tailback Turai Blanche of Lincoln and tackle James Richards of Antelope Valley.

Osendorf (6-2, 230) is the top-ranked heavyweight wrestler in Orange County. Ferguson (6-5 1/2, 215) has played only one year of football and CSUN Coach Bob Burt considers him a project player. “He’s a little green, but he is an honor student and has the kind of raw talent we look for,” Burt said.

Elliott (6-3 1/2, 200) might be the best athlete of the group. He has high-jumped 6-8 and run the high hurdles in 15.2. His brother, Stacey, plays for UCLA.

Burt said he was surprised that neither Elliott nor Dallas drew much attention from Division I schools.

“Jason Dallas is one of the best prospects I’ve seen in years,” Burt said, “and Elliott is an outstanding athlete. I can’t understand how those guys got overlooked.”

Dallas (6-5, 210) started at offensive guard for two years at Poly, but Burt likes him as a tight end. Elliott will remain an outside linebacker. Both players chose Northridge over Nevada Las Vegas.

Hall (6-3, 205) was a two-time All-Montview League selection and defensive MVP of his team. Valdez (6-3, 225) was listed as a top prospect by several preseason scouting publications, but left school at midyear after gaining his General Equivalency Diploma. Valdez will be married Feb. 28. He has a 3-month old son, Nicholas Ryan.

Martin (6-4, 180) played tight end for Dorsey but will be moved to split end at Northridge. “He’s smooth and has excellent speed for such a big kid,” Burt said.

Blanche (6-1, 200) was a two-year, two-way starter for Lincoln, and also played two years on the volleyball team.

Richards (6-4 1/2, 240) also started on offense and defense. He made All-Coastal Conference on defense, but Northridge will probably use him on offense, where he was a major contributor to the success of Antelope Valley running back Eric Mortensen.

Mortensen was heavily recruited by Northridge but notified coaches Tuesday afternoon that he had chosen Brigham Young over CSUN and Hawaii.

The loss of Mortensen will be much easier to accept should the Matadors sign Albert Fann.

Fann (6-2 1/2, 215) gained 1,128 yards and scored 14 touchdowns for Cleveland High last fall. He was being recruited by USC and Washington before his grades dipped below Division I requirements.

Burt spent much of Tuesday evening with Fann, who is also considering an offer from Utah.

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE COMMITMENTS

TURAI BLANCHE / Lincoln High

Running back, 6-1, 200

Two-year starter at defensive tackle and tailback; All-Northern League at running back; L.A. Times Central City, second team; lettered twice in volleyball.

JASON DALLAS / Long Beach Poly High

Tight end, 6-5, 210

Runs the 40 in 4.8; All-Moore League and first-team L.A. Times All-South Coast; varsity starter two years. Chose CSUN over UNLV and Central State, Ohio.

VICTOR ELLIOTT / Long Beach Poly High

Linebacker, 6-3 1/2, 200

A great athlete, he high jumped 6-8 last year and ran 15.2 in high hurdles; missed out on all-star teams because he missed four games with a neck injury; chose CSUN over UNLV.

TERRY FERGUSON / Chaffey High

Defensive lineman, 6-5 1/2, 215

Has played one season of football; a top reserve on Chaffey’s basketball team; also plays baseball; All-Baseline League as defensive end and tight end.

WAYNE HALL / Azusa High

Linebacker, 6-3, 205

All-Montview League last two years; team MVP on defense; hit .435 for baseball team last season as first baseman/outfielder; MVP of baseball team as sophomore.

DON MARTIN / Dorsey High

Split end, 6-4, 180

Had 24 catches and six touchdowns at tight end; will move outside to split end for CSUN; starting forward on basketball team that leads City 4-A Central Division.

TOM OSENDORF / Savanna High

Nose Tackle, 6-2, 230

Top-ranked heavyweight wrestler in Orange County; offensive guard and nose tackle; All-Orange League first-team defense, second-team offense; two-way starter.

JAMES RICHARDS / Antelope Valley High

Offensive tackle, 6-4 1/2, 240

Started both ways for Antelope Valley; All-Golden League and All-Coastal Conference on defense; has played center, guard and tackle on offense.

HECTOR VALDEZ / Sierra Vista High

Linebacker, 6-3, 225

Was considered a blue-chip Division I prospect in preseason; starter at linebacker for three years; chose Northridge over Colorado; captain of high school team.

GREG SPAULDING / Calabasas High

Defensive end, 6-4, 230

Defensive Player of the Year in the Frontier League; All-Desert-Mountain Conference as a defensive end; may move to nose tackle at Northridge; won league shotput championship last season.