Warrior Grid Star Leads 14 in Signing Letters of Intent

Fourteen South Bay community college football players, including All-American quarterback Dan Speltz of El Camino College, have signed letters of intent at four-year schools and have enrolled for the spring semester at their respective choices.

Another 13 area players are expected to commit Feb. 10, the first day recruits with June graduation dates can legally sign letters of intent.

El Camino has 11 players from its 11-0 national championship team signed to letters of intent, and Warrior head Coach John Featherstone expects another 11 to sign Feb. 10.

At Harbor College, first-year Coach Chris Ferragamo announced that two players had signed letters and two others were still deciding.

Speltz, a graduate of Rolling Hills High School, signed with Cal State Fullerton on Monday. The 6-3, 215-pound sophomore passed for more than 2,300 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was intercepted just eight times. Speltz was named to California community college and national All-American teams. He also was recruited by Oregon State, San Jose State and the University of New Mexico.

At Fullerton, Speltz will compete with two other quarterbacks, both seniors, for the starting job.

“When you’re recruiting, the word is competition,” said Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy. “It’s not a matter of hurting feelings; it’s a matter of competition. We’re going to put the best quarterback we can on the field, and it’s going to be a dogfight.”

Speltz said a desire to stay in Southern California was a factor in his decision.

“Another thing I was looking at was playing for a program that wants to expand with you and whose coaches are responsive to players,” Speltz said in an earlier interview.

San Jose and Stanford reportedly backed away from recruiting Speltz after learning that he did not have a red-shirt year available. Speltz was a walk-on at UCLA in 1985, but did not play. He was back-up quarterback at El Camino in 1986. Current NCAA rules allow athletes five consecutive years to play four seasons.

Split end Dwight Pickens, the favorite target of Speltz, signed with Fresno State. Pickens caught 13 touchdown passes in the regular season to tie a school record. He was named to the California All-American team.

Other Warriors to sign included wide receivers Sean Smith (Iowa) and Ricky Wills (Nevada-Las Vegas), offensive linemen Derrick Nelons (Oregon State) and Todd Sprosky (UC Davis), tight end Keith Roberson (Utah State), linebacker Derin Brady (Pacific), free safety Bryan Pool (Nevada-Reno) and defensive ends Darrin Madison and Dana Florence (both Tennessee-Martin).

Vea Manu, an all-South Coast Conference fullback at El Camino in 1985 and 1986, announced that he would attend San Jose State. He sat out this season.

Expected to announce on Feb. 10 are linebackers Kaiser Noa (San Jose State, Texas Tech or Tennessee), Ken Sale (Arizona State, Arizona, Texas-El Paso, Utah or Iowa State) and Pat Morris (Long Beach, Fullerton or Colorado State); defensive linemen Don Humphrey (Miami, Arizona, Illinois or Northwestern) and Mark Van Buren (Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach, Weber State or West Texas State); punter Lance Oberparleiter (Long Beach); defensive backs Kevin Harris (Illinois, Fresno or Las Vegas) and Bill Hughley (Fresno, Illinois, Texas Tech or Oregon State.)

Expected to announce next month are offensive linemen Tau Itula (Utah, Florida, USC or Oregon) and Jim Tullette (Fullerton, Long Beach or Northern Arizona); and fullback Hector Murillo (San Jose, Fullerton, Long Beach or Miami of Ohio).

At Harbor, free safety Charles Thomas has signed to play at San Jose State. He was named to the All-Southern California Athc Conference second team.

Also signing from the Seahawks was linebacker Steffan Gibson. He will attend the University of New Mexico.

Two other players--linebacker Lloyd Filo and running back Jonathon Jackson--are “leaning,” said Ferragamo. Filo will most likely attend Idaho State. Jackson, a second-team, All-SCAC choice, is considering walking on at UCLA.

At El Camino, Featherstone is encouraged by the number of Division-I scholarships that have been offered to his players.