Scott Stark Leaves Stanford and Enrolls at Saddleback

Scott Stark, who set the Orange County high school single-season record for passing yardage in 1985, has left Stanford and has enrolled at Saddleback College, John Czimbal, Saddleback sports information director, said Thursday.

Stark began classes at Saddleback Monday and is expected to contend for the starting quarterback position.

“I didn’t get an opportunity to play up there (at Stanford),” Stark said. “I felt if I came home an opportunity would open up for me.”

Stark said he plans to earn an Associate Arts degree from Saddleback and enroll at a four-year school in January in order to participate in spring drills.

As a freshman at Stanford in 1986, Stark was redshirted. Last season, he played in three games, including a start against UCLA.

For the season, he completed 6 of 16 passes for 43 yards and was intercepted twice.

Brian Johnson, now a sophomore, led Stanford to five victories in its final seven games last season and is expected to start this season.

In 1984, Stark transferred to Capistrano Valley High School as a junior from Chaffey High in Ontario. The following season, Stark became the Cougars’ starter, and in his first game he completed 26 of 34 passes for 337 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead Capistrano Valley to a 26-7 victory over Foothill.

He went on to complete 194 of 286 passes for a county-record 2,706 yards. He also threw for 27 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Stark threw for 264 yards in his final regular-season game against El Camino Real to break the mark of 2,703 set by Jim Karsatos of Sunny Hills in 1980.

Stark will compete with sophomores Phil Marks and Lance Stewart for the starting job at Saddleback.

Marks went to Northern Arizona College in 1986, where he was redshirted. He transferred to Saddleback last season and was the second-string quarterback behind Howard Gasser. Marks played in 4 games, completing 9 of 13 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown during the regular season.