Local Knowledge : After Growing Up With Occidental Football, Werbelow Takes Over as Quarterback

Tony Werbelow parked his black motorcycle in front of the athletics offices at Occidental College, took off his helmet and sprinted up a flight of stairs toward the locker room at Patterson Field.

“I’m running a little late,” Werbelow said. “I just got off work.”

Werbelow, the starting quarterback for the Occidental football team, was scrambling so as not to miss the start of the evening’s practice. It had been a long day at South Pasadena High where Werbelow, an exercise science major, is employed as the strength coach.

Thanks to Werbelow, there is a strong feeling among the Occidental faithful that the Tigers have enough to improve on last season’s 6-2-1 record and return to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time since 1985. Werbelow will be at the controls tonight when the Tigers play host to Azusa Pacific at 7:30.

“He probably understands football as well as any kid I’ve ever worked with,” said Bill Dobson, Occidental’s offensive coordinator. “You don’t always have to be telling him ‘You should be doing this and doing that.’ He makes an inordinate amount of right decisions.”

Werbelow, a 6-foot, 190-pound junior, is also gifted physically. The former Arcadia High standout has an extraordinarily strong right arm.

“A gun,” said Dale Widolff, who begins his seventh season as the coach of the Tigers. “It’s a big-time, major league arm.”

The Occidental offense, however, was not geared toward the big play last season. After throwing 280 passes in 1986, the coaching staff pulled in the reins and went to a more controlled attack.

This season, however, Werbelow’s ability might necessitate a return to the air.

“We will definitely open it up more this year because of his physical and mental ability,” Dobson said.

Last season, Werbelow played sparingly behind Mark Krajnik, a senior who also started in 1986. The usual game plan called for Werbelow to play one series in the second quarter. He also relieved Krajnik on occasion and started two games.

In that limited role, Werbelow completed 21 of 32 passes for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed for 73 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Despite taking just one-third of the snaps last season, Werbelow engineered 12 of the Tigers’ 21 scoring drives.

“You could just see the change in tempo when he came into the game,” said Jeff Bedell, a senior wide receiver. Things would really pick up. He’d complete three in a row and we’d march down the field.”

None were more dramatic than Werbelow’s performance in last season’s 31-24 win over Azusa Pacific.

Werbelow entered the game for his customary second-quarter series with 10 minutes left in the half.

“It was hot and smoggy,” Widolf remembered. “We needed to get something going because our defense was really struggling and getting worn down.”

Starting on the Occidental six-yard line, Werbelow engineered a drive that used up the remainder of the second quarter and ended with a touchdown that gave Occidental a 14-10 lead.

“I don’t know what his completions were but he must have hit three or four in a row and they took off,” Azusa Pacific Coach Jim Milhon said. “We don’t have a particular scheme against him except to not to let him stand around back there and have time to throw.”

Werbelow spent a lot of time around the Occidental program before he enrolled at the school. Rich Mellado, Werbelow’s stepfather, has been a volunteer assistant at Occidental for seven years.

During his first few years of high school, Werbelow would throw with the Occidental quarterbacks in preseason practice and attend the games on Saturdays. His contact with the players, especially former quarterback Dan Osborne, helped Werbelow gain maturity.

“Dan didn’t have all the tools, but he was a great leader,” Werbelow said. “I think some of that rubbed off on me.”

Rick Freeman, a junior wide receiver, said Werbelow’s preparation, recognition of defensive alignments and ability to audibilize make him an ideal candidate to help Occidental win its fifth Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in the past six years.

“He sees the same thing as we do from a different place on the field,” Freeman said. “He has the ability to see what kind of route we’re going to run.”

Werbelow, citing an experienced group of receivers and the best defensive unit that he has seen at the school, is confident that he can help lead Occidental back into the playoffs.

“I want to win the national title,” Werbelow said. “A win over Azusa Pacific would be a great way to start.”