El Toro’s Cuttrell Is in a Class by Himself : Football: Intelligent and articulate, this 6-foot-5, 240-pound tackle writes essays about offensive linemen.

The stereotype of big, dumb lineman fits El Toro High School offensive tackle David Cuttrell about as well as a size six shoe or a medium sized T-shirt.

Cuttrell, a strapping 6-foot-5, 240-pound senior, is analytical, intelligent and articulate. He has set goals in life and is using the sport of football as the means to reach an end.

Cuttrell has a 3.1 grade-point average and a score of 1,070 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. He plans to major in business and hopes to receive a scholarship to USC.

He has put his thoughts in writing, composing essays on the life of an offensive lineman for English class assignments. One, titled, “No praise, no glory” described those playing his position as “the ultimate team players.”

“It’s the least rewarding position on the team, and the most fun,” Cuttrell said. “I take as much pleasure in making a block for (tailback) Jerome Oakman and watching him break a long run as he does when he scores.

“We never get any recognition except when it’s time to review game films. The coaches like to run the film over and over whenever we get a good hit. The offensive linemen at El Toro hit, we don’t absorb when we make a block.”

He enjoys his civics class when he engages in heated discussions defending his conservative life style and philosophy.

“I enjoy the interaction with other students,” he said. “I’m about as far right as you can get. But I tend to be more emotional than political.”

Cuttrell said his idols are John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. If Dirty Harry and Rooster Cogburn lined up next to Cuttrell on the football field, they’d be high-fiving after every first down.

Cuttrell fits the larger-than-life image of his heroes in the world of prep football. He weighed 10 pounds 13 ounces at birth and 100 pounds when he entered the second grade.

He was too big to play youth football, swelling to 200 pounds by the time he checked into El Toro High School as a 15-year-old.

“I was always the tall, fat kid,” Cuttrell said. “The coaches took one look at me and decided I was going to be a tackle. I started on the freshman team, but had no technique or any feel for the game.

“It was simply, ‘There he is, hit him.’ I went both ways, but I had no style. I really didn’t know what I was doing.”

Cuttrell became a varsity starter as a junior, but he continued to struggle. He had some serious doubts about his future during two-a-day drills prior to last season, often wondering if he would make it through two weeks of conditioning.

“I didn’t think I was going to survive,” he said.

The turnaround for Cuttrell came in a 14-13 overtime loss to Santa Ana in the opening round of the Division III playoffs last year. It marked the first time El Toro had failed to reach at least the semifinals of the playoffs in five years.

“Nothing was said, but you could tell everyone was determined to never play like that again,” he said. “We reported to the weight room the next week, determined to go out as champions when we became seniors.

“This year, everyone reported to two-a-days in incredible shape. It was a breeze.”

Tonight, El Toro (12-1) will be vying for the Division III championship when the Chargers meet defending champion Paramount (12-1) at Cerritos College. Cuttrell will face Paramount’s talented Kevin Murphy in an interesting matchup.

“They’re a great team, but in the back of our minds, we wish we were playing Capistrano Valley again,” Cuttrell said.

Paramount upset top-seeded Capistrano Valley, 36-35, in the semifinals. Four weeks ago, Capistrano Valley handed El Toro its only loss of the year, 22-21.

“We’re two points short of perfection,” Cuttrell said. “When we lost to Capo Valley, it was like someone died in the family. It was a horrible feeling.”

But Cuttrell said that win or lose tonight, he’ll be back in the weight room next week preparing for his freshman season in college.

“I always wanted to be a college football player,” he said. “I set a goal as a junior to get a college scholarship. I lift in front of pictures of (former El Toro stars) Scott Ross (USC) and Scott Spalding (UCLA).

“Those guys were seniors when I got to El Toro and they were gods to me. I think of them every time I’m lifting.”

El Toro Coach Bob Johnson said few players have worked harder than Cuttrell to become a college prospect.

“He was a gangly kid when he arrived four years ago,” Johnson said. “Now, he’s the total package that colleges are looking for. He’s got size, good balance, strength and good growth potential.

“Off the field, he’s very outgoing and intelligent. David is just a neat kid with a great personality.”