Titans Are Happy to Be Home Again to Face Pacific

Construction of the Titan Sports Complex has begun at Cal State Fullerton and Titan football Coach Gene Murphy is eagerly anticipating the day he can say a final aloha to Santa Ana Stadium.

But this week, Murphy has a slightly different perception of the field that has been his home away from home since 1984. He’s calling it home sweet home.

After five consecutive road games, 12,500 air miles, 2,100 bus miles, three early-morning rides to the airport, two all-night bus rides home and five consecutive losses, Fullerton returns to semi-familiar turf to play the University of the Pacific today. The Titans, who have just three home games this season, last played at Santa Ana Stadium six weeks ago.

But to Murphy, whose team was outscored, 180-60, in the five road games, Santa Ana Stadium seems as appealing a home field as Anaheim Stadium.

“It’s a big, big difference being home,” said Murphy, whose Titans are 21-5 in Santa Ana Stadium, and have won seven in a row.

“I don’t know if the final score will reflect that, but this is the first time in a month and a half that we’ve slept in our own beds (the night before a game). As coaches, you like to stay in a routine, but the only thing that has been routine in the last five weeks is getting on a bus.”

That’s not completely true. There has been another routine--this nasty habit the Titans have developed of turning the ball over and collapsing in the second half--that Murphy would like to see them change.

Last week, as Fullerton was driving toward a score that could have brought the Titans to within a touchdown of Nevada Las Vegas early in the fourth quarter, quarterback Paul Schulte fumbled a snap at the Rebel four-yard line. The Titans lost, 29-10.

But, with the exception of New Mexico State, there’s no better Big West Conference opponent than Pacific for stopping losing streaks.

Like the Titans, the Tigers’ only victory this season has come against a Division II opponent. Pacific beat Sacramento State, 41-33, and Fullerton beat Sonoma State, 38-24.

The Tigers, who have been hit hard by injuries on defense, have allowed 181 points in five games (a 36.2 average). In their last game, a 37-28 loss to UNLV Sept. 29, Pacific allowed 628 yards. The Tigers rank last in the conference in defense, allowing an average of 508.6 yards per game.

Fullerton’s defense, which will be without starting linebacker Clarence Siler (ankle injury) and end Jamal Jones (knee), hasn’t been much better. The Titans have allowed an average of 34 points and 417.8 yards per game.

The combination of two weak defenses, two potential big-play offenses, and tradition should make for a high-scoring affair today. When these teams meet, sparks usually fly off the scoreboard.

Last season, Fullerton won, 35-26. The Titans won, 39-38, in 1986; 43-37 in 1985 and 41-31 in 1984. Fullerton has won six of the past seven against Pacific but only leads the series, 8-7.

The Tigers are a pass-oriented team that features quarterback Troy Kopp, the former Mission Viejo High School standout who set Pacific single-game records for most completions (37) and most attempts (61) in a game while throwing for 415 yards and three touchdowns against UNLV.

Kopp, who missed two games this season because of a shoulder injury, has completed 52 of 97 passes for 614 yards and four touchdowns. His top receivers are flanker Jason Edwards (27 catches, 257 yards), Aaron Turner (22 for 417) and former Orange Coast College standout Melvin Johnson (22 for 253).

With the loss of running back Ryan Benjamin (broken wrist), who rushed for 97 yards against Tennessee in the season-opener, Pacific hasn’t had much of a ground attack. The Tigers’ leading rusher, Steve Mehl, has 122 yards.

Fullerton, which relied almost exclusively on the passing game and its one-back offense early in the season, is trying to become more balanced. Running back Reggie Yarbrough has 608 yards rushing, and the Titans have been using him often in a two-back set with James Mullins.

“Both offenses are pretty good,” Pacific Coach Walt Harris said. “So whoever plays the best defense should win.”

Titan Notes

Five Pacific starters have Orange County ties, but two Fullerton assistant coaches have ties with Pacific. Titan defensive coordinator Kirk Harmon played linebacker for the Tigers in 1980 and ’81 and was the team’s most valuable player when he made 222 tackles during his senior year. Harmon served four seasons as a Pacific assistant before coming to Fullerton in 1986. Fullerton offensive backs coach Hue Jackson played quarterback for the Tigers in 1985 and ’86 and spent three seasons as a Pacific assistant before coming to Fullerton this season. . . . The Pacific starters who played in Orange County are quarterback Troy Kopp (Mission Viejo High), center Curt Crandall (Estancia, Orange Coast College), receiver Melvin Johnson (OCC) and linebackers Ron Papazian (Whittier Christian) and Gari Calhoun (OCC). Calhoun attempted to make Fullerton’s team as a walk-on in 1986 but was ruled ineligible because he had signed a letter of intent to play at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He transferred to OCC in 1987. . . . Today’s game is homecoming for Fullerton.