Titan Damage Assessment Difficult : Fullerton: Only four letters have been received, but more are expected today and Friday.

Cal State Fullerton coaches were confident this week that recent problems wouldn’t completely ruin their football recruiting efforts. The school was on the verge of dropping the program until President Milton A. Gordon decided last week to retain the sport.

Recruiting coordinator Jim Chaney said Tuesday that 12 of the 18 players who had made oral commitments to the Titans before an athletics council recommendation to drop football was made public Jan. 25 had reaffirmed their committment to the school.

But damage assessment was difficult Wednesday, the first day of the signing period. Fullerton had received only four signed letters as of Wednesday evening.

The school isn’t allowed to announce signings until it has letters of intent in hand, but five other players said Wednesday they had signed with Fullerton. The Titans expect to announce more signings today and Friday.

Recruiting efforts are also continuing this week, with at least six more players visiting the school this weekend, Coach Gene Murphy said.

“It’s turning out to be much better than I thought,” Chaney said. “I feel good about 70% of our commitments. People are getting dropped by other schools and we’re trying to catch them.”

The letters received Wednesday were from Lamark Allen, a cornerback from Los Angeles Valley College; Jeremiah Clark, a defensive tackle from Moorpark College; Keith Huff, a running back from Long Beach City College, and Frank Mallia, a defensive tackle from Taft College.

Allen was an all-Western States Conference, Southern Division first-team kickoff returner, and Clark was an all-WSC, Northern Division honorable-mention defensive lineman. Huff was an all-Mission Conference running back.

Five other players, including three from Fullerton College, said they signed with the Titans. The Fullerton College players are wide receiver David Owens, a Fullerton High School graduate; defensive back Matt Shackleford, a La Habra High graduate, and defensive back Kevin Thomas, a Valencia High graduate.

Mt. San Antonio College defensive backs Bebe Hudson and Leonard Hudson also said they signed with Fullerton Wednesday.

The nine join five other community college players who had previously signed with Fullerton: Fullerton College offensive lineman Abe Elliott, Citrus College defensive lineman Bill Jones, Moorpark College linebacker Matt Pearson, Golden West College linebacker Jeff Robbins and Los Angeles Valley College quarterback Trendell Williams.

CAL STATE FULLERTON FOOTBALL SIGNINGS

Player Pos. Hgt. Wgt. School Lamark Allen CB 5-11 190 Los Angeles Valley College Jeremiah Clark DT 6-5 250 Moorpark College Abe Elliott OL 6-5 255 Fullerton College Bebe Hudson CB 5-10 175 Mt. San Antonio College Leonard Hudson CB 6-2 195 Mt. San Antonio College Keith Huff RB 5-11 205 Long Beach City College Bill Jones DE 6-4 245 Citrus College Frank Mallia DT 6-1 265 Taft College David Owens WR 6-2 175 Fullerton College Matt Pearson LB 6-0 225 Moorpark College Jeff Robbins LB 6-3 220 Golden West College Matt Shackleford DB 5-11 180 Fullerton College Kevin Thomas DB 6-1 175 Fullerton College Trendell Williams QB 6-1 200 Los Angeles Valley College