FOOTBALL ’91 : THE COLLEGES: CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE / CAL LUTHERAN : Kingsmen Lighten Their Load : CLU: The elimination of four Division II teams from the schedule is one of the steps Coach Joe Harper has taken to facilitate the school’s transition to the SCIAC.

Now in year two of his suburban renewal project of Cal Lutheran football, Coach Joe Harper believes the rebuilding period will last a few more seasons.

Nonetheless, Cal Lutheran should show improvement on its 2-8 record of a year ago. The schedule is easier, 35 lettermen and 13 starters return and Harper has a season of experience at Cal Lutheran.

“We know a little bit more about our people. We know a little bit more about our competition,” Harper said. “We’re more positive.”

The Kingsmen will open Saturday at home against Azusa Pacific and the schedule should be far kinder than it was last season. Gone are four Division II bullies, among them Santa Clara and Southern Utah, which outscored the Kingsmen by a combined score of 69-23.

Cal State Hayward, UC San Diego and Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schools Occidental and Redlands have been added to the schedule as Cal Lutheran continues its transition from Division II to the Division III SCIAC.

Cal Lutheran will play five SCIAC schools but will not be eligible for the conference championship because it does not officially become a football member until Sept. 1, 1992. The Kingsmen will, however, be eligible to compete in Division III postseason play this season.

Of course, eligibility for postseason play will not be particularly relevant if the Kingsmen cannot score more than the 110 points they scored last season.

The quarterback position is a key to reviving the Cal Lutheran offense.

Wide receivers Cassidy O’Sullivan and Tom Leogrande were among the four players who tried their hand at the position. Cal Lutheran quarterbacks had an aggregate 15 interceptions and two touchdowns.

This season the Kingsmen have four quarterbacks in camp.

“We won’t get caught like we did last year,” Harper said.

Junior Sheldon Ashkenazie (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) is a transfer from Menlo College, and redshirt freshman Adam Hacker (6-3, 215) is a transfer from Kings River College. Ramy Antoun (6-0, 150), a freshman from Monroe High, and David Harris (5-9, 168), a freshman from Hillsboro (Ore.) Jesuit, round out the quartet. Harper said the transfers are a bit ahead of the freshmen.

The Kingsmen gained nearly twice as many yards on the ground (1,555) as through the air (809) last season, and, even if that ratio begins to balance, this likely still will be a run-oriented team.

Sophomore fullback Jay Weber (5-11, 200) set a Cal Lutheran freshman rushing record with 521 yards and set a school single-game mark with 32 carries against Claremont-Mudd. Sophomore tailback Brian Kane (5-11, 175) had a high game of 116 yards and finished with 292 yards, and senior Alonzo Williams (6-0, 205) gained 249 yards. Freshman Steve Roussell (5-10, 176) provides depth in the backfield.

Senior Len Bradley (6-0, 190), the team leader with 21 receptions (and the Kingsmen’s best punter) and senior Leogrande (6-1, 170), who was third with 14 catches, return.

O’Sullivan (5-11, 180), a junior, was limited to one catch because of his move to quarterback and subsequent season-ending knee injury but is back to pass-catching duties. Freshman Dustin Magdaleno (5-8, 165), the all-time Ventura County reception leader with 138, also has impressed the coaching staff as a wide receiver.

“Receivers are probably one of our strongest position areas on the team,” Harper said. “We’ll try to give them a little better opportunity to catch the ball.”

Junior Scott Wheeler (6-2, 205), a transfer from Pierce, and junior Ron Chessman (6-2, 225), a transfer from East Los Angeles College, are the tight ends.

Seniors Mike Pezonella (5-10, 260) and John Milam (6-0, 240) lead an inexperienced offensive line.

“Offensive and defensive lines, those are going to be critical areas for the season,” Harper said.

Junior Tom Pellegrino (5-11, 235) and senior Ed Ramirez (5-10, 215) have impressed Harper with their defensive line play, but with only seven defensive linemen on the roster depth is a problem.

Linebacker is perhaps the team’s strongest position. Senior Kevin Evans (6-0, 195) led Cal Lutheran with 85 tackles, including 11 for losses, and will team with senior Scott Yorkison (6-2, 215) at outside linebacker.

Senior Cary Caulfield (6-0, 236), a three-year starter from Canyon High with 11 tackles for losses last season, will play inside linebacker along with junior Chris Sestito (6-1, 205), who had 69 tackles and three sacks.

Three starters return in the secondary. Senior safety Mike Sylvester (6-1, 190) had 67 tackles and senior cornerback Mark Staley tied sophomore Cory Undlin for second on the team with three interceptions. Sophomore cornerback John Wilson (6-0, 195) started as a freshman.

“We’ll be a little ahead on defense at the beginning,” Harper said.

The Kingsmen developed a reputation for having a strong run defense last season, and the rushing attack gained momentum as the season progressed. Both those trends should continue against a schedule of less-physical teams.

After this final transition year only the SCIAC will be the limit.