CSUN Confident About Football Opener

If there is an area of vulnerability in Cal State Northridge’s defense, it is the secondary where strong safety Eric Treibatch is the lone returning starter.

But Treibatch and his teammates, who open the season today at 1 p.m. against Division I-AA Eastern Washington, will not accept the term “suspect.”

“We feel pretty secure with what we have, us four,” Treibatch said, referring to himself, free safety Troy Thomas and cornerbacks Tremelle Barnes and Vincent Johnson.

That is not to say that Treibatch has forgotten last year’s opener in which Northern Arizona passed for 292 yards against Northridge, including scoring plays of 76, 63 and 41 yards.

“You can’t imitate what is going to happen on a game field, but you try to replicate it (in practice),” Treibatch said. “I think we got all those kinks out in camp. That’s why we have confidence. We’ve had three weeks with each other, sometimes six hours a day. And as the games go on, I’m sure we’ll feel even more comfortable.”

Eastern Washington, a Big Sky Conference member, has three four-year starters on the offensive line. If the Eagles can give quarterback Mark Tenneson time to throw, the Northridge secondary will have to back up Treibatch’s confidence--and a prediction by Barnes that he will make an interception this afternoon at Woodward Stadium.

Barnes, a converted left cornerback (he was a safety) who transferred from Nevada Reno, has 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash. Johnson, a redshirt freshman from Cleveland High, is nearly as quick at right cornerback.

“We have speed on the outside and smarts on the inside,” Treibatch said.

Not that Johnson, the team’s youngest starter, doesn’t have anything to think about. For one thing, he has to help the inside linebacker on his side.

“I have to remember to call ‘crack’ “Johnson said. “To let the inside linebacker know when a block is coming.”

Johnson, generously listed at 5-foot-8, 170 pounds, believes sound preparation wards off nerves. “I figure we’ve looked at the film and covered everything,” he said.

Thomas, a senior free safety from Crespi High and Moorpark College, started twice for CSUN last year, making today’s experience less nerve-racking.

For Treibatch, a starter as a sophomore last season, it is old hat. A second-team All-Western Football Conference selection in 1990, Treibatch led the Matadors in solo tackles with 43. He also had two interceptions and recovered a fumble.

Treibatch, a tri-captain for the Matadors, sees little difference between Division II CSUN and Division I-AA opponents such as Eastern Washington.

“It is who got their A.A. (associate in arts degree) and who went where because of grades,” he said. “It is not athletic ability.”

Matador Notes

Marty Fisher will start at quarterback for the Matadors after battling Western Michigan transfer Damone Scott throughout spring and fall drills. “Marty knows the system a little better,” Northridge Coach Bob Burt said. “Nobody has really done anything to warrant him not starting. They’ve all done decent jobs and they’ve had their days, but going in, it was Marty’s job to lose.” Scott is expected to play, however, and third-string quarterback Coley Kyman also might see action.

Victor DeVaughn and Bill Harris will alternate at tailback and slotback and Anthony Nicholson will start at fullback.