CSUN Focuses on High Schools to Make the Grade in Football

While major colleges throughout the land hone in on targeted football recruits, national letter-of-intent day always has been met by a wait-and-see attitude at Cal State Northridge.

Northridge rarely has signed more than two or three high school prospects, choosing instead to spend their precious few recruiting dollars on junior college players who could have a more immediate impact.

But now, with a move to the Division I-AA classification due by 1993, a new age has dawned at Northridge. And the Matadors’ recruiting efforts show it.

For the first time in Bob Burt’s six years as coach, Northridge is expected to sign more high school recruits than those from the junior college ranks.

On Wednesday, the first day high school seniors were allowed to sign letters for fall sports, Burt said that Northridge might sign as many as 10 high school recruits by the end of the week.

By Wednesday afternoon, the Matadors already had letters from Simi Valley High wide receiver Dave Romines, San Fernando safety James Woods, Sylmar defensive lineman Manny Vasquez and Moorpark linebacker Chris Peltonen.

Northridge could have as many as four more local players--Crespi offensive tackle Jeff Flohr and offensive tackle David Zion, offensive guard David Kasubowski and linebacker Miguel Cerna, all of Burbank--on its fall roster by the end of the week. Flohr, who is visiting UC Davis today, also has an offer from St. Mary’s.

“We would like to sign as many local high school kids as possible,” Burt said. “But there are some inherent problems with it.”

With Northridge’s limited financial resources--the Matadors have fewer than 25 athletic scholarships for football--Burt is wary of spending too much money on players who need a year or two to develop. “I’d love to sign high school kids in the program if we can keep them four or five years,” Burt said, “but some of them get impatient and it’s tough having money tied up in a kid for two or three years while he develops.”

Northridge already has brought in eight junior college players and four Division I-A transfers.

In other recruiting developments Wednesday, Jamal Anderson and Curtis Marsh, who formed two-thirds of a potent offensive trio for Moorpark College, each signed a letter of intent with Utah.

Anderson, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound tailback, rushed for 1,063 yards in 155 carries and scored 10 touchdowns for the Raiders (9-2) during the regular season.

Marsh (6-2, 205), a wide receiver, had 48 receptions for 1,030 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Robert Moose, Jonathan Paulson and Bryan Mele, teammates of Anderson and Marsh last season, transferred to four-year schools during the winter break.

Defensive lineman Moose (6-3, 235) is at Memphis State and offensive guards Paulson (6-2, 255) and Mele (6-4, 280) are at Montana State and Cal State Fullerton, respectively.

Josh VanDeventer (6-5, 235), an offensive tackle from Canyon, signed with Weber State. VanDeventer’s teammate, Jim Zopelis (5-9, 165), received an appointment to West Point this week and will try to make the team as a defensive back or receiver. Poly quarterback Lance Garcia selected Air Force and Hart offensive tackle Sean McCarthy selected UC Davis.