Quarterback Transfers to Northridge From Oregon

Oregon reserve Clayton Millis might have answered the prayers of a program desperate for a quarterback when he said Thursday that he is transferring to Cal State Northridge.

The Matadors, who make their Division I-AA debut Sept. 4 against San Diego State, have no returning experienced quarterback, and projected starter Coley Kyman might stay with the U.S. national volleyball program instead of returning for his final season of football eligibility.

While Kyman was playing for the Northridge volleyball team, punter Albert Razo and freshman Rino Marconi took the snaps in spring drills.

Millis (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) will have three seasons of eligibility at Northridge. A recent NCAA rule change allows I-A players to transfer to I-AA schools without sitting out a season.

Millis appeared in one game for the Ducks last season, leading a scoring drive against Nevada Las Vegas. When it appeared that he could not unseat Duck starter Danny O’Neil, he decided to transfer to a I-AA school.

At Arroyo Grande High, Millis passed for 2,742 yards and 28 touchdowns in three seasons and developed a reputation for throwing the long pass.

*

Northridge baseball Coach Bill Kernen wrapped up his recruiting class by signing Eric Gillespie, a jazz pianist, honor student and left-handed-hitting catcher from Long Beach Millikan High.

With two other left-handed hitters--recruit Andy Shaw and returning center fielder Joey Arnold--and switch-hitters Jason Shanahan and recruit Chad Thornhill, Northridge will have five left-handed hitters in the lineup.

“This is gonna be a good team,” Kernen said. “We’re gonna have depth and some power from both sides of the plate.”

Gillespie batted .387 with two home runs and 14 runs batted in as a senior. Josh Smaler, a recruit from Pierce College, can catch as well as play outfield.

Along with the hitters he recruited, Kernen is excited about blending his new pitchers with several returning starters.

“If everything goes the way it could go, this could be the best pitching staff I’ve ever coached,” he said.

*

Thirty per cent of freshmen student-athletes who entered Northridge in 1986 graduated during a six-year period, an improvement of 1% over figures released last year.

The national average student-athlete graduation rate is 57%.

Northridge student-athletes are only 1% behind the overall population of the school, however. Administrators and coaches said Thursday that the effects of a mandatory study hall program put in place two years ago and the addition since February of a full-time academic adviser for athletes should improve the rate.

Broken down by race, 5% of Hispanic athletes and 7% of black athletes graduated from Northridge during the six-year span.