NOTEBOOK / ROB FERNAS : All Thorns, No Roses, for Husky Football

Banning High fullback Melvin Blue had the University of Washington high on his list of prospective colleges until learning of the penalties levied against the Husky football program by the Pacific 10 Conference.

“I don’t think I want to go there now,” Blue said. “They’re in too much trouble.”

The kind of trouble, according to experts, that could damage Washington’s recruiting in Southern California for several years.

Three South Bay seniors--Blue and offensive linemen Matt Redman of Peninsula and David Camacho of Hawthorne--all said Washington is a less attractive choice because of the penalties, which include two years of reduced scholarships and a two-year ban from postseason bowl games.

“They’ve dropped down on my list,” said Redman, a 6-foot-7, 285-pound tackle considered among the nation’s top offensive line prospects.

Camacho, another huge tackle at 6-7 and 295 pounds, said Washington was his No. 1 choice until the penalties were announced Sunday.

“I’ll probably look at other schools after what happened,” Camacho said. “Washington was my first choice, but I’ll probably change my decision.”

Blue, a 6-foot, 220-pounder, worries that losing as many as 10 scholarships in each of the next two academic years will have a long-lasting impact on the Husky program.

“If they lose a lot of scholarships, it’s going to hurt the team later on,” Blue said. “I want to play for a winning team that goes to a bowl game.”

Although none of the players said the resignation of longtime Coach Don James was particularly upsetting, others contend that the loss of James will have an adverse effect on Washington’s recruiting.

“The loss of Don James is one of the worst things for the program,” said Allen Wallace, editor of SuperPrep magazine. “The key to getting them through this situation is coaching. In my opinion, coaching at (the college) level is more important than talent. The loss of Don James is as significant a loss as any penalty imposed by the Pac-10 Conference.”

Wallace, whose magazine covers football and basketball recruiting on a national level, said he has talked with several distressed Washington fans since the penalties were announced.

“The people in Washington don’t know whether to cheer Don James or be mad at him,” Wallace said.

Richard Estrada of Para-Dies Scouting agrees that the loss of James will have an immediate impact on Washington’s recruiting efforts.

“I think it’s going to make a big difference on a lot of kids,” Estrada said. “A lot of people go up there because he’s a great coach.”

Wallace, though, expects Washington to continue to attract touted players despite the school’s tarnished image.

“They’re going to lose players because of this, but over time I think a lot of those kids will come back toward the middle,” Wallace said. “I would expect the players they do sign will be some pretty hot horses.”

Wallace pointed out that Auburn, which was given a two-year probation and one-year TV ban by the NCAA last week, signed the top two players in Alabama despite having to recruit against defending national champion Alabama.

“You always have a certain segment of athletes who won’t jump on everyone else’s bandwagon,” Wallace said.

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The players hurt most by Washington’s two-year ban from bowl games are juniors and seniors in the program. That includes starting cornerback Josh Moore, a junior from West Torrance High.

Moore called the penalties against the Huskies too severe, but he has no plans to transfer to another school.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I’m loyal to the coaches here because they stuck by me. A lot of schools shied away from me when I dislocated my shoulder (in high school).”

Moore said he was shocked by the penalties but even more so by the sudden resignation of James.

“When I first heard it, I wondered why he would be doing this when we need him the most,” Moore said. “But then I realized this is the best way for him to show the Pac-10 how much he disapproves of the penalty.

“It’s pretty extreme for someone to quit their profession. I don’t expect people outside of our football team to understand his decision, but as a team and a coaching staff we understand what he did and we respect him for that.”

Asked how the penalties and James’ resignation will affect the team’s play this season, Moore said: “Right now, it’s difficult to say. Everyone is still in awe, but I have faith in the coaches and players that we’re going to rally around each other.”

Moore said not having the Rose Bowl as a goal will be difficult. He played in the last two games, starting in last season’s loss to Michigan and playing a backup role in 1992, when Washington beat Michigan to finish 12-0 and claim a share of the national championship.

“The Rose Bowl is a reward,” he said. “Not having that reward is going to be tough. It’s a fantastic experience.”

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Opponents lining up against the right side of Peninsula’s offensive line this season will most likely be looking up. The Panthers plan to start Matt Redman, a 6-7, 285-pound preseason All-American, at right tackle and 6-6, 275-pound John Wellbourn at right guard.

“We can really clean up on that side of the line,” Redman said.

SuperPrep magazine rated Redman the 15th-best offensive line prospect in the nation and listed Wellbourn among the top seniors on the West Coast. Both players have already met NCAA academic requirements and are being recruited by major colleges.

Redman said Washington State and California, his parents’ alma mater, are his top choices. Wellbourn reportedly favors USC.

They figure to be doing most of their blocking for tailback James Durroh, another Division I prospect who ranked second among area rushers last season with 1,390 yards and 22 touchdowns.

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Russell Shaw, one of the top football players at Inglewood last season, has transferred to Locke for his senior year.

Inglewood quarterback York Frierson, Shaw’s cousin, said Shaw lives closer to Locke in South-Central Los Angeles.

“He didn’t like coming over here; his grades were slipping,” Frierson said. “He wanted to get to school on time and get his grades back up, which he has done.”

Shaw played wide receiver and defensive back for Inglewood, ranking among area leaders with five interceptions in 1992. SuperPrep rates Shaw as one of the top college prospects on the West Coast.

The magazine, however, lists several erroneous facts about Shaw. It says he transferred from Hawthorne, where he caught 52 passes for 581 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Shaw never attended Hawthorne and it’s unlikely his receiving stats were anywhere close to those listed. Inglewood was primarily a running team last season, with quarterback Leandrew Childs completing only 37 passes for four TDs in 10 games.

Wallace, editor of SuperPrep, took the blame for the Hawthorne error, but he said Shaw provided the statistics.

“Most of the kids we deal with are pretty honest,” Wallace said. “But sometimes they stretch the truth.”

Notes

Washington State is in the running to sign three of the area’s top football prospects--Hawthorne wide receiver-defensive back Justin Stallings, Peninsula offensive lineman Matt Redman and Banning fullback Melvin Blue. A South Bay coach said Washington State assistant Ted Williams, a former UCLA assistant, is doing a good job recruiting area players. . . . Torrance High was expected to receive a $5,000 donation for its athletic and academic programs Wednesday night at the opening of the Footaction USA super store at the Del Amo Fashion Center. Among the sports celebrities expected to appear at the store today through Sunday are Olympic decathlete Dave Johnson, pro beach volleyball players Randy Stoklos and Sinjin Smith, Dave Taylor of the Kings, Loy Vaught of the Clippers, and Howie Long and Nick Bell of the Raiders.

Morningside is one of 10 Southern Section schools that will be recognized for athletic excellence with a Cavalcade of Champions award before the Rams-Raiders game Saturday night at Anaheim Stadium. Morningside won section titles in boys’ and girls’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ track during the 1992-93 school year.