Northridge’s First Step Up Is a Steep One

Cal State Northridge Coach Bob Burt’s reaction to taking his team--17 scholarships and all--against San Diego State, a team with 88 scholarship players, including Heisman Trophy candidate Marshall Faulk?

“I feel a little bit like Wile E. Coyote because the Roadrunner has these little traps for me everywhere I turn,” Burt said.

The trap was set when Cal State Fullerton dropped football last December. Both Northridge and San Diego State had the Titans on their 1993 schedule. Northridge Athletic Director Bob Hiegert contacted Aztec Athletic Director Fred Miller and agreed to play, giving Northridge’s financially beleaguered athletic program a $65,000 guarantee for its Division I-AA debut.

Although the Matadors (5-5 last year) realize they are overmatched for tonight’s 6:05 game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, their pride won’t let them give in.

“We can’t have one man thinking negatively about this game,” defensive backs coach LeRoy Irvin said. “We have to play the best game ever, out of our heads. This is the biggest game in the school’s history.”

It’s also the biggest game in most of the players’ careers, including 11 who will start for the first time.

Among those first-time starters are quarterback Coley Kyman and strong safety James (Scoody) Woods, the only freshman starter. Kyman, a three-time All-American volleyball player, won the starting job over Clayton Millis, a sophomore transfer from Oregon, and will direct the team’s new run-and-shoot offense.

“It’s my biggest football game ever,” Kyman said. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. It’ll be fun in front of 40,000 fans.”

Faulk, the NCAA’s leading rusher the past two seasons with 1,429 and 1,620 yards, is also planning on having fun. Although he said he’s not aiming for it, he could have fun breaking the NCAA single game rushing record of 396 yards.

In the face of Faulk, Northridge defensive coordinator Mark Banker is in a quandary. If he stacks the line of scrimmage, San Diego State quarterback David Lowery might riddle the secondary.

Irvin said his players are prepared.

“My guys are looking for a challenge,” he said. “They are always looking to measure themselves. A lot of times they are overlooked because they are Northridge.”

National Football League prospect Darnay Scott could provide the challenge. He caught 68 passes for 1,150 yards and nine touchdowns last season. DeAndre Maxwell averaged 20.6 yards per catch and Keith Williams was at 13.8.

Lowery, one of 16 returning starters, completed 52% of his passes for 2,632 yards and 21 touchdowns.

La’Roi Glover, a 6-foot-2, 270-pound tackle, is the leader of a revamped 4-3 defense under new coordinator Del Wight, formerly of Fresno State.

Last season, San Diego State (5-5-1) lost three of its last four games and blew the Western Athletic Conference title. The Aztecs also were involved in three bench-clearing brawls in their final two games.

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Northridge wide receiver Saadite Green believes the Matadors deserve more respect.

“They’re underestimating us,” he said. “The media, our school, everybody in San Diego. We don’t have as many players, but we’re just going to strap it on. They are in for a surprise.”

Green loves the Matadors new run-and-shoot scheme.

“That’s what I want to do, catch the ball,” he said. “It’s like you make the decision according to the defense, not a set play, that’s the way I like it.”

He and fellow starting wide receiver Victor Prince prepared for the season by running a steep hill at Kenneth Hahn Park in the Baldwin Hills area.

“I called it Sweet Jesus,” Green said. “It got me ready.”

Matador Notes

Northridge is 0-6 against the Aztecs. The last time the teams played, in 1967, Northridge was known as San Fernando Valley State. . . .

Matador tailback Robert Trice is shooting for a 1,500-yard season. Last year, Trice’s chronically strained hamstrings limited him to 106 carries for 478 yards. “They haven’t been bothering me so I don’t think they are a problem,” he said. “I’ve been doing a lot of running and stretching.” . . .

Northridge defensive backs coach LeRoy Irvin has been an Aztec follower for several years. “I like the way they fly around on defense, I like their black shoes, and I like their Raider attitude,” he said. “They are a big-play team.”

Cal State Northridge Roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 1 Ivy Calvin OLB 6-2 218 Sr. 2 Najiya Stinson WR 5-8 155 Fr. 3 Cedric Hackett S 5-9 204 Sr. 4 Brandon Chretien WR 5-8 157 Jr. 5 Robert Crosby S 6-1 190 Jr. 6 Victor Prince WR 6-0 165 Sr. 7 Saadite Green WR 6-0 180 Sr. 8 Ralph Henderson CB 5-10 200 Sr. 9 Travis Hall TE 6-2 211 So. 10 Clayton Millis QB 6-5 215 So. 11 Albert Razo P 6-1 195 Sr. 12 Eric Garcia QB 6-0 180 Fr. 13 Marcus Thompson S 5-11 175 Jr. 14 James Woods S 6-1 190 Fr. 15 Kevin Jenkins WR 5-10 155 Jr. 16 Coley Kyman QB 6-6 210 Sr. 17 Duc Ngo WR 5-9 167 Sr. 19 Angel Chavez OLB 6-0 218 Sr. 20 Ennis Howard S 5-11 209 Jr. 21 Bryan Davis TB 5-9 200 Jr. 22 Robert Trice TB 5-11 205 Sr. 23 Matt Ornelaz K 6-0 150 Fr. 24 Harry Grammer RB 6-0 180 Fr. 25 Mark Harper TB 6-2 198 Jr. 26 Jason Camp K 5-10 210 Sr. 27 Juan Valencia S 6-1 209 Fr. 29 Joseph Vaughn CB 6-0 200 Jr. 32 Shaun Coleman FB 5-10 225 Jr. 33 Vincent Johnson CB 5-8 170 Jr. 35 Quan Banks DB 5-10 182 Jr. 35 Nelson Pichardo FB 5-10 208 So. 36 James Wicks DB 5-7 175 Jr. 38 Kashka Clay RB 6-1 221 Fr. 40 Harvey Holt CB 5-9 150 Fr. 41 Neil Mercurius CB 5-8 160 Fr. 42 Gerald Ponder S 6-0 195 Sr. 43 Miguel Cerna ILB 5-11 215 Fr. 45 Ilkka Laine WR 5-11 200 Jr. 46 Tony Mainardi RB 6-1 215 Jr. 47 Billy Dykes ILB 6-2 230 Jr. 48 Penn Bushong OLB 6-1 200 Sr. 49 O.J. Ojomoh ILB 5-11 208 Sr. 51 Larry Urzua OLB 6-3 205 Fr. 52 Jonathan Beauregard OL 5-11 272 Jr. 54 Tony Simon OLB 6-2 227 Jr. 55 Arnie Madrid ILB 6-2 229 Jr. 56 John Herrera ILB 6-1 215 Sr. 59 Armando Gonzalez ILB 6-2 195 Fr. 60 Mark Sanders OL 6-3 285 Jr. 62 Omar Uresti OL 6-1 280 Jr. 63 Eric Thomas OL 6-2 298 Sr. 64 Steven Ellis OL 6-4 252 So. 65 Jose Gallegos DL 6-1 220 Fr. 66 Greg Sorensen C 6-1 281 Sr. 67 Rob Reed OL 6-3 270 Jr. 70 Jeff Duke OL 6-2 300 Jr. 71 Tom Koykka OL 6-4 260 Fr. 72 Moody Mushunga DL 6-3 265 Sr. 73 Edvin Babayova OL 6-4 220 Jr. 74 Brian Hay OL 6-3 276 Sr. 75 Tim Gardner DL 6-1 230 Jr. 76 Chris Smith DL 6-4 238 Fr. 77 Charlie Williams OL 6-4 285 Sr. 78 Trevor Watters OL 6-0 307 Jr. 79 David Kasubowski OL 6-1 251 Fr. 80 David Romines WR 5-8 163 So. 82 LaMont Horton WR 6-0 157 Fr. 83 Jermaine Harris WR 5-10 158 Jr. 85 Jay Scott WR 5-9 136 Fr. 88 Chris Fregeau TE 6-6 230 Sr. 89 Victor Myles DL 6-4 240 Sr. 99 Oscar Wilson DT 6-3 282 Jr. -- Edgar Fernandez FB 5-8 237 So.

No. Name Hometown (High School/Previous College) 1 Ivy Calvin Ridgecrest (Burroughs/Bakersfield) 2 Najiya Stinson Los Angeles (Crenshaw) 3 Cedric Hackett Port Hueneme (Hueneme/Ven./E. New Mex.) 4 Brandon Chretien Los Angeles (Westchester/Val./Santa Monica) 5 Robert Crosby Apple Valley (Apple Valley/Victor Valley) 6 Victor Prince Gardena (Hawthorne/SBCC/CS Fullerton) 7 Saadite Green Los Angeles (Dorsey/Pasadena/CS Full.) 8 Ralph Henderson Santa Ana (Santa Ana Val./Rancho Santiago) 9 Travis Hall Sherman Oaks (Chaminade) 10 Clayton Millis Arroyo Grande (Arroyo Grande/Oregon) 11 Albert Razo La Habra (La Habra) 12 Eric Garcia Carlsbad (Carlsbad) 13 Marcus Thompson Los Angeles (St. Bernard) 14 James Woods Pacoima (San Fernando) 15 Kevin Jenkins Los Angeles (Garfield/East L.A.) 16 Coley Kyman Northridge (Reseda) 17 Duc Ngo San Jose (Lincoln/San Jose State) 19 Angel Chavez Los Angeles (Northview/Mt. SAC) 20 Ennis Howard Chatsworth (Montclair Prep/CS Fullerton) 21 Bryan Davis Los Angeles (Hesperia/Riverside/CS Full.) 22 Robert Trice Rocky Point, N.C. (Pender/Porterville) 23 Matt Ornelaz Bakersfield (Bakersfield/UCLA) 24 Harry Grammer Fontana (Alta Loma) 25 Mark Harper Inglewood (Santa Monica/El Camino) 26 Jason Camp Victor Valley (Victor Valley/Antelope Valley) 27 Juan Valencia Burbank (Burbank) 29 Joseph Vaughn Palmdale (Sylmar/CS Fullerton) 32 Shaun Coleman El Toro (Dana Hills/Saddleback) 33 Vincent Johnson Los Angeles (Cleveland) 35 Quan Banks Los Angeles (Paramount/LASW/Nevada) 35 Nelson Pichardo North Hollywood (North Hollywood) 36 James Wicks Norwalk (Paramount/El Camino) 38 Kashka Clay Oakland (Bishop O’Dowd) 40 Harvey Holt Compton (Pius X) 41 Neil Mercurius Alta Loma (Etiwanda) 42 Gerald Ponder Corona (Corona/Riverside) 43 Miguel Cerna Burbank (Burbank) 45 Ilkka Laine Rauma, Finland (Aronadhe/Rauma) 46 Tony Mainardi Santa Monica (White Plains, N.Y./UC Davis) 47 Billy Dykes Sepulveda (Kennedy/Valley) 48 Penn Bushong Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo/Saddleback/Idaho) 49 O.J. Ojomoh Redlands (Redlands/Riverside) 51 Larry Urzua Santa Barbara (Bishop Diego) 52 Jonathan Beauregard San Bernardino (El Cajon/CSLB/New Mex. St.) 54 Tony Simon Burbank (Burbank) 55 Arnie Madrid San Pedro (San Pedro/Oregon State) 56 John Herrera Wilmington (Banning) 59 Armando Gonzalez Tujunga (Verdugo Hills) 60 Mark Sanders Los Angeles (St. Bernard/Taft) 62 Omar Uresti Diamond Bar (Diamond Bar/Citrus) 63 Eric Thomas Los Angeles (Palisades/Santa Monica) 64 Steven Ellis North Hollywood (North Hollywood) 65 Jose Gallegos Santa Monica (Culver City) 66 Greg Sorensen Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos/Long Beach City) 67 Rob Reed Fairfield (Armijo/Solano) 70 Jeff Duke Cerritos (Cerritos/Cerritos JC/CS Fullerton) 71 Tom Koykka Palmdale (Highland) 72 Moody Mushunga Pasadena (Muir/Hawaii/CS Fullerton) 73 Edvin Babayova Van Nuys (Van Nuys) 74 Brian Hay La Mesa (Helix/Grossmont) 75 Tim Gardner Los Angeles (Washington/L.A. Southwest) 76 Chris Smith Auburn (Bear River) 77 Charlie Williams Corona (Cypress/Cerritos/Houston) 78 Trevor Watters La Palma (Kennedy/Cerritos) 79 David Kasubowski Burbank (Burbank) 80 David Romines Simi Valley (Simi Valley) 82 LaMont Horton Los Angeles (Crenshaw) 83 Jermaine Harris Long Beach (Long Beach Poly/L.B. City) 85 Jay Scott Los Angeles (Dorsey) 88 Chris Fregeau Canoga Park (St. Genevieve/Pierce) 89 Victor Myles Los Angeles (Fremont/L.A. Southwest) 99 Oscar Wilson Santa Ana (Santa Ana/Rancho Santiago) -- Edgar Fernandez Reseda (Reseda)