Shocked Rustlers to Start Last Season With Shackleford

What has already been a difficult week for the Golden West football program, gets much harder today when the Rustlers open the season with a 7 p.m. game at Long Beach.

The players were stunned Wednesday when it was announced that Coach Ray Shackleford, in his 29th year, is being forced out at the end of the season.

Shackleford said that leaving isn’t his idea and that the timing is horrible. He told his team after practice and the college released the information late that night.

“The players have a big game to get ready for this weekend,” Shackleford said. “They should have waited until the end of the season to make this announcement.”

Shackleford, 56, will remain a teacher in the college’s physical education department. He is the only football coach the college has had and has a record of 155-113-9. His best two seasons were 1977 and 1978 when the Rustlers were 9-2 and won a bowl game each year.

His final team opens the season against Long Beach, one of the best teams in Southern California.

Golden West is coming off a 4-6 season, in which the Rustlers lost their final two games.

Long Beach starts the season as the 16th ranked team in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll. The Vikings finished 9-2, losing their final two games, in 1993.

In other 7 p.m. games:

Mt. San Antonio vs. Fullerton, Titan Stadium--The season-opening task for Coach Gene Murphy and his Fullerton team is formidable. Mt. San Antonio is coming off a 9-2 season and starts this season as the top-ranked team in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll.

Mt. San Antonio is led by quarterback Cody Lee Smith, a Grid-Wire preseason All-American pick. Fullerton holds a 31-11-1 advantage over Mt. San Antonio but the teams haven’t met since 1990.

Pasadena at Orange Coast--OCC Coach Bill Workman starts his biggest rebuilding project in his nine years with the Pirates. OCC returns only four starters but one is running back Jeff Clayton, a preseason Grid-Wire All-American. Pasadena was 3-7 last season.

Rancho Santiago at El Camino--Rancho Santiago finished 4-5-1 last season but won three of its final four games. Coach Dave Ogas hopes the winning continues this season. El Camino was 3-7 last season.