Northridge Is Rapidly Stocking Its Shelves : Football: Eight junior college players sign on first day, including Valley quarterback Aaron Flowers and Laney linebacker Marc Goodson.

Although it’s hard to be certain of the quality of the junior college football players Cal State Northridge signed Wednesday, the quantity is a good sign.

Eight letters of intent came into the Matadors’ offices on the first day of the junior college signing period, which runs through Feb. 6, except for a holiday dead period next week. The signing period for high school players is Feb. 7-13.

Between now and then is when Coach Dave Baldwin will do his most important work toward rebuilding a program that endured its worst season in 21 years last fall.

So far, so good.

“It’s worked out better than I thought,” Baldwin said. “These JC guys are coming quick.”

Baldwin, who has 30 scholarships to hand out this winter because of a promise to the Big Sky Conference of increased funding, would like to sign 12 junior college players. The other four have Northridge offers in hand but haven’t decided.

The two gems of the class so far are quarterback Aaron Flowers and linebacker Marc Goodson.

“Aaron Flowers is the guy we have wanted since Day 1,” Baldwin said.

Flowers, who passed for more than 3,000 yards and led Valley College to a No. 2 national ranking in ‘95, will step in immediately and compete to start next fall. Flowers, 6 feet, 185 pounds, will battle Josh Fiske, a redshirt freshman, and Derek Brown, who will be a junior, for the starting job.

All three will be at spring practice, though Flowers will not be able to participate because he is ineligible until he completes the spring semester at Valley.

Goodson (6-2, 235) was the state junior college defensive player of the year in 1994 at Laney College. He didn’t play last fall because he had planned to go on a Mormon mission.

The most depth in the first group of recruits is on the offensive line, the Matadors’ weakest position last fall.

Gabe Fernandez (6-2, 290) of Chabot College, Johnny Gonzalez (6-4, 315) of Kings River, Sean Anderson (6-1, 270) of Santa Barbara City and Toma Popescu (6-3, 290) of San Bernardino Valley will add depth to a unit that lost only Steven Ellis from its starting lineup.

The Matadors signed defensive linemen Ronald Aumua (6-1, 275) of Chabot and Keith Selico (6-2, 260) of El Camino.

One of the top area junior college players yet to decide on Northridge’s offer is Valley receiver Cameron Perry, who said Monday he is choosing between Northridge, Northern Arizona and Missouri Western.

A new wrinkle was thrown into Northridge recruiting Tuesday when the University of the Pacific announced it was cutting its football program, leaving dozens of players searching for new programs. Although Baldwin can’t recruit those players until they are officially released by the school, he said the Matadors obviously would be interested.

Among the top Pacific players with local ties are defensive lineman Jason Evans, from Royal High, and linebacker Vince Bruno, from Westlake.