Baldwin’s Eyes Open for CSUN Skydive

Dave Baldwin is preparing to begin Cal State Northridge football practice Monday with about three dozen players he’s never coached.

Yet the Matador coach was sitting in his office this week grinning about “continuity.”

Don’t laugh. Compared with where Baldwin was a year ago, that is continuity.

Baldwin barely even knew his assistant coaches, much less his players when he began his first season with the Matadors last August.

The Matadors were short on depth, size, speed and talent. Now, on the eve of their inaugural season in the nation’s best Division I-AA conference, the Big Sky, Baldwin is optimistic.

He’s had a full recruiting season, a month of spring football and, oh yeah, that 2-8 season last fall that was more instructive than productive.

“Our whole goal is we want to be as competitive as quick off the bat as we can with the Big Sky teams,” Baldwin said. “Everything’s gone in a direction for us to improve. How vastly we’ve improved I don’t know.”

Here are some of the reasons this season might not be quite as dismal as last year’s:

* Size. Last season Northridge offensive linemen were typically looking straight into the chinstraps of their defensive opponents.

There are likely to be bigger bodies at four of five spots this year, three new players and a 20-pounds-heavier version of David San Vicente.

Junior college transfers James Romero (6-6, 340), Toma Papescu (6-3, 300) and Johnny Gonzalez (6-5, 324) add significant bulk to the line.

The Matadors made summer weight-training mandatory, which should strengthen the entire squad.

* Speed. Northridge didn’t have a player with breakaway speed last season. They have added so much that receiver Tim Hilton and running back Chad Marsalek, the most productive offensive players last year, will be among the slowest of the key players at their positions.

The receiving corps adds Cameron Perry from Valley College’s national runner-up team, along with Division I-A transfers Jeremie Thomas and Jerome Henry. David Romines, Northridge’s top receiver two years ago, is back after missing last season following shoulder surgery.

The running backs will be bolstered by junior college transfers Shane Blakey and Norman Clarke, both with excellent speed.

Northridge has also added defensive players such as defensive back Steve Standifer, a transfer from Colorado State, and linebackers Marc Goodson and Robby Profer, JC transfers who should be able to chase down those Big Sky running backs and receivers who the Matadors couldn’t catch last year.

* Quarterback. Nothing against last year’s starter, Clayton Millis, but he wasn’t a Division I-AA quarterback. Baldwin and his staff were stuck with him because he was more experienced than the other candidates.

This season Northridge has Aaron Flowers, a record-setting passer from Valley College, to battle with Derek Brown, last year’s backup, and Josh Fiske, a redshirt freshman who is talented but raw. The Matadors added Scott Swartz, who threw for 2,762 yards at De Anza College last year, to add to what should be the most intriguing battle of preseason workouts.

* Competition. Baldwin admits Northridge was so shallow last season, there wasn’t much of a battle among players for starting spots. That should change with so many talented recruits.

* Knowledge. Weeks into last August’s workouts, players were scratching their heads trying to figure out just what Baldwin was talking about. Two-thirds of this year’s team has been through at least spring football in the system.

Add it all up and the Matadors seem significantly better. Of course, their schedule is also significantly tougher.

Baldwin’s goals are relatively modest.

“I don’t want to get beat, 67-0,” he said. “We’re going to get beat. I’m not as concerned about that as being embarrassed.”