Something Bruin at El Camino Real

There’s a new game at El Camino Real High. It’s called, “Guess how many inches Blane Kezirian has grown today.”

Close your eyes when Kezirian is walking by and you’ll miss out on his latest growth spurt.

“I’m buying new pants every week,” said the 6-foot-5 1/2, 220-pound junior.

No one will find Kezirian’s name on any preseason All-Valley football team. He wasn’t even expected to start for El Camino Real this fall. Last season, he was a 6-2 tight end on the junior varsity who barely made an impression.

Over the summer, he started sprouting like a stalk of corn.

“Summer is the time I grow,” he said. “I look forward to every summer.”

His father, former UCLA offensive lineman Ed Kezirian, marvels at the expanding pant size of his son.

“Just over a year ago, we took a family picture for the UCLA media guide and he looked like 6-2 and I was towering over him at 6-4,” he said. “Now he’s 6-5 1/2 and starting to fill out.”

Kezirian has become a two-way starter for the Conquistadores (4-0), blocking for tailback Quincy Wright as an offensive tackle and playing next to 6-4 Alex Perez at inside linebacker.

He is clearly the Conquistadores’ most improved player.

“He’s been the big surprise of the whole year,” El Camino Real Coach Rick Hayashida said. “I honestly didn’t see him as a one-way starter, let alone a two-way starter. As soon as we got pads on, something seemed to click. There’s no hesitation anymore. He’s one of our biggest hitters. He’s learning and getting better every day.”

Kezirian has been attending UCLA football games since he was a child. His father spent 11 years coaching the Bruins’ offensive line and is the team’s academic advisor.

Blane has caught passes from Troy Aikman and kidded around with Jonathan Ogden.

“I remember I used to go out to practice and the linemen teased me how small I was and wouldn’t grow,” he said. “Now they go, ‘Coach, your son is big.’ I’m as tall as some of their linemen.”

While some kids grow up dreaming of playing quarterback, Kezirian remembers running around the house out of a three-point stance.

“When my uncles came over, I’d always be the lineman, never the quarterback, never the receiver,” he said.

He was never pushed to play football.

“There’s no [blocking] bags or sleds in the backyard,” Ed said. “There was a time, going into his ninth grade, I got the impression he may play football or might not. That was OK for me. He’s liking it more and more.”

Kezirian didn’t play tackle football until his freshman year. The combination of his inexperience and growth spurt makes him an attractive college prospect because of his potential for improvement.

College recruiters will be paying close attention to see if he continues to progress as he gains strength and mobility. Just think of the pressure about to be applied to his father at UCLA.

“They tease me about it,” Ed said of the UCLA coaches. “They’ll say, ‘Are you going to give us a hard time?’ [Recruiter] Gary Bernardi says, ‘You’re going to make life miserable for me, right?’ ”

On Saturdays, Blane gets to watch his father act a little crazy on the UCLA sideline.

Ed is the guy waving a towel after a UCLA player scores a touchdown or makes a key tackle.

“He’s so sore afterward,” Blane said. “Sometimes before the game, my mom will say, ‘Take it easy, Ed.’ ”

Kezirian is starting to take advantage of his father’s football knowledge. Every Friday morning, Ed leaves his son football tips written on an index card.

Blane admits he looks at his father differently now that he’s the biggest man in the house.

“I look down on him,” Blane said. “I’ve got him by an inch.”

Not that Blane suddenly feels secure to ignore his father’s orders.

“I’ve got to go wax the car right now,” he said, sounding like the 16-year-old he is.

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Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422.