SANTA ANA

1996 RECORD: 0-10 overall, 0-5 in league

COACH: Mark Miller (0-10 at school)

RETURNING STARTERS: 3 on offense, 3 on defense

TOP RETURNERS

Velo Lualemaga, 6-0, 170, Jr.; Dario Rodriguez, DL, 5-9, 250, Sr.; Noe Ruiz, OL/DL, 6-0, 225, Jr.; Sergio Tarin, RB/DB, 5-9, 175, Sr.; Chris Weaver, WR, 5-11, 160 Sr.

TOP NEWCOMERS

Alfonso Cedillo, OL, 5-11, 255, Jr.; Larry Elizalde, MLB, 6-0, 185, Jr.; Reynaldo Flores, TB, 5-5, 138, Jr.; Fulgencio Portillo, T/T 5-10, 265, Jr.; Juan Ramirez, QB/DB, 5-9, 150, Jr.; Robert Ramirez, RB, 5-10, 175, Jr.; Brian Thacker, TE/LB, 5-11, 197, Sr.

OUTLOOK

Miller, the former Rancho Alamitos coach, was hired just before the season began last season and the team took its lumps. Santa Ana was outscored, 137-0, in its first four games and was shut out six times. Miller says he’s on a youth movement and will start many sophomores and juniors. He says it will take another two years to turn the program around and he bases that on the 5-5 record of last year’s freshman team. Ramirez and Flores, a pair of sophomores, were standouts on that team. “If they can just be patient,” Miller said. “We’ve got a lot of good kids, but it’s going to take some time.” The Saints faced a setback, Miller said, when a player he thought was going to be the quarterback failed to show up for practice this summer. That means Ramirez, a running back, will have to handle all of the load as the quarterback. Miller says it will take Ramirez a while to get used to throwing the ball. But players such as Weaver, a returning starter, and Lualemaga, a two-year starter, should make good targets, Miller said.

SCHEDULE

Sept. 11 vs. Mission Viejo at Santa Ana Stadium; 18 vs. Santiago at Garden Grove HS; 26 vs. Los Amigos at Santa Ana Stadium.

Oct. 3 at Long Beach Millikan; 9 vs. Cypress at Santa Ana Stadium; 17 at Tustin; 25 vs. Servite at Cal State Fullerton; 31 at Westminster.

Nov. 6 vs. Ocean View at Santa Ana Stadium; 14 vs. Saddleback at Santa Ana Stadium.