AN EMPTY SEAT

This should be a more cheerful time for Eric Carpenter.

He’s healthy again, back from a broken foot that kept him out of some Cal State Northridge football games last year.

He figures prominently in the team’s plans, earning one of four receiver starting spots in Northridge’s run-and-shoot attack.

He is headed for his senior season, most likely his last in football.

“I’m planning on leaving it all on the field,” Carpenter said.

But something, rather someone, that would make the season more complete for the former Granada Hills High and Valley College standout is missing.

Carpenter’s father, Charles, is struggling with Alzheimer’s disease.

“He was diagnosed my senior year [1994] in high school,” Carpenter said. “Unfortunately, he doesn’t get out of the house anymore.

“It’s sad to see one of your parents deteriorate so quickly.”

Carpenter, 6 feet 1 and 201 pounds, always counted on seeing his father at games. Charles, 73, was there when Eric developed into a sure-handed receiver at Granada Hills, setting the school career record with 136 receptions.

He was there when Eric made 69 catches for 1,081 yards as a senior, tops among City Section players in the region. He was there when Eric played at Valley and before the disease progressed.

“I’ve been in athletics all my life and he was my backbone,” Carpenter said. “He was there in everything I ever did--school work, sports related, my social relationships.”

Alzheimer’s disease changed it all. The support Carpenter, 21, received from his father now comes from older brother Charles and mother Esperanza.

“Eric’s matured a lot and he’s had to,” said Charles, 26, an actor. “It’s a testament that he can handle school and football and come home to deal with someone with Alzheimer’s.

“It’s difficult for me that Eric is playing and dad can’t enjoy it.”

Carpenter needed his brother’s and mother’s encouragement after breaking his right foot in Northridge’s Big Sky Conference opener last season at Portland State. Two weeks earlier, he had four receptions for 52 yards against Azusa Pacific and was rounding into form.

“I caught a little out route and someone landed on [my foot],” Carpenter said. “It took the last part of the season for it to actually heal properly.”

He returned three weeks after the injury, in a home game against Cal State Sacramento, but played only on special teams. Carpenter spent the off-season preparing to challenge for a starting job and caught a break during spring practice.

“[Mike] Ogas was recovering from wrist surgery and that gave Carp an opportunity,” said Rob Phenicie, Northridge’s offensive coordinator and receivers coach. “He had a real good spring.”

Seniors Ogas and Drew Hill came out of spring workouts as the starting slot receivers, with Aaron Arnold and Ryan Beckwith on the outside. Hill, who had 69 receptions last season, and Arnold, who had 58, are the top returning receivers in the Big Sky.

Phenicie this week replaced Beckwith with Hill, promoting Carpenter to first string.

“The thing that has benefited me is I’ve been in the system for [four] years,” Carpenter said.

He spent the first two at Valley, where Phenicie coached the receivers for five seasons before moving to Northridge last year. Carpenter had 30 catches for 426 yards in 1996, his sophomore season, playing outside receiver.

“There’s a big difference between that and this,” Carpenter said. “[At Valley] I saw corners and safeties [on coverage]. Here I’m looking at linebackers.”

Mostly, he hopes to watch them over his shoulder. With Northridge running quick slants to create mismatches against slower defenders, something Hill did particularly well, Carpenter could become an effective weapon for the Matadors.

He could even live up to the message on the license plate of his red sports car: IBRNDBS. It was a gift from his parents, intended more for laughs than to antagonize opponents. But Phenicie said the pronouncement offers a peek into Carpenter’s personality.

“He doesn’t lack any confidence, does he?” Phenicie said. “One thing Carp never does is miss assignments.”

He also doesn’t like to miss games.

“I want to stay healthy,” Carpenter said. “And I definitely want to see the postseason.”