Valley / Ventura County Sports : Crecion Ends Up Catching, Not Pitching for the Bruins

Gabe Crecion came to UCLA from Chaminade High not knowing if he was a tight end or pitcher.

Back and forth he went, from football to baseball. His football coaches pleaded with him to bulk up and toughen up, not necessarily the best strategy for keeping your major league dreams alive.

“I was concerned about his physical strength,” assistant coach Gary Bernardi said. “In this offense, you have to be well-rounded and be able to do a lot of things.”

When the New York Yankees took Crecion in the 16th round in the 1998 baseball draft, it was finally decision time.

Crecion’s football career was faltering because he wasn’t devoting full attention to the weight room.

“I realized I needed to pursue only one or I’d be mediocre at both,” he said.

He quit baseball and saw immediate results. He was UCLA’s offensive scout team player of the year last season when he redshirted and showed Saturday night the improvement he has made, catching the first touchdown pass of his career from quarterback Cory Paus to help the Bruins defeat Boise State, 38-7, in their opener at the Rose Bowl.

No one has doubted Crecion’s catching skills. As a sophomore in 1997, he had a 36-yard reception against Texas, the second-longest by a Bruin tight end all season. But blocking is a requirement playing tight end, and Crecion’s failure to substantially increase his strength left a weakness in his game.

All that changed with his sudden devotion to lifting. The 6-foot-5, 241- pound junior earned the starting job during spring practice and has maintained his hold despite strong challenges from sophomore Bryan Fletcher, senior Randy Hakes and freshman Mike Seidman.

Each tight end except Seidman caught at least one pass Saturday, and Hakes had a 65-yard touchdown reception.

Crecion doesn’t need anyone to push him. His brother, Adam, is a first lieutenant in the Marines, played football at Navy and provides plenty of motivation to keep Gabe focused on achieving the most he can in football.

Crecion missed eight days of fall practice because of a cracked rib, but he worked too hard to let a little pain prevent him from assuming his starting role. His five-yard touchdown reception was payment for hard work.

“I’ve been waiting four years for that,” he said. “I’m excited. I’m hoping there’s more to come.”

There’s nothing more exciting than watching the debut of a young phenom, whether it’s youth, high school, college or pro sports.

Whatever the level, whatever the competition, a much-anticipated debut serves as an early marker, offering the first glimpse of confirmation or negation of the early hype.

In the case of freshman Seidman, rated the No. 1 tight end nationally last season at Westlake High, nearly a month of practices left Bruin coaches thinking he’s better than they ever imagined.

“That’s cool, but I’m more hard on myself than anyone,” Seidman said.

Seidman appreciates the positive early impressions, but until he breaks into the starting lineup and really proves himself, nothing anyone says really matters.

For now, he’s fourth string. He played on the kickoff return unit Saturday, got in for one play in the second quarter and played extensively in the second half.

“It was fun,” he said. “It was cool. I wish I could have caught a pass, but in the future it will happen.”

His talent is considerable. He’s as big as a professional wrestler, at 6-5, 246 pounds, and can run, catch and block.

“Seidman is going to be a great player,” Crecion said.

But the adjustment from high school to college takes time and patience.

“It was hard with all the football that was being thrown at me, but now I’m kind of used to it,” he said.

Said Bernardi: “It’s an adjustment having to learn so much offense. Crecion experienced it before. That’s just the way it is. It’s so much more than they are accustomed to. It’s difficult, but if they’re patient, they’ll be rewarded.”

It was a good night for high school players from the region.

Cody Joyce, a sophomore wide receiver from Hart, caught two passes for 29 yards and had a nine-yard run on a reverse.

Dennis Fox, a sophomore wide receiver from Crespi, made a 21-yard reception.

Running back Kenny Pritchett, a redshirt freshman from Crescenta Valley, gained 23 yards in four carries.

Running back Jermaine Lewis, a junior from Antelope Valley, scored on a five-yard run.

Also on hand were two high school recruits, tight ends Will Svitek of Newbury Park and Alex Holmes of Harvard-Westlake.

Imagine if they joined the group of Bruins next season. Bernardi, the tight end coach, would think he’s died and gone to heaven.

*

Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422 or eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.