Cassel Makes a Believer Out of Legendary Coach

Before practice started this week for the CaliFlorida All-Star football game, Coach Gene Vollnogle of California acknowledged he didn’t know much about quarterback Matt Cassel of Chatsworth High.

That’s partly because Vollnogle, 69, the legendary former coach at Banning and Carson highs, hasn’t been around City Section football in 10 years.

It’s also because Cassel played in a mediocre program at Chatsworth.

But as Vollnogle has quickly discovered, there’s nothing mediocre about Cassel’s talent. The USC-bound player will split time at quarterback with highly touted Chris Rix of Santa Margarita when California plays Florida at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

“Cassel’s up there in the same class with Rix,” Vollnogle said. “In eight practices [through Thursday], he’s one of the players who has improved the most. I think he has a little bit more touch on the ball [than Rix]. He’s starting to take charge.”

Vollnogle said he will alternate Cassel and Florida State-bound Rix each series, a tactic he used with great success at Carson in 1988 with quarterbacks Perry Klein and Fred Gatlin. The Colts won the City Championship that year, routing Banning, 55-7, in the final.

If one quarterback is clearly outperforming the other, he will play more, Vollnogle said. Scott Vossmeyer of Crescenta Valley will back up Cassel and Rix.

Borrowing another page from his Carson playbook, Vollnogle said California will employ a four-wide receiver set with a back in motion.

“We plan to put on a show and put the ball in the air,” said Vollnogle, who has been an assistant the last nine years at Los Alamitos since guiding Carson to the 1990 City title in his final season as head coach. “We want [the fans] to enjoy themselves.”

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With California emphasizing the pass, how much should starting running back Manuel White of Valencia figure on carrying the ball?

“I don’t know,” Vollnogle said. “That depends if he catches it.

“Unless we completely break down and can’t throw the ball, we probably won’t run that much.”

Among the players backing up UCLA-bound White is state player of the year D.J. Williams of Concord De La Salle, who will start at outside linebacker.

Williams’ reputation was evident during the players’ orientation meeting. As organizers spoke, a Florida player raised his hand. His question: “Who’s D.J. Williams?”

Williams, who will join five of Florida’s all-stars at Miami, raised his hand. He’ll give his future teammates a closer look Saturday.

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Vollnogle didn’t pull any punches in his first meeting with Pat Norton, the All-American fullback and linebacker from Hart. The veteran coach made it clear he wasn’t impressed with Norton’s blocking in the Shrine game last month.

“I told him it was the worst demonstration of blocking I had seen in my life,” Vollnogle said. “And he admitted it, he knew it. He said he lost a bunch of weight before the game, and it hurt him.”

However, Vollnogle and his staff have found a place for Norton on defense. The UCLA-bound player will start at outside linebacker after an injury sidelined Stanford-bound Amon Gordon of Mira Mesa.

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Although California plans to air it out, don’t expect many passes directed toward USC-bound wide receiver Keary Colbert of Hueneme. Vollnogle said Colbert has been unimpressive in practice. “He’s been making a lot of excuses,” Vollnogle said. . . .

Kickers John Wall of Birmingham and Chris Kluwe of Los Alamitos have come up with a plan to split duties. UCLA-bound Kluwe, whose last-second field goal lifted California over Texas in the Shrine game, will punt, USC-bound Wall will kick off and the players will alternate extra points. Kluwe will get the first call on field goals. . . .

USC-bound Gregg Guenther of Taft will back up Wisconsin-bound Traison Lewis of Rancho Cucamonga at defensive end, and California coaches are hoping the 6-foot-9 Guenther can disrupt Florida’s offense. “Maybe he’ll flag down a few passes,” Vollnogle said. . . . Adrian Ayala of St. Bonaventure, an Arizona State recruit, will start at right guard. Steve Nevarez of San Fernando, bound for San Diego State, will be a back-up on the offensive line. . .

Here’s a switch: Organizers are encouraging players to dance in the end zone after scoring, apparently to add pizazz. Officials have been notified so they won’t penalize anyone doing the Dirty Bird. Said Vollnogle: “I just don’t want people to think it was my idea.”