Lots of Manpower at Azusa Pacific

Seeing nearly 100 players going through their drills on a hot August day was enough to make Peter Shinnick smile.

A summer of taking call after call from coaches trying to get their players into Azusa Pacific was the kind of proof Shinnick needed to know that the Cougar football program was doing what he envisioned.

Apparently, that is what happens when you win.

“With our success, it has generated some good interest in our program,” said Shinnick, starting his second year after taking Azusa Pacific to the NAIA semifinals last season. “We got a lot of guys who have left the area and now they want to come back. Success breeds success, and they want to be a part of it.”

Winning its first NAIA championship in 1998 was a fairy-tale story for Azusa Pacific. Winning nine games and making another title run turned the Cougars into a national power.

Maintaining that status is a priority for Shinnick. It will be his toughest test so far, as he must replace the core of an offense that drove opposing defenses crazy.

Azusa Pacific, an independent, begins its season-long exam tonight at the University of San Diego.

Only two starters--wide receivers Caleb Willis and Houn Hib--return from a group that scored a school-record 429 points. The leading passer (Neo Aoga), rusher (Jack Williams) and receiver (Deon Jordan) are all gone, as are all five starting linemen.

“No one will argue that we had a special group of guys the last two years,” Shinnick said. ‘But we have enough guys to go around. I think that’s what building a program is all about.”

The Cougars set another school record last year by giving up 384 points, and they aren’t bragging about that.

All-American linebacker Jeremiah Beery leads a unit bolstered by several transfers Shinnick hopes will become major players.

“Any time you allow 400 yards and 30 points a game it isn’t good,” Shinnick said. “We made enough plays at the right time. Overall, we weren’t very good.”

Defending Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Redlands must find a way to replace quarterback Danny Ragsdale, who won the Gagliardi Award for the top player in NCAA Division III.

Gone with Ragsdale are 3,639 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and four of the top seven single-game Division III passing performances. The Bulldogs, though, still have some talent.

Ragsdale’s favorite receiver, Chad Hustead, is back for his senior season. Hustead caught 72 passes for 1,150 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Clint Treadway (6 feet 3, 255 pounds) and Chris Dunn (6-4, 260) lead an experienced offensive line. However, Redlands has questions to answer on its defense after losing three All-SCIAC players.

La Verne (7-2) loses eight senior starters from the league’s top defense but has some key returnees in lineman D.J. Kolb (6-1, 265), defensive back Jonathan Johnson (5-11, 180) and cornerback Justin Brown (5-10, 175).

The offensive line is the heart of the La Verne offense. Seniors Shawn Bettencourt (6-2, 275), Ernesto Rios (6-1, 275) and Manuel Rodriguez (6-1, 270) are all back.

At Pomona-Pitzer, the pieces are in place for a run at an undefeated regular season and a possible Division III playoff appearance. The Sagehens, whose only loss in ’99 came to La Verne, have their quarterback and their top three running backs returning.

Senior Brian Rennette threw for 1,405 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior back Ryan Hattersley averaged 104.1 yards a game and scored seven touchdowns.

David Rothwell (15 sacks), Jacob Reid and Khary Espy form one of the top linebacking units in the nation. Senior lineman and co-captain Dan Wire leads a defense that gave up 113 points in eight games.

Occidental could be poised to make a move up the standings. After a 2-7 season (1-4 in conference), the Tigers should score more with junior tailback Kamron Jones.

Jones, a first-team All-SCIAC selection, ran for 563 yards and scored six touchdowns for a team that averaged only 13.4 points.

Coach Dale Widolff said Jones is the key to an offense that also must throw the ball to be effective.

Sophomore lineman Kevin Watson (6-4, 265) is one of the league’s best defensive players. But the Tigers’ biggest question remains at quarterback, where Widolff said the competition is “wide open.”

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5-4) had mixed results last season with solid wins over Lewis & Clark and Grinnell and a bad loss to Redlands. It was the close defeats against La Verne and Cal Lutheran that kept the Stags from challenging for the conference title.

Senior Ryan Mele (488 yards) is another of the conference’s fine running backs. Junior defensive back Doug Kidney led the conference with six interceptions. The Stags need to replace quarterback Bryan Banta, with Ryan Gocong or Nicholas Bonacci as the top choices.

Cal Lutheran (3-6) brings back the SCIAC’s leading rusher in Dorian Stitt. As a freshman, Stitt ran for 639 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 5.4 yards a carry.

The Kingsmen also have a potent weapon in kicker Ryan Geisler, who made 14 of 18 field goals.

As for Whittier, anything is better than another 0-9 campaign. Two other numbers the Poets will have to improve on are the 99 points they scored and the 358 they gave up.