Orange Coast aims to be offensive

Two touchdowns and a field goal are often not enough to win a quarter

in community college football. So it’s not surprising that averaging

16.7 points per game last season netted Orange Coast College just two

wins in 10 games.

The Pirates’ offense produced a pedestrian 22 touchdowns last

fall, which was up from just 16 in a 4-6 campaign in 2003. But it

still wasn’t enough to keep Coach Mike Taylor’s squad from failing to

record its second winning season in the last 11.

Taylor, understandably, cites scoring points as a premium this

season, though a defense stocked with returners, including three

named All-Mission Conference American Division in 2004, should help

limit opponents’ scoring.

“We need to be productive on offense,” said Taylor, who will open

his 20th season at OCC, his sixth as head coach, today at 4 p.m. when

the Pirates visit Santa Barbara City College for a nonconference

clash. “We’ve got to put at least three TDs on the board every week

and the guys know that. We’ve talked a lot about finishing drives and

getting into the end zone. And if we get a chance to kick a field

goal, we need to make it.”

The kicking game was another shortcoming in 2004, but Taylor said

special teams should be greatly improved this season.

Defense, however, is clearly the strength of this team, which was

also hampered last season by injuries that sidelined about a dozen

starters on both sides of the ball, many for extended periods.

“Defensively, we should be very good,” said Taylor, who welcomes

back second-team all-division linebackers Dave Ronning and Aaron

Miller, as well as second-team all-division strong safety and Corona

del Mar High product Mordy Ornguze.

Ronning, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound sophomore middle ‘backer, led the

team with 92 tackles last fall, while Miller (6-0, 215) made 72 from his outside ‘backer spot.

Ornguze (6-1, 205) was third among returners with 63 tackles.

Free safety Nick Snowden (60 tackles), tackle Joe Okoturoh (5-10,

240), outside linebacker Ryan Miller (6-2, 230) and end Paul Bartsch

(6-3, 275) have also reclaimed their starting roles.

In addition, sophomore end Justin Williams (6-0, 235), who earned

first-team all-division honors by amassing 10 1/2 sacks in 2003, has

returned to the lineup. He was academically ineligible last season.

Taylor called cornerback Cory Nicol, a freshman from Woodinville,

Wash., the best the Pirates have had at that position in several

years.

The defense sparkled in an Aug. 26 scrimmage against Santa Monica.

The offense failed to score in the scrimmage, though freshman Joe

Harris stood out and joins sophomore Robert Aoki in the starting

backfield today.

Harris, a darter out of Tustin High, could provide a big-play

threat, while Aoki is more of a north-south runner, Taylor said.

Aoki leads all returners with 263 rushing yards and two TDs on 72

carries. He also had five receptions for 52 yards and another TD last

season.

Sophomore Patrick Harrigan may also contribute to the running

game.

Sophomore Chad Schmigel opens at quarterback, where he completed 7

of 24 for 116 yards last season in limited duty, including one start.

He threw one interception and did not have a TD pass .

Schmigel was 2 of 9 for 16 yards with one interception in the

scrimmage.

The offensive line returns only one starter -- sophomore tackle

Tommy Crowley (6-4, 275) -- but Taylor believes there is quality and

depth here, the latter a luxury that did not exist last season.

Freshman Luke Sapolu (Costa Mesa High) and Gary Jones (Estancia)

are slated to start at center and left guard, respectively.

Starting receivers Eric Dietz and Shane Hoffman gained valuable

experience last season. Dietz had 18 receptions for 242 yards and one

TD, while Hoffman caught eight passes for 92 yards.

Taylor also likes tight end Chris Burbach, a freshman out of

Oregon.

Freshman Kyle Vandenbos is expected to handle kicking chores,

while freshman punter C.J. Santiago, a bounce-back from Hawaii,

averaged nearly 50 yards per punt in his final season at Hawaii’s St.

Louis High.

The Pirates, who scored with 18 seconds left to earn a dramatic

33-32 win over rival Golden West in last year’s season finale, should

have a chance to open on a winning note today.

Santa Barbara is coming off a 1-9 season. The Vaqueros are under

the guidance of first-year coach Reggie Bolton, who was an assistant

at Humboldt State in 2004.

The Pirates have shifted from the American Division to the

National Division in the rugged Mission Conference. Other National

Division foes include Saddleback, El Camino, Santa Ana, Cerritos and

Golden West.

OCC was picked to finish fifth in the sixth-team division in a

preseason media poll.

The Pirates have dedicated this season to Mike Musso, who was

killed in a July 29 car accident. Musso, a reserve receiver as a

freshman last season, was popular with his teammates.

“There wasn’t a kid on the team or anyone on the staff that didn’t

like him,” Taylor said. “There are those bumper stickers that say

‘What would Jesus do?’ This year, we’ll ask ourselves ‘What would

Mike do?’ ”

The players will wear helmet decals honoring Musso, Taylor said.