Progress.
That's what head coach Dan Brown wanted to see in his second season last fall.
That is what he got.
Granted, there was nowhere to go but up for the Toreadores, who after averaging eight wins a year and making five straight postseason appearances, stumbled to a 2-8 mark in Brown's first season.
''We've had some bumps in the road,'' said Brown, who begins his third season at Monterey. "But last year I could see them before they hit.''
Bounced to the Pacific Division last season, the Toreadores gained some of their swagger back with the aid of a youth movement, anchored by quarterback Evans Charles.
"We don't have a player on this year's roster that's even 18,'' Brown said. "We're still young. I wish I had a kid that could bench 300 pounds. But I don't. What I have is competitive kids.''
Growing pains were evident early in Brown's second season last fall when Monterey was outscored 147-35 in its first three games.
And while the Toreadores dropped their final four games when injuries took their toll, Brown will look to build off a three-game winning streak in the middle of the season.
"It's a good feeling we're anticipating this season,'' Brown said. "We're finally figuring out all the steps that need to be corrected here. We're developing our depth.''
What Brown was also able to do last year was leave the future of the program down at the lower levels to build confidence.
"Unity,'' Monterey offensive lineman Carlos Hernandez said. "That's what's been missing. A lot of our problems the last couple of years was attitude.''
A three-year starter, Hernandez feels that the energy that's been missing the last two years is back, as he'll join teammate Daniel Morales in the trenches a third straight year.
"We've taken steps forward the last two years,'' Morales said. "We're just better. The chemistry, the timing. We're much more crisp in what we run.''
While the Toreadores remain young, Brown isn't holding anyone back this fall, having brought up a handful of sophomores, starting with tailback Azjani McGill.
Last year as a freshman, McGill made a name for himself in track, reaching the CCS finals in the long jump and CCS semifinals in the 100 and 200.
The grandson of former Vikings defensive back ML Carter, McGill will be a factor in the backfield for Monterey, giving them a dimension they lacked last year in speed.
Charles, who threw for nearly 1,000 yards last year as a sophomore, will have McGill, Isaiah Jones and Janias Thomas as targets.
"We're buying into what coach Brown is preaching,'' Charles said.. "We have the personnel to make this work. It's going to be a fun year.''
Much like McGill, the 6-foot-4 Charles has tasted success in another sport, having played a big role in the Toreadores CCS Division III championship basketball team.
"We have some players that can play,'' Brown said. "Expectations are there. Strategies are there. We only have a few seniors on this roster.''
One of them is Jones, who made a statement last season on the defensive side of the ball with four interceptions. He was also a threat as a kick returner.
Special teams could be a strength as kicker Alexis Lara Martinez has knocked down 60 yard field goals in practice.
"He rarely misses kicking 50 yard field goals,'' Brown said. "The kid has a leg.''
What the Toreadores have to shore up is their defense, which has given up 40 or more points in 10 of their last 12 losses dating back to 2015.
"You know what is going to help is we don't have to have a lineman going both ways this year,'' Brown said. "Our depth has increased big time. We'll be fresher. We're on the right track.''
No comments:
Post a Comment