Football preview: Big things happening at Chaffey

Chaffey renovated its football field in the offseason but the largest things constructed on campus this summer are yet to be officially unveiled. Head coach Chris Brown, entering his 12th year at Chaffey, labeled his 2010 offensive line the largest he’s ever had. If you are familiar with the Tigers’ style – their run:pass ratio during a 2009 season in which they aired it out was still nearly 10:1 – a big offensive line is a big weapon.

Try this on for size. The Chaffey offensive line averages 268 pounds a person. Including 6-foot-2, 250-pound tight end Kyle Hoff, that’s 1,590 pounds of beef set in motion on the snap. Also, Chaffey’s line is not only its biggest ever, but its deepest ever. While the ankle injuries will assuredly be reduced by the new field turf, the Chaffey reserve line has plenty of size and ability when called upon.

“This is the biggest team we’ve had across the line,” Brown said. “And they’re mean. They just have an edge to them.”

While the Mt. Baldy League’s second-place team a year ago is replacing two-year starting quarterback Jacob Ahmad and running back Ronald Douglas’ 223 rushing yards per game, behind this line it could be in line to top the feats of a 2009 team that came within three points from the CIF semifinals.

Last season Chaffey not only won its first playoff game since 2005, the Tigers pushed eventual CIF-SS Central Division finalist Los Osos to the brink in a 28-26 loss. In a new-look Central Division minus a Baseline League that has accounted for six of the eight semifinalists the last two years combined, a CIF title is instantly more attainable for a team like Chaffey.

Colony, which has won the Mt. Baldy League three of the last four years (Chaffey won it in 2008) graduated a deep senior class and is under new leadership making a league title a certain possibility for the Tigers. The Chaffey defense returns just two starters and is particularly unsettled in the secondary, which has been a weakness in the past against spread offenses. Colony, coincidentally, will convert to a spread attack under Matt Bechtel.

The Chaffey offense could give a variety of looks this year, which is to say they have a few different styles of running back. 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior Michael Tejada will man the quarterback position in front or a variety of running backs ranging from 6-foot, 240-pound sophomore Nofe Lokotui to 5-foot-6, 150-pound junior Julian Bernardino.

“Going from Ronald Douglas, who was Mr. reliable and you could give the ball to him 30 times a game, to being uncertain is a little unsettling,” Brown said. “We’re not sure who the guys is yet or if there’s one guy.”

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