FOOTBALL: Backus takes reins

By Scott Galetti, Staff Writer

TEMPLE CITY - Everything seemed normal when Temple City High School opened its football training camp.
Players worked hard in drills with the usual goal in mind - to win a Rio Hondo League championship.
Still, there was something quite different about this camp: The Rams had a new head coach barking out orders and leading the workouts.
Randy Backus took over the Rams football program after the departure of Mike Mooney, who took an assistant principal job at San Marino.
While Backus might be the new head coach, he hardly needed a nametag.
Backus is entering his 13th season at Temple City and was Mooney's right-hand man.
"I'd like to think of it as we worked together," Backus said of his relationship with Mooney. "I learned from Mike and he learned from me."
The biggest change in Backus' life so far is the additional administrative work that goes along with the new position.
But when it comes to Xs and Os and everything that happens on the field with the Rams, Backus feels right at home.
"The tradition at Temple City is unlike many schools," Backus said. "When we go to the CIF playoffs on the road, a thousand people will come.
"Sure there's the ghosts of the past, but I just want to keep the tradition alive."
Part of the tradition that has been missing in recent years is CIF championships.
Temple City has won seven CIF football championships, all under legendary Rams coach Bob Hitchcock.
The Rams last reached the championship game in 1986, when they fell to Newhall Hart 40-27 in the Northwestern Division finals.
Although his team will enter the season with a CIF title as the ultimate goal, Backus has his goals set in stages.
First, he wants his team to once again grab the Rio Hondo League title.
More importantly, however, he wants to see his players grow.
"I hope that (the players) are improving on a daily, weekly, game-by-game basis," Backus said. "We're not staying the same, we're getting better every day, but not just on the football field, but as people in the classroom. I want these kids to be the best that they can be and go to the next level."
As far as the Rio Hondo League goes, Backus believes the team that wins the title will have to be perfect again.
"In the past the league champion has been 5-0," Backus said. "The only time that hasn't happened was a couple of years ago when La Ca ada and Monrovia were 4-1 and we ended up 3-2. It's going to be a tough league."
What's made things a bit tougher on Backus is the fact that he was announced as head coach after spring football was over.
"A couple of coaches left, but the guys that have stayed have seen their hard work paying off," Backus said. "We're fairly organized."
Backus is hoping that having some returning players with proven ability will pay off as well in a quest for the league crown.
Senior offensive/defensive lineman Eric Becher enters his third year on varsity as one of the team leaders.
"He learned from the guys in front of him, and the guys behind him are going to learn from him," Backus said.
Senior running back Will Do served as a backup to Dwight Broadnax a year ago. He also earned first-team All-Rio Hondo League honors as a linebacker.
"Me and Will Do have been around for two years already, so we know the drills and we're going to help out all the younger players coming back," Becher said.
Although some things have remained the same, senior offensive/defensive lineman Victor Silva has noticed a few differences in the way training camp has been run under Backus.
"He likes to get to the point, but we're looking and seeing what we can do," Silva said.
Added Do: "We just have to work a little harder because we got a little behind from the coaching change. But we've been working hard at getting ready for the new season."