I know, Pasadena is coming off a 51-6 win over Hoover, but lets be honest, it’s Hoover!
If not for Hoover in the Pacific League opener there’s a good chance the Bulldogs start the season 0-5.
Coach Kevin Mills is not much of a talker. For example, when I asked him about the assessment of his team Mills said, “All I’m gong to say is stay tuned.”
Mills is in his fifth year at Pasadena and has compiled a 17-30 record through Week 5. The Bulldogs (1-4, 1-1) offense can’t seem to get it together.
Mills said near the start of the season that he finally had the depth Pasadena has lacked over the years, but the Bulldogs fared better in ’07 and ’06.
The lineup experimentation has led to a 30-19 loss to Arroyo Valley; a 51-12 loss to Saugus; a 36-0 loss to Long Beach Jordan and a 35-14 loss to Burbank to open league play two weeks ago. Pasadena is averaging 19 points per game but giving up nearly 32 points per game.
No doubt the Bulldogs lost some good talent: six starters lost to graduation including Tyron Crockom who now is at Western Missouri.
But Pasadena returned five starters from last year’s team that went 7-5 and finished third in league with a 5-2 record.
Senior tailback JQuan Hamilton, senior wide receiver Joseph Jackson, senior linemen Justin Jones, junior linemen Anthony Boykins and junior linemen Chris Connell all returned this season.
Hamiton has shown signs of brilliance on the field, such as when he showed nice moves to go with with his breakaway speed. He went 59 yards for a touchdown to close the gap, 10-7, against Arroyo Valley. Isaiah MacKlin had a good defensive game that day, recovering a fumble and recording 1 1/2 sacks. Josh Desmuke completed 9 of 16 passes for 114 yards, but to no avail.
Against Saugus, Pasadena’s offense struggled as two errant lateral passes led to 10 first-quarter points for the Centurions, and its running game finished the first half with only 33 yards on the ground to go with only three first downs.
Then came the debacle against Long Beach Jordan. The Bulldogs failed to record a first down, didn’t complete a pass and had minus-9 yards of total offense. Pasadena’s defense gave up 278 yards.
“I think to everybody’s knowledge, we lost quite a bit, but I like our chances in the Pacific League,” said Mills before the start of the season. “I’m not going to put anybody ahead of us. We have just as good a chance as anybody.”
Pasadena’s record over the last four years:
2007: 7-5 overall, 5-2 league
2006: 5-5 overall, 2-2 league
2005: 3-7 overall, 2-3 league
2004: 1-9 overall, 1-4 league
Pasadena has steadily improved since Mills took over in 2004. But things look to be on the decline this season and with with a talented team the question is, why?
