By Keith Lair, Staff Writer

PASADENA – Torus Stepney hit the hole in the offensive line as quickly as he got the ball from quarterback Brandon Cox.

The Pasadena High School junior was outside of his blockers just as quickly as the Bulldogs went through their second day of formal practice Tuesday afternoon.

Stepney ran through the drills with ease as well as authority. A year of varsity experience can do that for a player.

“I think I can run pretty hard this season,” he said.

“I feel more confident than I was last year. Last year, I was the smallest player.”

The only question regarding Stepney, who said he grew an inch, to 5-feet-7, and gained 15 pounds, to 145, from last year, is: will he last?

“He has a year under his belt,” coach Randy Horton said. “He’s gotten stronger and faster from track. He should definitely do more than last year.

“We just have to make sure he stays healthy.”

Last year, Stepney’s season was cut short when he suffered a broken ankle. During summer passing league competition, Stepney suffered a hyperextended knee.

He’s healthy now, though, and ready to put on full gear Friday; the Bulldogs begin two-a-day practices Thursday.

Junior left-hander Cox has noticed the difference.

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“Torus is coming into his own,” said Cox, who started as a sophomore last year.

“He can hit the holes fast. He has improved, and it’s especially because of the age thing.”

But then, Cox has noticed the difference in everyone’s maturity.

“Basically it was learning experience for him last year,” Cox said, “but then, it was basically a learning experience for a lot of our guys last year.”

Stepney and Cox run the hills by Cox’s house, and they also work out on the football field on their own.

For Stepney to get some running room, however, it’s going to take a big effort from the offensive line.

The Bulldogs’ line isn’t incredibly big, averaging about 6 feet and 240 pounds. It may take lightning-quick runs by Stepney to get the ball outside and get the Bulldogs’ offense to go.

“Our line is not big, but they’re pretty quick,” Cox said.

“Our outside guys are fast, so we’re trying to get outside quickly.”

Stepney, Cox and Horton said the size of the line doesn’t necessarily matter.

“We’re not as big as last year, but they’re strong and quick, so they don’t have to stay on blocks too long,” Horton said.

“Hopefully that’s how it will be when we put the pads on.”

It will be crucial right out of the gate, because the Bulldogs play at Alemany, which didn’t lose until the CIF-Southern Section Pac 5 Division semifinals last year, on Sept. 2. Pasadena scrimmages at home against Bassett on Aug. 25.

Horton said the play of Freddy Barnes has been surprising thus far. Along with Cox, Marcus Green has quickly taken on a leadership role.

In Tuesday’s practice, cornerback Kendall Phillips seemed to come up with big plays during the Bulldogs’ two-minute-drill offense, the closest the Bulldogs had to real-game situations in the practice session.

Cox said that with full-pad practices just around the corner, players are getting antsy.

“They are starting to hit and everything, knowing they can’t,” Cox said.

Horton said that even the coaches are beginning to feel that way.

“We’re getting tired of going against ourselves,” he said, “but it’s only three weeks until Alemany.”

keith.lair@sgvn.com