Replacing this is the only concern Big Lou had this off-season

I have started CO as the unofficial No. 1 team in the area heading into Spring practice. Do I expect to find out something that makes me shake up the rankings? No, I don’t. What you saw below with the rankings is merely a guideline for the summer. Tons will happen between now and the SGV Tribune football preview issue, which by the way, sports some serious one-day sales figures.

There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Chargers this season. Last year’s team featured a load of sophomores who gradually developed into solid players. CO in September was much different than CO in November.
This season is the complete opposite. CO returns a bevy of players and some of the best overall talents in the area. And yes, we’re talking ATHOLEETS.
There are concerns, though. Will offensive coordinator Dominic Farrar take the kid gloves off with QB Drew Carreon? Can the running game make up for Brian Hunter’s graduation?
The defense will be strong again. CO had one of the better front sevens in the area last season and some key guys are back. The back four are very athletic and should matchup well to opposing speed.
Here’s the sked:

9/8 Upland (win)
9/15 at La Mirada (win)
9/22 at Glendora (win)
9/29 at Damien (win)
10/6 Claremont (win)
10/13 at West Covina (toss-up)
10/20 Los Altos (win)
10/27 at Bonita (win)
11/3 Diamond Ranch (win)
11/10 Wilson (win)

Projected record: 10-0 or 9-1
Miramonte League: Favorite
Playoffs: Mos def with a strong chance at a top four seed and good chance at reaching the finals.

The first thing that jumps about CO’s sked is the game with Glendora. This is a very key event, actually. There is a rivalry there, or at least there was. But Glendora is an up and coming program that needs one thing to take the next step – speed. Where might Glendora find the kind of athletes it needs? Right over the hill, so to speak, in CO’s backyard. Don’t scoff, these schools often vie for the same athletes. And yes, I mean ATHOLEETS. To the victor goes the spoils on September 22.
Bishop Amat is off the schedule. Big Lou should be commended for even having Amat and Damien on the schedule in the same season. Damien remains, which is a major revenge game. Like I’ve said before, I am not sure Damien beats CO last season if the game is played in November.
Having said all that, CO’s schedule boils down to two weeks. They could be the best two weeks of the season or the worst. Fans should start arriving now for the October 13 (my b-day) game against West Covina. That’s the game of the season in the SGV.
A week later, CO opens Miramonte League play with Los Altos. That game needs no introduction or hype.
There will be no breaks for the Chargers with this schedule, so the team must stay healthy.
I want to see if CO has versatility this season. That’s my biggest question with this team. It appeared last year that CO liked to slow games down, keep it simple on offense and let the defense tee off. But can CO play a myriad of styles like most good teams can? Can CO win with Carreon throwing 25 times? Can it win with Carreon only making 10 attempts? These are the questions.
Passing league is worthless, in my opinion. But this might be a team to watch in the early summer months. You just know that the Farrars are contemplating ways to showcase WR Michael Johnson to college recruiters and that probably means Carreon will be asked to open it up. Passing league might be the first clue. Stay tuned …