The Pasadena City College Lancers will open up the 2014 season against the Warriors from El Camino College at Robinson Stadium on Saturday, and the coaches and players are feeling confident about the upcoming season despite their youth.
“Up front we’re young,” said Head Coach Fred Fimbres, a concern that was voiced by both players and coaches when they were asked about the state of the team. The team graduated a lot of players last year, many of them going on to play at universities around the country.
The lack of sophomores is most notable in the offensive line, which sent seven players off to various universities around the country including Michigan State and Old Dominion University.
However, the lack of veterans hasn’t deterred the players who seem eager to take the field against El Camino.
“We’re definitely ready to bang,” said defensive lineman Dennis Vaughn, expressing a sentiment that teammate and offensive lineman Jordan Fuaman seemed to share.
The coaches also seem confident in their player’s ability.
“Our goal is to control the line of scrimmage, and to beat our opponents in time of possession,” said Fimbres, adding that they were looking to run a lot of no-huddle. These are two aspects of the game that younger players sometimes struggle with. No-huddle offenses require swift communication and confidence in your fellow linemen to execute well, something that takes time to cultivate.
Coaches are confident that their line will be able to support returning players in the skill positions. Receivers Turner Jackson, Reuben Lawhorn, and A.J. Springer will all be returning this year along with tailback Zander Anding, who is coming off an injury redshirt but is looking to be a playmaker in the upcoming season.
Though offensive skill positions aren’t the only place where the Lancers have a bit of experience, the defensive secondary is also looking strong. “We think that our secondary will be a strength,” Fimbres said. “We returned some starters from the last two years there, so we’re fired up about them. We also think we have a really good defensive line.”
It’s clear that the youth on the defensive line is not a concern, especially to defensive line coach Miguel Gutierrez, who said that he was very confident about his squad’s ability.
“It doesn’t concern me too much,” Gutierrez said. “Yes we are young, but just like anything else, they’re developing, they’re growing,” said Gutierrez, “We’ll be prepared [for El Camino]. We’ve got a lot of hard work to do this week, but we’ll be there.”
“I think we’re going to have a big turnaround in the program,” Fimbres said. “We think we’ve assembled a group of young people and coaches that we think can bring Pasadena City College back to the upper echelon of California community college football programs.”
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