Samohi football takes a new look into the ‘08 season
By DANIEL ARCHULETA Managing Editor
SAMOHI With 12 spots to fill with new players, it’s easy to think that head football coach Zach Cuda and his Vikings are weathering through a rebuilding year.
Gone is star quarterback Ryan Katz, whose departure to Oregon State will surely give the squad a new look come fall. While the loss of the team’s on-field leader and most stalwart performer would appear to be a crushing blow to the team’s prospects, Cuda believes that he still has the horses to run the Ocean League this season.
“We’re filling a lot of spots, that’s true,” Cuda said, “but three of the four returnees [on offense] are offensive lineman. Last year we were experienced at the skill positions and young up front. This year, it’s the opposite.”
The extra year of experience on the field and in the weight room are invaluable to the coach.
“I think that’s something that you can’t account for,” he said. “The older and more experienced they are; the weights they’ve lifted the more battle tested they are.”
With the strength of the team residing in the trenches, Cuda is confident that this season will be anything but a rebuilding year.
“We’re gong back to what we do best,” he said. “We’ll be running the ball between the tackles. That will be a huge factor for us.”
With Katz at the helm last season, the team employed a spread offense with three or four wide receivers often in the formation. With junior Garrett Safron behind center, Cuda said that he’ll look to run the ball as much as possible to keep his young starter from being forced to carry the team with his arm.
“We’re certainly not trying to put too much pressure on him,” Cuda said. “We have two outstanding tailbacks that will lighten the load.”
The coach thinks that once Safron grows accustomed to the speed of the varsity game he’ll prove that he has rightfully earned the starting spot.
“I’m really confident in what he is going to do. He’s had a great spring and an even better summer,” he said. “His being a smart QB is going to be a good thing for us this year.”
Returning senior running backs Vince Lawrence and Christian Ross split time at starting tailback last season and Cuda expects them to share the load this season.
“They both could potentially go for 1,000 yards this year,” he said. “We’ll put a fullback in front of those guys as much as we can.”
Cuda has decided to run an I-back formation on offense for the most part, but has a few tricks up his sleeve if defenses get too comfortable.
“We can run a lot of play action off of that set,” he said. “We’ll still have the spread set to change things up.”
The defensive side of the ball will also see a few changes. Defensive coordinator Conrad Cuda is leaning toward a base 4-4 alignment with four down lineman and four linebackers.
The team spent much of last season in the 4-3 in large part because most of the teams in the Ocean League operate out of the spread offense, with three to four wide receivers on the field at all times.
“We would consider either of those two [defenses] our main look,” Zach Cuda said. “The defensive coordinator has been working on making it so we could get in and out of those looks without replacing personnel.”
The team begins implementing the coaching staff’s changes Aug. 25, when the team straps on pads for the first time this off-season. To date, the team has been spending their days doing conditioning training and lifting weights. hopes all the work pays off when the team finally hits the field.
“We’ve been working a lot in the weight room,” he said. “Most of the guys’ numbers went up over the summer.”
He’s proud to report that he’s bench pressing 335 lbs. and squatting 435. Both are impressive numbers for the player who will be depended on to play both on the offensive and defensive lines.
Another major change the team will experience in the upcoming season will be the renovated field at Santa Monica College’s Corsair Field, the team’s home. The college is currently replacing the sod surface with artificial turf. Zach Cuda sees it as a boon for his team that was forced to play on a field that was often less than perfect.
“We’re really excited,” he said. “The field was miserable after the Venice (High School) game. They just kept sanding it to make it a playable surface every week.
“We’re happy that we’ll have a surface that will be able to take the wear and tear the whole year.”
LOOKING AHEAD The Vikings tied for second place in the Ocean League last season earning the team a playoff berth, but Samohi failed to advance out of the first round. Even with a high-powered offense and star gun-slinger, the team finished the season 6-5. The head coach believes that the team’s strength at the offensive line should help his squad get over the hump and cause waves in the Ocean League.
“I think we really have our sights set on a league championship,” Zach Cuda said. “This year could be the year we put together a run in the playoffs.”
His players echo his sentiment, hoping to dash the memory of last season’s postseason disappointment.
“As long as we stay healthy and stay strong, we control our own destiny,” said Terry Wilson, a senior cornerback/wide receiver who is a senior captain. “A league championship is within our reach.”
Wilson wasn’t pleased with his personal performance last season and looks to this season to redeem himself.
“I want to put up some big numbers,” he said. “I want to do whatever I can to make a run in the playoffs.”
The team begins play Sept. 12 at Corsair Field against Leuzinger High School.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 15, 2008. Read the original PDF.