Merced College football looks to get defensive in opener against Redwoods

If there was one genuine concern taken away from the Merced College football team’s scrimmage with Modesto Junior College last week, it was conditioning.

The Merced College defense only saw 60 plays, a little over a third of them by the second unit, but started to look a little worn when the Pirates picked up their tempo toward the end.

It wasn’t the most encouraging sign going into the Blue Devils’ opener with Redwoods on Saturday, a spread team that averaged about 75 plays a game last season.

“We felt good, but I don’t think we were as prepared as we needed to be,” sophomore middle linebacker Troy Lowe said. “We definitely need to work on our conditioning. They were a little high tempo. If we just work on our conditioning a little bit, I think we’ll be ready for Game 1.”

Defense is expected to be the team’s strength early with the bulk of the team’s returners on that side of the ball.

The middle of that unit should be particularly sound with Iowa State-bound Kamilo Tongamoa and fellow sophomore Trevor Taufahema clogging the interior of the line. Lowe, who set the school’s record for tackles in a game last year and led MC with 111 tackles, will sit just behind them and 6-foot-3, 205-pound Penn State transfer Daiquan Kelly will anchor from safety. Soane Vaohea is also expected to be a playmaker as a hybrid linebacker-defensive end.

The offensive line has size and some experience led by 6-6, 420-pound tackle Nyquel Alexander.

There’s indication that discipline issues may result in former Fresno State grayshirt sophomore Andrew Trahan getting his first collegiate start at quarterback, but multiple players could see reps under center in the opener. The skill positions have a bevy of new faces, but one proven outlet for Trahan is 6-3 sophomore receiver Nih-jer Jackson. He proved himself a deep-play threat a year ago averaging 24.5 yards per catch and hauling in four touchdowns in six games.

“We have talented guys on both sides of the ball, but we’re also going to be pretty young,” Blue Devils coach Bob Casey said. “The first few games of the season almost always come down to who makes the least mistakes. Who holds onto the ball. Who avoids the bad penalties. Who can execute in the red zone and on third downs.

“We feel like we’ve prepared well. It’s up to the kids to go out and execute.”

Redwoods opted not to exchange scrimmage film with Merced before the game, so the Corsairs come in as a relative unknown. With the same coaching staff as last year’s 3-7 squad, some assumptions can be made.

Redwoods put the ball in the air an average of just under 40 times per game last season. It had even more turnover than the Blue Devils, with just a handful of returners, and almost none at its skill positions.

Daerion Bell and Davion Curry provide experience and ball skills in the secondary after combining for six interceptions a year ago.

“They want to spread you out and aren’t afraid to take their shots downfield,” Casey said. “Defensively, they do a lot of movement up front, so we’ll have to be sound in our protection when they do those stunts.

“It sounds like they have a very different team, so we’ll have to wait and see what they have in terms of athletes.”

Kickoff is set for noon at Stadium ’76. It should be a fun opening day with the school hosting a joint tailgate party with UC Merced before the game. Bobcat Day with the Blue Devils will run from 10 a.m. until noon and the first 100 UC Merced students to show up in blue and gold will receive free tickets to the game.

This story was originally published September 1, 2016 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Merced College football looks to get defensive in opener against Redwoods."