Today we are continuing our preseason football coverage with a detailed review of the 1992 season. It's the eighth part in a series taking a look back at the past quarter century of prep football in the Golden State, beginning with the 1985 season. Football coaches can CLICK HERE to print out a questionnaire to make sure your program is included in our series of team previews for the 2009 season and considered for our preseason state rankings package. Please fax completed questionnaire to (209) 463-1219 or email info to mark@studentsports.com.

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

California Schools With the Most D1 Signers (1992-1993)

Muir (Pasadena) (5) - Andy Colbert (5-10, 170, DB) to UCLA; Saladin McCullough (5-10, 180, RB) to USC; Charles Myles (5-11, 210 FB) to Arizona; Derek Norman (6-1, 205, DB-K) to San Diego St.; Maurice Simpson (5-9, 180, DB) to San Jose St.
Benicia (4) - Tommy Hanson (6-5, 230, TE) to Stanford; Mike Reza (6-1, 200, LB) to Pacific; Kevin Simmons (5-10, 165, DB) to Utah St.; Nimoy Triplet (6-1, 185, WR) to San Diego St.
Bishop Amat (La Puente) (4) - Dereck Dedeaux (5-9, 170, DB) to Idaho; Chris Gallardo (6-3, 235, OL) to St. Mary's; Mike Smith (6-4, 200, QB) to Washington; Trevor Woods (5-9, 170, DB) to Wyoming.
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) (4) - Brian Barajas (5-9, 170, DB) to Villanova; Parker Gregg (6-0, 225, LB) to Penn; Ray Jackson (6-2, 195, DB) to Washington St.; Nicky Suala (6-0, 240, FB) to Ohio St.
Monte Vista (Danville) (4) - Damon Bowers (5-9, 180, WR-DB) to Pacific; Evan Ford (6-2, 170, WR) to Washington St.; Brian Lynch (6-1, 170, QB) to Colorado St.; George Schramm (6-3, 225, DE-DB) to Colorado St.
Poly (Long Beach) (4) - Jason McCorvey (6-0, 185, WR) to Arizona St.; Scoey Peters (5-9, 175, RB) to Montana St.; Shatony Sargeant (6-5, 245, DL) to Fresno St.; Omar Stoutmire (5-11, 195, DB) to Fresno St.
Skyline (Oakland) (4) - Will Blackwell (5-11, 180, WR) to San Diego St.; Ayyub Rahmaan (6-1, 190, QB) to Colorado; Khalid Shabazz (5-9, 180, RB) to Cal; Mickey Stewart (6-0, 240, LB) to Pacific.

1992 Season Notes & Highlights: The Mustangs of Muir not only advanced to the CIF Southern Section Div. II semifinals, they also led the state, or tied, for the most D1 signers for the third time in four seasons. Muir, which opened the season ranked No. 16 in the preseason, brought back veteran coach Jim Brownfield to coach a talented team led by RB Saladin McCullough.    

The legendary coach was to bring some stability to a program that has produced as much talent as any in the state in recent seasons, but has been hurt by coaching changes since Brownfield left after the 1986 season with a 90-22-4 record and a 24-game winning streak. The coaching of Brownfield and the dazzling play of McCullough helped the Mustangs exceed expectations, as they lost only to preseason No. 11 Eisenhower of Rialto and defeated preseason No. 4 Fontana heading into the post-season.

Against stiff competition, McCullough was averaging 178 yards rushing per game entering the playoff semifinal contest against Esperanza of Anaheim. Although he was able to score Muir's only touchdown on a kickoff return, he was held to -1 yards on eight carries against a stiff Esperanza defense led by Travis Kirschke. Considered Orange County's best interior lineman ever, Kirschke performances helped him edge McCullough for Mr. Football honors, as he became the first interior lineman in 61 years to be named state player of the year.     

Coaching stability has affected the program at Muir, but it seems to be an even bigger problem at L.A. City Section power Carson. Two years removed from Gene Vollnogle's last season, the Colts opened the season ranked No. 1 in the state and top five nationally, but stumbled out of the gate with a 7-7 tie against Mt. Carmel of San Diego and never really recovered.

Jim D'Amore and Marty Blankenship took over the reigns in 1991, but D'Amore stepped down to let Blankenship run the program by himself in 1992. Discipline on and off the field plagued the Colts, and the season ended in disappointment with a 17-0 loss to Sylmar in the L.A. City Section 4A title game, the first time the Colts had been shutout in 147 games. Although Carson had aspirations to take on the CIF Southern Section Div. I champ in the inaugural CIF/Reebok Bowl, the Colts almost didn't make it out of the first round of the playoffs, amassing 29 penalties for 302 yards in a 28-24 victory over Lincoln of Los Angeles.

"You would have had to been there to believe it, I was ready to throw my own flag," said Blankenship, who will not return as coach next season.

Despite a talented roster with at least nine seniors with D1 ability, only two Colts signed with D1 programs and all-stater James Pepe may not be eligible at Oregon. "Carson hasn't been the same since Coach (Gene) Vollnogle left," Pepe told the Los Angeles Times. "Carson isn't the same, there is no respect for the coach and the players don't work hard. After Vollnogle left hardly anybody wanted to come back. My sophomore year was the last year for the Carson dynasty."

Preseason No. 2 Loyola of Los Angeles advanced to the CIFSS Div. I title game, where they fell to Bishop Amat of La Puente, which opened the season ranked No. 10 in the state. Behind state junior of the year Rodney Sermons, the Lancers advanced to play L.A. City Section champion Sylmar in the Reebok bowl and came away with a 31-10 victory. Bishop Amat became the first team in state history to record a 15-0 won-loss record in a season, but they were edged out for state team of the year honors by CIF North Coast Section 3A champion De La Salle on Concord, which opened the season ranked No. 3 behind
Carson and Loyola.

The Bishop Amat-De La Salle ratings debate dominated post-season talks, but it doesn't look like the Reebok Bowl between the L.A. City Section 4A and CIFSS Div. I champions will be the game to watch or the debate to ponder in future seasons. It looks like the CIF Southern Section Div. I champ versus the emerging juggernaut from the East Bay will dominate the rankings debate in the coming seasons.

"I played at De La Salle in 1985 and we were undefeated," remarked Bishop Amat defensive line coach Mike Difori. "We played a much tougher schedule game-by-game at Amat. We had to win 15 games against some very good teams."

De La Salle of Concord had three signers, led by San Jose State St. bound running back Patrick Walsh, who scored three touchdowns in the NCS title game to take the state's scoring crown from McCullough. In the press box at the CIF Reebok Bowl, Walsh had a chance to observe the Lancers play.

"I don't know, they are good, but I do think we'd beat them. I just wish I could go out there right now and play."

A Look Back at the 1992 Season
(All Selections Made by Cal-Hi Sports)

State Team of the Year: Concord De La Salle 13-0

Preseason No. 1 Team: Carson 9-4-1 (Not ranked)

Number of Undefeated Teams: 13 (36 in the regular season)

Highest Score (11-man only): Hawthorne 72, Santa Monica 6

Eight-Man Team of the Year: Los Angeles Brentwood 12-0

State Coach of the Year: Mark Paredes (Bishop Amat, La Puente) 15-0

CalHiSports.com Mr. Football State Player of the Year: Travis Kirschke (Esperanza, Anaheim) DT

Junior Player of the Year: Rodney Sermons (Bishop Amat, La Puente) RB

Sophomore Player of the Year: Steve Wofford (Bakersfield) RB

Medium Schools Player of the Year: Andrew Vessel (Kennedy, Richmond) WR

Small Schools Player of the Year: Eliel Swinton (Montclair Prep, Van Nuys) RB

State Quarterback of the Year: Pat Barnes (Trabuco Hills, Mission Viejo)

State Running Back of the Year: Saladin McCullough (Muir, Pasadena)

State Offensive End of the Year: Vessel

State Lineman of the Year: Kirschke

State Linebacker of the Year: Tevita Moala (Hawthorne)

State Defensive Back of the Year: Sammy Knight (Rubidoux, Riverside)

Individual Scoring Leader: Patrick Walsh (De La Salle, Concord) 230 pts. (38 TDs, 13 gms.)

Individual Rushing Leader: Jeff Byrd (Rancho Alamitos, Garden Grove) 2,576 yds. (14 gms.)

Individual Passing Leader: Tim Carey (Los Alamitos) 3,397 yds. (14 gms.)

Individual Touchdown Pass Leader: Davis Delmatoff (Hart, Newhall) 36 TDs (12 gms.)
   
Individual Receiving Yardage Leader: Leodes Van Buren (Newbury Park) 1,330 yds. (79 rec., 11 gms.)

CalHiSports.com Nickname of the Year: Sammy "Big Play" Knight  (Rubidoux, Riverside) DB

Previous Seasons:

Season in Review (1991)
Season in Review (1990)
Season in Review (1989)
Season in Review (1988)
Season in Review (1987)
Season in Review (1986)
Season in Review (1985)

Note: The above list of reported signers includes players that signed with Div. I-A or Div. I-AA programs; does not include Div. II, Div. III or NAIA. For additions, comments or corrections, send email to ronnie@studentsports.com. To view our various state player of the year lists going back to the late 1800s, our all-time state rankings going back to 1975 and our various all-state teams (first team, second team, medium schools, small schools, underclass, sophomore) going back to 1980, consider ordering the seventh edition of the CalHiSports.com State Record Book & Almanac. For ordering info, call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4431. If you love the content on our site, you'll love the book, so order your copy today.