Pomona star Moretti shifting from player to coaching role

Injured lineman, state’s top prospect, still helps out

ARVADA» It was a sun-splashed Monday evening on the Pomona High School practice fields, four days before the season opener. Hip-hop music blared from a bass-heavy stereo, covering the team with the kind of chest-puffing confident tunes appropriate for a team with the highest of expectations. State title expectations. But, said Pomona coach Jay Madden, that’s not foremost on his team’s mind.

Sitting on the field, keeping a close eye on the practice unfolding before him, is a player on whom many of those expectations were built. But Jake Moretti, the Ohio State-bound offensive lineman, will not play in his senior season. A long brace on his left leg protects a surgically repaired ACL, which he had surgery on July 7 after tearing it at an Ohio State camp this summer.

“Obviously it (stinks) what happened to me, but it’s part of the sport and I want to help my teammates as much as I can, help them have a great season,” Moretti said. “I’ve been able to do more and

more, just as the rehab has gone on. But I’m trying to help my guys as much as I can.”

And that, both he and Madden say, will be as a coach.

“As soon as he can start moving around a little bit better, he’s going to coach,” Madden said. “He knows as much about playing the offensive line as any kid I’ve ever had. He’s been to eight million camps, been around a lot of great Division I coaches, plus our coaches, so he’s going to be a guy who takes that kid who is taking his spot and help him fine-tune the little things, the details.

“As an O-line coach, you’re watching five guys. Jake’s just going to watch one guy, watch the left tackle and make sure he gets better. Once he gets better, then we’ll move (Jake) to the right tackle (to help coach) and make sure he gets better. So he’s going to be just a coach and help us out.”

Moretti will help a team that begins its season Friday against Mullen, another team expected to contend for the state title in Class 5A. It is the first game of a schedule chock full of dangerous — and downright scary — opponents.

The Panthers’ second game is in Orlando, Fla., against Glynn Academy (Brunswick, Ga.), in a Disney ESPN game. Glynn Academy features star quarterback DeeJay Dallas, who has committed to Miami. A showdown against Valor Christian, the team that beat Pomona in last season’s state championship game, looms soon thereafter.

But looking ahead, whether it’s to next week or to a potential repeat appearance in the state title game, isn’t Madden’s style.

“Really, that’s not how we build our program,” Madden said. “We build our program on competing every Friday night. That’s why we play the toughest schedule we can find. Every Friday night is the state championship to us. If we have a good enough team, then we’ll get back there.”

A team that returns the bulk of its talent on both sides of the ball will help.

“We’ve got our quarterback back, three wide receivers, both running backs, two offensive linemen,” Madden said. “All of the D-linemen are back, and three of the four linebackers, two of the four defensive backs. So, yeah, it’s nice having all of those kids back. Hopefully we can build and not start over. We can keep building on what we did last year. Play fast, and be hungry.”

Asked about the prospects of this team, Moretti smiled.

“It’s a special team,” he said. “Our senior class, we’ve been together for quite a while, and we have a really good core base. We’ve got some underclassmen who are going to do some good things, too. So I’m excited.”