California looks to develop a passing game
You try facing 6-foot 2, 280pound California running back Jelani Stafford without packing defenders in the box, close to the line of scrimmage.
It likely wouldn’t go well if you let Stafford, who as a junior rushed for 1,608 yards, averaging 10.3 yards per carry, go unsupervised.
But if you stretch things out when facing the Trojans, it may not go that well either — at least, not this time around.
Senior quarterback Austin Grillo inherits the ground-and-pound offense that led all WPIAL teams in points per game (50.5) last season. This year, that prolific offense may look a little different.
“With what defenses are going to do to us, we have to put [Grillo] in a situation where he can stretch the defense,” coach Darrin Dillow said. “So we’re going to let it fly a little bit more this year than we did last year, and we’ve got really nice, big, tall wideouts, and we’ve got to give them a shot to catch the ball.”
Those wideouts include senior Nathan Zemany (6-1, 185) and junior Cochise Ryan (5-10, 175), who can line up at pretty much any position for California, including A-back and quarterback.
Grillo, who got playing time at quarterback as a sophomore before shifting to more of an A-back as a junior, takes over for Collin Phillips, who completed 21 of 52 passes for 616 yards last season.
Grillo’s leadership and work ethic will be key this year, Dillow said.
“The way he controls the huddle and everybody looks at him, he’s hands-down the greatest high school leader I’ve ever been around,” Dillow said. “He’s strong, he works really hard in the weight room and does what he’s supposed to do. … Even at A-back last year, he was putting his head down and trying to run people over, so he’s a tough, tough kid. At the same time, he’s off the charts intelligent.”
Being able to throw the ball downfield could help the Trojans should they ever find themselves trailing. It didn’t happen much in last year’s 12-1 season, but with a more diversified offense, they might not have lost to Imani Christian in the WPIAL Class 1A semifinals. The 30-24 defeat ended their season.
“They’re going to load the box up on us this year, so we’ve got to be able to throw the ball, and honestly, that was our flaw last year, a little bit,” Dillow said. “That Imani game, if we had thrown the ball a little bit more, and attacked the corner a little bit more, that game, not saying that we’d win, or anything like that, but four more minutes and it might be a different game.”
A massive Class 2A
If you haven’t heard, Class 2A is giant this year.
Eight teams were added, putting 31 teams across four conferences. A handful of teams dropped down to 3A from 2A, including Seton LaSalle, Apollo Ridge and Shady Side Academy.
For Steel Valley coach Rod Steele, there’s pros and cons. He’s looking forward to the increased level of competition, but his team will have to travel longer distances to games this year.
“Obviously there’s going to be more competitive competition,” Steele said. “We had teams from 3A come down, which, if that’s where they’re supposed to be, that’s where they’re supposed to be. That’s a good thing. … I’m OK with that. I’m always up for good competition and good play.”