New Era of Football Starts at BC

First-year head coach Chudy guides Renegades through first practice of the season
 

By RYAN SCHUSTER, Californian staff writer
e-mail: rschuster@bakersfield.com
Thursday August 12th, 2004, 11:25 PM
 

The Jeff Chudy era at Bakersfield College is officially underway.

BC's football team held its first official practice on Thursday in helmets and shorts.

"We're progressing," said Chudy, the Renegades' first-year head coach. "We're moving forward. We have to. Every day our intensity level needs to get a little bit more, the pace needs to get picked up a little more.

"As we recognize things faster and we become more confident with what we're doing, the pace will continue to pick up. The guys playing on (Sept. 4) are going to be the guys that learn how to play at game pace the fastest."

BC will open its 2004 season at home against Long Beach City on Sept. 4.

Chudy was hired as head coach after Dallas Grider stepped down after last season for health reasons. Chudy served as an assistant at BC for 12 years and is entering his 20th year in junior college football.

After spring practice and the team's summer football class, Chudy has already begun leaving his stamp on the program.

"I like his style," sophomore tailback Rickey Herod said. "He's a good coach. He tells us how it's going to be, what we need to do. But he listens to the players."

The Renegades warm up differently, condition differently and run special teams drills differently under Chudy.

Practice features more situational drills and kickers are more involved with the rest of the team, instead of being off on their own kicking inside the stadium.

The team went through a new offseason conditioning program, which placed more emphasis on specific skills and working on selected muscle groups.

Former BC instructor and local personal trainer Ron Jones, who moved to Atlanta in late June, helped the Renegades staff implement the new core training regimen.

"It's good, sound stuff," Chudy said. "It's new, it's different and it's applicable to what we're trying to do.

"We've had consistently attended workouts. They're coming back and I think a lot of it is because of this. It's something they had never done before."

In the past, offseason workouts consisted mostly of weightlifting and running.

Chudy said the team has about 85 players out, down from a high of about 100.

He said BC usually starts the season with around 65-75 players.

Chudy said he has been impressed with several sophomores and redshirt freshmen, including defensive linemen Ismail Abdunafi, Fred White and Tyler Saso, linebackers Kenneth Atkins, Jonathon Edwards, Chris Shipp, Justin Crane and Ben Davis, and safeties Brian Cooper, Mike Letourneau and Rickey Henderson. He also singled out offensive lineman Mike Frieson, cornerback Jimmy Jenkins, fullback Ronald Magsby, tight end Jason Thomas, receiver Jon Nunez and Herod for praise.

Chudy also mentioned freshmen running back Le'Andre Matthews from East High, fullback Joel Venegas from McFarland, offensive linemen Corey Actis from Liberty and Tyler McCaan from Tehachapi, defensive lineman Carlos Torres from Monache, linebacker Mitchell Horack from Centennial, cornerback Michael Stewart from Bakersfield High, kicker Jose Martinez from South and punter Josh Brite from Centennial.

The coaching staff has also undergone a bit of an overhaul under Chudy's watch.

Former Renegade players Carl Dean, Dave Thorp, Kenny Calvin, Joey Mayo and Brent Paul have joined the staff.

Dean, a former quarterback, will be the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. Dean has been offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at West Hills College the last three seasons and previously coached at San Jose State.

Thorp, a former assistant at East High, will coach BC's defensive line.

Calvin, a former all-conference cornerback at BC, will coach the team's corners.

Mayo, who played at BC and San Diego State and was head coach at Wasco High last season, will be the tight ends coach.

Paul, a former quarterback who also coached at Wasco High, will coach wide receivers.

Chudy's father, Craig, has also joined the team as an offensive consultant.

Brent Damron, last year's defensive line coach, will handle the offensive line and coordinate the team's running game.

Tim Antongiovanni will move from coaching wide receivers to running backs and special teams coordinator.

Jack O'Brien, who coached the offensive line a year ago, will coach the outside linebackers.

Chad Grider, BC's linebackers coach in 2003, will coach inside linebackers.

Ryan Geivet will again coach the team's safeties, and Lorenzo Alvarez will remain as BC's kicking coach.

"I feel very lucky to have the group of guys that we have," Chudy said. "They've shown commitment and dedication. They've done a great job. They're very excited and full of energy. I couldn't be any happier."

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