Something in water in San Francisco

When you think of quality junior college football programs especially on the West Coast one school that always comes to mind is City College San Francisco.

There must be something in the water in the Bay Area. On the high school level Concord (Calif.) De la Salle has the longest winning streak in the history of the sport.

CCSF has the record for the longest winning in the history of junior college football with a streak of 41 and counting.

CCSF has had one of the most consistent junior college football programs in the country over the years.

Once again CCSF is rated amongst the nation’s best junior college football teams and rated number one in California.

The Rams have the No. 1 one rated defense among California jucos, only allowing a very stingy average 146.4 yards a game. CCSF is almost as good on offense, averaging 472.2 yards per game.

The amazing thing about CCSF’s success this season is they have 18 players from last year’s team playing D-I football. Most schools on any level that the abundance of talent that the Rams did would have a down year not CCSF they just keep rolling along.

The No. 2 ranked Oklahoma Sooners have two former Rams starting on defense with linebackers Lance Mitchell and Pasha Jackson. Just in year ago Mitchell and Jackson were playing for the California junior college championship and now they are in the national championship hunt with the Sooners.

Tennessee is the new home for CCSF standout defensive back Gibril Wilson.

Closer to home the Cal are the lucky recipients of wide receiver John Makonnen. Makonnen was one of the heroes in Cal’s upset victory over Washington two weeks ago when he caught two touchdown passes.

Tim Fa’aita is a starting offensive guard for Arizona State and from two years ago Kai Ellis is having a huge year for at defensive end for the Washington Huskies.

This season the wealth of talent is just as deep.

The Rams have one of the nation’s most sought JC lockdown corners in Chijioke Onyenegeche. In five games Onyenegeche has only allowed two passes completions to his man. What makes that stat so impressive is he plays press-man coverage all game long.

Another player who looks to be in for a D-I ride is linebacker Chauncey Clark. Clark broke CCSF’s record for sacks with 21 as a frosh while only playing 25% of the time as a pass rush specialist. Clark signed with FSU out of high school.

Other defensive players on the Rams to keep your eye on are defensive end Tommy Pratt, defensive tackle Jason Fa’amausili, linebacker Tipeti Paini, cornerback Mark Walker and strong safety Derek Craft.

CCSF has two wide receivers that could be playing on the D-I level next fall. Many of you will remember Willie Dixon who signed with Miami out of high school two years ago. The other wide receiver to watch is Rob Johnson.

The Rams have four offensive linemen with legitimate shots at D-I play. Dan Christian is being heavily recruited by schools from coast-to-coast. Christian has three years to play two seasons and the fact that he could get out in December has enhanced his recruitment.

The others offensive linemen to keep an eye on are Adrian Limbrick, Eugene Neviks, and Ramon Spear.

Why all the success for CCSF?

“It is pretty simple,” CCSF head coach George Rush said. “I learned from Dutch Ellison that the program is for the players and not for the ego of the coaches.”

Dutch Ellison was the previous head coach at CCSF.

“(Coach Dutch Ellison) was a mentor and like a second Dad to me,” Rush said. “The most important asset of our program is the players themselves. Because our players are the type of people they players are, we can demand and get the players to have a great work ethic.

“We want three things in a player - a quality performer, a quality transcript and a quality of character.”

Rush has been successful in creating one of the nation’s best JC programs. CCSF shows no indication of slowing down. Look for many of the players mentioned here to make an impact on the D-I level in 2003. And don’t be surprised if next year at this time we discussing the next crop of CCSF Rams led by frosh quarterback Jason Swanson.