Friday’s OCVarsity Blitz takes a look at what is happening at the football practices and camps around the county.
SAN JUAN HILLS
FILLING IN AT LINEBACKER: San Juan Hills was blindsided in July when junior Noah Edgerton, a starting outside linebacker for the Stallions, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Edgerton started seven games as a sophomore in 2014.
“He went in and thought it was a cyst,” Stallions coach Aaron Flowers said. “They found out it was more than that. Now other guys have to step up.”
Flowers has three candidates to fill Edgerton’s spot: senior Garrett Cook and juniors Ryan Smith and River Stewart. Cook and Smith are both 5-foot-11, an advantage on Stewart’s 5-foot-9, but Smith has the overall edge at 200 pounds.
Flowers also said the spot, and the linebacking corps in general, could be played by committee.
Senior Tim Newman would be part of that committee. Newman, who was recently offered by the University of San Diego, also spends time at defensive end. Joining in the rotation will be senior Miles Hooper and junior John Hernandez.
O’BRIEN OPENS UP OFFENSE: The return of senior quarterback Patrick O’Brien gives Flowers and the Stallions plenty of options on offense.
“Anytime you have a returning starting quarterback, it’s huge,” Flowers said. “You don’t have to start from square one. You can get ahead of the game.”
Flowers described the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Nebraska commit as being able to make “all the throws” and said it opens things up for the Stallions offense.
“The only challenge,” Flowers said, “is figuring out what we do best with the guys around him.”
