OCVarsity is putting the spotlight on the players taking part in the O.C. All-Star Football Game on July 8 at Orange Coast College.
For this edition, we have selected one of the key players for the South, Aliso Niguel quarterback Nick Chapman.
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PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: NICK CHAPMAN
Aliso Niguel quarterback Nick Chapman might look quiet and calm, but make no mistake, he commands the field with his arm, athleticism and quick football mind.
Chapman was first-team All-Sea View League in a season where he set records for the Wolverines for single-game (506, against Sonora) and career passing yards (6,259). In 2015, Chapman led the county in passing in the regular season with 3,041 yards while adding 27 touchdown passes.
Aliso Niguel didn’t have much success (3-7 overall, 1-3 in league), but Chapman showed he belonged among the the best quarterbacks in the county.
Also a integral part of the Wolverines basketball team, Chapman will continue on in football at Saddleback College in the fall.
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THE Q&A
Q: What’s it like as a quarterback to come out and learn an offense in just three weeks of practice for just one game?
A: The coaches try to make it simpler for us because we don’t have that much time to prepare, but as long as you pay attention it’s pretty easy.
Q: Are you enjoying the experience? Having fun with it?
A: Yes, it’s definitely a lot of fun.
Q: What are you getting the most out of this experience?
A: Just repetitions and keeping my arm warm and staying in shape.
Q: What are you trying to get out of this in preparation for Saddleback? What kind of things can you learn in a situation like this?
A: Just making the right reads and everything and just experience. In practice, going through the reads and being able to do that in the game. Just experience and more reps.
Q: You also played basketball at Aliso Niguel. What can you take from basketball, or what has football lent to basketball in your high school career?
A: Being able to lead by example, always going hard and giving your max effort all the time.
Q: In Pop Warner football, you played on the same Saddleback Valley Wolverines team as KJ Costello (Santa Margarita, Stanford), Patrick O’Brien (San Juan Hills, Nebraska) and Devon Modster (Tesoro, UCLA). Obviously you didn’t know what any of you were going to do back then, but look now and see what you’ve all become. What do you see when you look back on that time?
A: Probably one of the most fun seasons I’ve had playing football. We won all of our games except the very last one, but just the memories we had were a lot of fun.
Q: It’s going to be your last high school football game on Friday. Obviously several months removed from your Aliso Niguel season, but what’s it going to be like to put on your Wolverines helmet at least one more time?
A: It’s going to be a good feeling. It’s crazy how fast it went by. Now it’s the last time. You thought our last game (at Aliso) was our last game, but now this is it. You get one more opportunity to show who you are.
Q: Today (Tuesday) was picture day for you guys. You all got to see the jerseys for the first time. What do you think of your jerseys? Pretty simple with the black and white.
A: Yeah, they’re pretty simple. Mine’s a little baggy. (laughs) It’s a little big, but it’s still a cool jersey. Especially to hang up on your wall for later, because we get to keep them. So that’s cool.
