Going one-on-one with Coach Brian Barnes:

Question: Tell me about your team.
Brian Barnes: We’re 100 percent better in spring than we were last spring. Our quarterback, Robbie Picazo, is back. We got a great receiving core. Preston King is back. We have Brett Gudim, who started four games for us last year. He started the fist two, broke his collarbone. Another kid is Zach Bevan. He was coming on last summer, ended up tearing his kneecap, so he spent the entire year recovering. Now he’s healthy. We have a big tight end, Evan Finkenberg. He’s close to 6-6, 245. And then (Santa Margarita transfer) John Michael Davis is going to help us at receiver too.

At running back, Adam Albitar returns. Him and Harold (Williams) split time last year. Adam’s got to step it up and take that role. Last year we had a tremendous offensive line. We only have one kid returning, Josh Cabral.

Q: What are your spring goals?
BB: Our goal is to learn our offense and defense. Everyone kind of has the same goals in spring. You kind of figure out what you have, what you can do, ways to get better. We have a lot of bloody noses out here every day, which isn’t a bad thing. We’re preaching toughness.

Q: How do you build off last year’s momentum?
BB: Last year coming in, we were 1-9 the year before. The biggest thing was getting the kids to buy in. We worked harder than the kids had ever worked before. They bought in. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. They believed in themselves. The win against Lakewood really helped. Going to Orange Lutheran was a tough game. And then Esperanza and Chino Hills, back-to-back-to-back was tough. I think the turning point in our season was San Clemente. Getting that win really said we could play with the big boys.

This offseason we’ve worked hard in the weight room. Our kids are all 15-20 pounds bigger. We have a dozen kids bench over 300 pounds, four or five kids squat over 500 pounds. We have about 10-12 kids that power clean close to 300.

Q: Have your players responded differently to your conditioning program?
BB: Our kids got hungry after last year. Winning the league title helped motivate them. They understand what it takes to be successful. We have a five-day-a-week program the whole offseason, from December until spring football started. We’re lifting and running and we’re on the field a couple days a week. Three days a week we’re in the weight room lifting hard. I’m a big believer in the bench, squat, power clean, those big three. The other two days, basically it’s practice. We had our whole offense in by the time we got to spring football.
The kids have said maybe it’s the hardest offseason they’ve ever had, but they understand what it takes to be successful. Last year we had a taste of what it is to be at that Division I, Pac-5 level. But the kids want more.

Q: Two of the linebackers you lost, Ferras Albitar and Chad Garrett, were a big part of the character of last year’s team. Where do you expect that to come from now?
BB: I think everybody looks toward their seniors. If you have great seniors, you have a great team. The Preston Kings, the Robbie Picazos, the Josh Cabrals. They go, 'Now I’m a senior, now I can be a leader.' It’s funny watching Robbie. Last year in the huddle he was very timid and shy, partly because there were a bunch of seniors that were tough kids. Now when he walks in the huddle he takes control and is authoritative. He’s that leader that we’re looking for. Kids rise to the occasion.

Q: With so many returners on offense, do you think you’ll be more explosive there this year?
BB: As an offensive-minded guy, I love to throw the ball. But we’re still going to run the ball to win. I think we’ll be a little more pass-oriented.

Q: Is the defensive side where you will have to work a little more?
BB: Yeah, we will. But I think we’re going to be pretty good on defense With John Michael moving in, he definitely fills a void. Scott Graves is an outstanding linebacker. Junior (linebacker) Erick Nelson, his brother was a quarterback here a few years ago, he’s up at Colorado, Nick Nelson. Erick’s pretty athletic. Tanner Hodgdon has put on 15-20 pounds from last year and has really become a tremendous defensive end. I think he’s a kid that can become a scholarship player.

Q: Mission Viejo had been so dominant for a decade. What do some of your newer players think about last year’s team beating the Diablos?
BB: The win last year gave us confidence. I don’t think teams are afraid of them as much. They had that mystique and maybe it’s gone a little bit. I know they’re going to be really good this year. I think it gave us confidence against Mater Dei, too. A week before we played them they were the No. 1 team in the nation. We played them tough. 

Contact the writer: amaya@ocregister.com