Spring Football Preview: El Toro Aims to Light Up Scoreboard

When Robert Frith took over the El Toro High football program last June, he admittedly didn’t know much about being a head coach, especially the coach at a school that lately hadn't been living up to its rich football tradition.

His inaugural team had a respectable season: The Chargers finished 6-6 overall and 3-1 in the Sea View League, good for second place; they also advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Southwest Division playoffs. But Frith knew that if his team wanted to compete again for league and CIF titles, the offense had to get better—much better.

So the coach took the losses and the lessons learned from those games and began planning for the 2011 season. Three months before spring football practice started, El Toro's returning backs and receivers received their playbooks and began studying the new offense. Hopefully, when the first day of spring practice arrived, they would be ready.

And ready they were. The Chargers completed spring ball on June 9 and Frith proclaimed the practices a huge success as they prepare for their scrimmage Aug. 27 against Morningside. Their season-opening game is Sept. 2 at Huntington Beach.

“We made a lot of mistakes in our losses last year,” said Frith, 34, after a weight-training session this week. “We should have won the league title, but we lost to Laguna Hills, 24-7 [in the last league game]. Defensively, we did a good job, but our offense needed to improve. In this league, you need points to win. Winning is expected here.”

The new-look Chargers will feature a no-huddle, spread-formation offense that Frith believes will be able to outscore any of their opponents this fall, provided they can hang on to the ball and eliminate the mistakes that plagued them last season. He said he may have to tweak some of the playbook once he sees who he has left in August when fall practice begins, but he has a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Leading the offense will be junior-to-be quarterback Conner Manning, who started 10 games for the Chargers last season. As a sophomore, Manning completed 57 percent of his passes for more than 1,200 yards and six touchdowns. However, his longest pass was only 42 yards and he had 10 passes intercepted.

“I think Conner can be one of the better quarterbacks in the county by the end of the season, and he still has another year after this one,” Frith said. “Experience at that position is huge. I tell people we’re either going to win by 70 or lose by 70.”

Joining Manning on offense is junior receiver Cody White (30 catches, 505 yards) and senior Grant Frum (29 catches, 329 yards), while junior Jacob Furnari, who started at receiver (18, 165) last year, is being moved to running back (15 carries, 59 yards) this season. He will have some big shoes to fill as a replacement for graduate Nico Jackson, one of the county's top rushers.

Defensively, the Chargers will rely on four returning starters at key positions. Two are three-year starters -- seniors Avery Bean (5-10, 250) and all-league back Landon West (5-10, 165) -- who will be augmented by defensive end Cody Williams (6-2, 235) and linebacker Brian Moreen (6-1, 250).

On special teams, and in the tradition of great El Toro kickers, is junior Roger Howard. Last season, he played behind one of the all-time best in Wes Harris (25 extra points, 13 field goals) and will be the starter this season. Frith said that at a recent kicking camp at USC, Howard placed first overall and was the top kicker in the three-day event.  “He could be one of the best,” he said.

Frith knows what he wants; he just wants to get there yesterday. He already has encouraged the players, parents and boosters to come together with the community and strengthen their bonds, and recently had his incoming seniors completed a 10-week leadership program in order to strengthen team unity.

Firth also understands what’s expected of him. The Chargers haven’t won a Southern Section title since 1995.

“Winning is expected,” Frith said. “Our job is unlike any teacher in other high school sports because when you don’t win, you get fired. You get used to winning and people have high expectations. I understand that and I’m excited to be here. Once we start winning league championships, that identify will return.”

El Toro's 2011 Varsity Football Schedule:

• Saturday, Aug. 27 vs. Morningside at Trabuco Hills High (scrimmage), TBD

• Friday, Sept. 2  at Huntington Beach, 7 p.m.               

• Friday, Sept. 9 vs. El Modena at Trabuco Hills High, 7 p.m.                         

• Friday, Sept. 16 vs. Anahein Canyon at Trabuco Hills High, 7 p.m.                 

• Friday, Sept. 23 at Schurr (Montebello), 7 p.m.                         

• Friday, Sept. 30 at Dana Hills, 7 p.m.                                 

• Friday, Oct. 7 at Garden Grove, 7 p.m.               

• Friday, Oct. 14 at San Juan Hills, 7 p.m. *                

• Friday, Oct. 21 vs. Aliso Niguel at Trabuco Hills High, 7 p.m. *              

• Friday, Oct. 28 at Capistrano Valley, 7 p.m. *                

• Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Laguna Hills at Trabuco Hills High, 7 p.m. *

* Indicates Sea View League game