E-E using spring ball to replace players in key positions

ELSA - You coach talent. You lose talent. You reload with talent.

In 2009, the Edcouch-Elsa football team finds itself in a situation where holes at key positions must be filled.

Winning six-straight district titles is all the motivation "La Maquina" needs. It's like head coach Joe Solis put it: "A big puzzle you have to fill in."

Players who saw limited playing time will now have the opportunity to start, while other players such as Roger Garcia may switch from starting running back to quarterback. This spring football season, coaches are experimenting with Garcia, who rushed for 545 yards last season, to replace Valley Freedom Newspapers Most Valuable Player Erik Niño as the team's new signal caller.

Solis likes the 5-foot-6, 168-pounder because like Niño, he's two dimensional. Solis intends to use Garcia in the one back set and as a running back in the Slot-T.

With a player like Garcia also comes the opportunity of using him in a Wildcat formation, but Solis wouldn't necessarily say whether that's a possibility or not.

"He can play anywhere," Solis said. "He's been there for the longest time." 

Garcia is using spring football to adjust at quarterback. The last time he went under center was in middle school, but that was only on a limited basis. When spring ball began, Garcia said things weren't that smooth and that he was nervous, but that improvement was only a few snaps away.

"I'll be ready by August," Garcia said. "If I keep at it in the summer, work hard, I will be ready."

Solis is using 15 practices to evaluate and find athletes to fill 12 starting positions (five offense, seven defense) with departure of high-profile players including Niño, tight-end Arti Tanguma and linebacker Tony Sanchez.

Players like wide receiver/safety Jesse Jalomo are looking forward to bigger roles in 2009, while athletes like Brandon Reyna are hungry to get back onto the field after missing practically all of last season due to an ACL tear injury suffered in the first game of the year against Calallen.

"Now I'm back," Reyna said. "It felt good putting on the pads again with my friends. I'm ready to be part of a seventh-straight district title."

   
Solis is really high on his freshman team, who will be sophomores next year. Winners of the district title, Solis said the freshman haven't looked the least bit intimidated going up against the varsity players, which is a good sign for him. 

"We have what I call numbers, a lot of talent and skill positions," Solis said. "It depends on how quickly they mature, but I'm optimistic because of the tradition we have."

Should the Garcia project not go according to plan, Solis could turn to Aaron Lopez, who stands at 5-11 and has a strong arm. All-district offensive lineman Lupe Garcia, Andy Ochoa and Trey Alvarado will bring experience in the trenches, while Ryan Castillo, who got plenty of playing late last season, returns at fullback.

"We have guys that can do it," Jalomo said. "That's why we never have our heads down."