San Marcos High football looks much different now than it did three years ago when Ralph Molina took the reins of the program.
Before Molina, the Royals had a difficult time drawing their best athletes to the gridiron and, as a result, struggled to find consistent results.
Now, some of the most talented athletes on campus will be strapping up their chin straps on Friday nights.
“We’ve got a lot of kids from other sports playing for us,” Molina told Noozhawk. “We’re giving everyone an opportunity, and that’s really been paying off.”
San Marcos has gone 4-6 in each of the last two seasons, falling just short of the playoffs. Molina believes his program is “almost there” when it comes to making the postseason.
“Our kids want to get to the playoffs this year,” he said. “We’re here to give a run in this Channel League. If we get in the playoffs, there’s no better preparation than playing Channel League teams.
“It’s the last year in the league and I feel good about it.”
Next season, the nine-team Channel League and all the other Northern Area leagues will be shuffled into circuits based on competitive equity.
For San Marcos, it’ll mean the end of matchups against such strong programs like Oxnard, Pacifica, Rio Mesa and Ventura, although the Royals will continue to play crosstown rival Santa Barbara in a nonleague game.
“They’re going to come at us, that’s why we have to control the game,” Molina said of playing title contenders. “We could be right in the middle of the pack (of the league).”
In the fall of 2024, the Royals will join an as-yet unnamed league that will include Dos Pueblos, Agoura, Fillmore, Hueneme and Santa Paula.
This season, the San Marcos offense will again be predicated on the running game.
The Royals won’t have Andre McCollough, who rushed for 1,170 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior last year.
Instead, they’ll be taking a run-by-committee approach with Nathan Jones (5-10, 185), Joseph Herrera (5-10, 180), Brody Branstetter (5-11, 200), Kieran Babai (5-9, 170) and Diego Pedroza.
“Our game is being able to run the football,” Molina said. “We’ve got five guys who are going to have to carry the load.
“Especially in the Channel League, where guys are going to take a beating, we’ve got to have that depth.”
The running backs will be aided by the improved size and strength of the players in the trenches.
“This is my third year and it’s by far the biggest line we’ve had on both sides of the ball,” Molina said. “We’ve got to have depth at D-line, which I didn’t have the last two years and I’ve got it this year.
“It’s what we have to have to survive.”
Some impact players on the line group will be senior Dante Bruice (6-8, 280), junior Manny Verdugo (6-1, 260), David Martinez, junior Ollie Martinez (6-1, 300), sophomore Max Silva (6-2, 220) and brothers Ryan and Tyler McLean.
The Royals will most definitely need the line to step up, as they will have the duty of protecting a first-year varsity quarterback in junior Danny Diaz (5-10, 165).
Diaz served as the San Marcos JV quarterback last season, leading his team to a 7-3 record.
“He’s a solid kid, not the biggest but he’s really steady,” Molina said. “He makes good decisions and throws really well on the run, and that fits our game. He knows our offense.”
Wide receivers Luke Crawford (6-2, 180) and Landon Sheffy (6-2, 215) will be the key targets for Diaz when he does drop back or escape the pocket to pass.
Crawford, who will also start at cornerback alongside Sheffy, has garnered interest from several Division II and III schools and Molina calls him the team’s “best offensive player.”
Anchoring the defense will be Branstetter, who racked up 160 tackles and snagged two interceptions as a sophomore middle linebacker last season.
“I think Brody is the best middle linebacker in the area,” Molina said. “He’s the heart of our defense.”
Branstetter will have to shoulder more of the load with the graduation of all-league linebacker Owen Lauderdale, including calling most of the plays on the defensive side of the ball.
“I just try to go out there, go my hardest every play and keep the morale high,” Branstetter said of his leadership style. “I’m excited because I get to step up more this year.”
With Branstetter at the helm defensively and Diaz playing behind one of the biggest San Marcos teams of recent years, Molina and the Royals have high hopes to snap the program’s postseason drought.
“Our kids mentally are tough and they’re ready,” Molina said. “We know that we have to do to compete and we have to win some big games.”
San Marcos Football Schedule
Friday, Aug. 18 Knight
Friday, Aug. 25 @ Santa Maria
Friday, Sept. 1 Rio Mesa#
Friday, Sept. 8 @ Santa Barbara#
Friday, Sept. 15 @ Pacifica#
Friday, Sept. 22 @ Buena#
Friday, Sept. 29 BYE WEEK
Friday, Oct. 6 Ventura#
Friday. Oct. 13 Dos Pueblos#
Friday, Oct. 20 Oxnard#
Friday, Oct. 27 @ Channel Islands#
#Channel League game
