After a record-breaking 2022 season, Santa Barbara City College football was bumped up to the SCFA Northern Conference in 2023, arguably the top conference in all of junior college football.
The Vaqueros faced off against some of the best teams in California last season and struggled to keep up at times, resulting in a 4-6 overall record and a 2-5 mark in conference play.
Despite the down season, 18-year head coach Craig Moropoulos and SBCC are ready to put it in the rearview mirror and improve with a year of tough competition under their belts.
“[Playing in SCFA North] teaches us that you can’t take any weeks off, you’ve got to be up every week, all 10 weeks,” Moropoulos said. “If you don’t get up, you’re going to struggle.”
The Vaqueros will be relying on their experience at the quarterback position for the 2024 season, as sophomore Will Doherty returns as the team’s signal caller.
Doherty, who stands at 6-foot-6, threw for 1,944 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions as a freshman last season, and Moropoulos has seen improvement throughout the offseason.
“Doherty is back and he’s had a good summer, he’s all of 6-6 and he’s throwing the ball really well,” Moropoulos said. “The game is slowing down for him, just like a batter in a Major League game when he’s in confidence mode, the ball is moving slow and when he’s not it’s going fast.
“Last year starting with Fullerton that ball was going at least 150 miles per hour so now it’s slowing down for him. He’s had a good camp and I’m looking for good things from him.”
The sophomore will get a second look at all of his opponents, as the Vaqueros will face off against the same set of teams they did a season ago.
“It’s a similar schedule this year so we know what the defenses are going to do from last year,” Doherty said. “The experience was huge for me because now I’m seeing it a second time around so it’s easier to make checks at the line and get everyone where they need to be.
“It’s just more comfortable for me and for the offense.”
Doherty’s experience against these teams could prove to be valuable given the youthfulness of the offensive line, according to Moropoulos.
“It doesn’t hurt (to have a returning quarterback), we’re a little green up front and having a guy that knows the system and how to get you in and out of plays is a real help,” Moropoulos said.
The youthfulness, which extends across the roster, is nothing new for Moropoulos, the Vaquero program and junior college football programs as a whole.
“It’s JC football, so we’ve got even younger,” Moropoulos said. “The turnover is constant and even with the transfer portal affecting recruiting the way it did we still sent a lot of guys out (last year).
“We’re very young this year but we have some talented young men.”
Many of those talented pieces are at skill positions, led by returning wide receiver Cameron Green, who led the team with 432 receiving yards in 2023.
“We’ve been getting a deeper understanding on how he looks at coverages and what I see,” Doherty said of his connection with Green. “By building our chemistry it’s become more seamless.”
“Our wide receiver corps has really good speed,” Moropoulos said. “Cam Green is a really good player but we’ve got some guys added to him that are arguably as athletic as I’ve had.”
Freshman running backs Amir Dendy and Donovan Harris will form a speedy backfield duo for the Vaqueros while sophomore tight end Will Roberts, a transfer from Laney College, will help sure up the passing attack.
With Doherty under center and talented options around him, the SBCC offense could take a step up as long as the young offensive line holds up against strong opposing defenses.
This year’s Vaquero roster also features former standout local high school players, including Santa Barbara High’s Adrian Chavez, Dos Pueblos’ Nicolas Bitar, San Marcos’ Kyle Rivas and Bishop Diego’s Michael Hayes Jr.
Meanwhile, former Dons’ quarterback Abel Renteria will gray shirt this season and former Dos Pueblos quarterback Ryan Marsh will red shirt.
“They’re all great guys and they’re good for this program,” Moropoulos said of the local players.
With a mix of returning players in key spots and some talented newcomers, the Vaqueros will look to make a name for themselves in a conference full of the best of the best.
SBCC’s season will open at home against Fullerton College at La Playa Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m.