Wynn’s Passing Might Forestall Return to Run

There have been rumblings around San Fernando High over the past few weeks that Tiger Coach Tom Hernandez is considering moving back to a power ground attack next season. With a smorgasbord of starters, including junior halfback Maurice McFarland and the team’s third-leading rusher, sophomore Jaque Smith, returning along with a record-setting B team runner, Hernandez said that the temptation to return to the style of the team’s glory years was difficult to resist.

The option? Probably, he said.

The wishbone? Perhaps, he said.

After all, it was only 2 seasons ago that San Fernando moved from the wishbone to a balanced offensive attack to utilize the talents of All-City Section quarterback Joe Mauldin, who accounted for 2,869 yards in total offense in 2 seasons.

After Friday night’s game against Banning, however, Hernandez might have reason to stay away from the ‘bone. Junior quarterback Michael Wynn, you see, has thrown off the equation.

Wynn, a junior, passed for 237 yards and 4 touchdowns in Friday’s 36-34 loss to Banning in the semifinals of the City 4-A Division playoffs. Despite the defeat, Wynn showed that he is capable of tearing up a defense. Before San Fernando’s final series of downs--when he was sacked once and a receiver caught a deflected pass for a 9-yard loss--Wynn had accounted for 298 yards in total offense; the Tigers finished with 351 yards.

Banning earned the victory, but this was Wynn’s place and show. “I can’t remember ever seeing a quarterback here playing better than that,” said Hernandez, a 1974 San Fernando graduate. “He was almost perfect.”

Wynn’s development as a passer has been startling. Hernandez said that Wynn (6-3, 210) was a player who was converted into a quarterback, not a junior high school standout who had been groomed for the position.

Still, Wynn finished his junior year with 1,614 yards passing and 24 touchdowns--the latter a single-season school record. Do the names Anthony Davis and Kenny Moore ring a bell? Davis holds the career record at San Fernando with 25 touchdown passes. Moore is tied for second with Mauldin at 24.

If he continues at his current pace in 1989, Wynn also would set a school career mark for completion percentage--he connected on 51.7% this season. Wynn is already fourth on the school career list in passing yardage behind Davis (2,962 in 1968-70), Moore (2,251 in 1973-75) and Mauldin (2,234 in 1986-87).