Tonight’s Football Games : OCC’s Youngblood Getting a Fresh Start

For a couple years after high school, Tyrone Youngblood stood by and watched his friends play football.

He had been a standout on the 1985 Marina High School team that reached the Southern Section semifinal round.

After graduation, though, he was tired of football and frustrated by his failure to receive any scholarship offers. So he sat out the 1986 season. He stayed away in 1987, too, but started to miss playing.

Finally, he began a comeback last fall at Orange Coast College at age 20. He played very little, but this season, he’s starting at nose guard.

Youngblood and his teammates play host to Mt. San Antonio in a Mission Conference game tonight at 7.

During those two years away from the game, Youngblood had many chances to watch friends he has played against move on to four-year colleges.

Youngblood finally started college because he was tried of wasting time. He wanted to start his life.

“After a while, I started to miss it,� Youngblood said. “I would watch a game and start to get emotional. I would get excited and my veins would start to come out. It could be football or boxing or something like that. I’m just emotional.�

Last season, Youngblood spent most of the time sitting on his emotions as well as the bench. He was behind Bruce Dubois, an all-Mission Conference nose guard. When Youngblood did play, it was either on special teams or very late in the game.

So, he returned this season with a strong determination to start.

“I’m more mentally tuned into what I need to do,� Youngblood said. “I had to make an adjustment. I realized it was time to listen to the coaches and stop trying to do things on my own.�

Youngblood, who is 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, spent a majority of his high school career at Marina in opponents’ backfields. In his senior year, he had a school-record 16 sacks.

When he came to OCC, the coaching staff wanted him to switch to linebacker to take better advantage of his speed, but Youngblood wanted to stay at nose guard.

“He’s best when he used his quickness,� OCC defensive line coach Rich James said. “He’s doing much better this season. It could be because he realizes this is his last chance.�

Youngblood has been in on 10 tackles in two games this season despite being hurt for parts of each game. He has seven tackles for losses, including three sacks.

“Sacks are what I really want,� Youngblood said.

Tonight’s Mission Conference games, all at 7:

Mt. San Antonio (2-0, 1-0) at Orange Coast (1-1, 0-1)--Mt. San Antonio is ranked second in Southern California, thanks in large part to sophomore running back Leonard Russell. He has run for 403 yards and scored three touchdowns in 56 carries. But OCC did hold him to 60 yards, his single-game low, last season.

OCC Coach Bill Workman is looking for a better effort tonight than in last Saturday’s 36-17 loss to El Camino. Workman said that was the worst effort his team has put forth in a game in his four seasons at OCC.

El Camino (2-0, 1-0) at Fullerton (1-1, 0-1)--Among the best games played in Southern California each of the last three years has been between these teams. Fullerton hung on to win, 38-36, last season to up its series lead to 12-5-1. El Camino beat Fullerton, 27-26, in 1987 on its way to an 11-0 season and the J.C. Grid-Wire national championship. Fullerton survived a last-second missed field goal attempt in a 33-31 victory in 1986.

Long Beach (2-0, 1-0) vs. Rancho Santiago (2-0, 1-0) at Santa Ana Stadium--Rancho Santiago is averaging 44 points a game, but this will be the first solid opponent the Dons have faced. A victory would help establish Rancho Santiago as an early conference favorite. Long Beach is led on offense by former Bolsa Grande High School standouts quarterback Damon Fisher and running back Travin Lui.

Palomar (0-2, 0-1) at Saddleback (0-2, 0-1)--Saddleback is trying to avoid its worst start in the college’s history. There’s one thing certain about Palomar: The Comets will pass. Quarterback Scott Barrick has 653 yards after two games. He is 59 of 111, but has six interceptions and only two touchdowns.