PREP FOOTBALL ’99 : ORANGE LEAGUE : Ruffin Ready for the Spotlight at Western : As ‘decoy’ in backfield last season, Pioneers will turn to senior wingback for the big play.

Will Ruffin has been underrated to the point of being unknown. Overshadowed enough to be invisible. If the Western High senior did make a name for himself, it was usually because of someone else.

But that can happen when you spend two seasons sharing the offensive backfield with Trevell Jackson, who rushed for 3,321 yards and 44 touchdowns for the Pioneers during that period.

“I was more of a decoy on offense,” Ruffin said. “I didn’t get the ball as much as I wanted.”

Although Ruffin’s participation was limited on offense, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound wingback did sneak in a few jabs at opposing teams whenever he was handed or thrown the ball. He was also a mainstay in the defensive secondary, where he earned all-league honors the last two seasons, and was responsible for the punting and punt return duties.

This season the spotlight should move closer to Ruffin, but it appears he’ll continue his role as one of the best second options in the county. Jamiah Williamson, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior, is expected to carry much of the offensive load, but that doesn’t mean Ruffin will be a forgotten player.

“He’ll probably get more carries,” Ruffin said about Williamson. “But the plays I get are big yardage plays.”

Ruffin said a perfect example is a nifty little screen Western ran six times last season that resulted in four touchdowns and an average gain of about 30 yards.

“I know when the ball is in my hands something big will happen,” Ruffin said. “I think that makes me more of an offensive threat.”

Western’s wing-T offense involves a rapid sequence of misdirection that appears unorganized but is really quite the opposite. The offense thrives under the heels of a powerful running back, like Jackson or Williamson, pounding the ball up the middle, and works even better with a fleet-footed athlete like Ruffin spinning off the wing on counters, reverses and screen passes.

Ruffin rushed for 539 yards last season, averaging 10 yards a carry and scored 11 touchdowns. For many teams that would be decent numbers, but for the Pioneers it ranked third on the team.

Jackson was the second-leading rusher in the county last season with 1,781 yards and 23 touchdowns. Williamson totaled 809 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns. The trio was a big reason Western advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Section Division IX playoffs, where the Pioneers lost to top-seeded La Mirada, 27-14.

It was one of only three losses for Western, which also lost to league champion Brea Olinda, 38-10, and El Toro, 20-16.

Ruffin still shakes his head when recalling the El Toro defeat. He had caught the apparent game-winning touchdown on the second-to-last play, but was ruled out-of-bounds.

“Even the El Toro coach and the defensive back said I was inbounds,” Ruffin said. “Then on the last play of the game the ball bounced off the chest of our tight end in the end zone.”

Ruffin said this season could be even better for the Pioneers. In addition to Ruffin and Williamson, sophomore fullback Rodney Eason has looked sharp during the summer and a good chunk of the offensive line is back.

“I don’t see a difference between last year’s team and this year’s team,” Ruffin said. “I just see a few different faces.”

Ruffin said he dedicated much of his summer to weight training and improved his bench press from 250 to 295 pounds. Ruffin said one of the few downsides so far has been the work ethic of some supporting players and their willingness to continue voluntary weight training during the summer break.

“It seemed to me that the ones who showed up were the ones you can always count on,” Ruffin said. “We’re only as strong as our weakest link.”

Ruffin will continue handling the punting and punt return duties for the Pioneers. If everything goes according to plan, Ruffin expects to do more receiving than kicking.

“I think we have all the talent to be a championship team,” Ruffin said. “But it’s all about action, not about words.”