PREP FOOTBALL ’99 : SEA VIEW LEAGUE : Jones’ Mission Is Clear: Serve and Protect : As member of Newport Harbor’s offensive line, he must guard an unproven quarterback; to help Sailors reach playoffs, he must become a team leader.

Blair Jones’ height makes him tough to miss on a football field.

His increasing skills have made him an almost can’t-miss player.

A 6-foot-8 left tackle for Newport Harbor High, Jones is cause for inspiration. He never played football before reaching high school. Despite being a 6-6, 200-pound freshman, he did not dominate the other kids.

But today, he is in position to sign with several major college football programs, including USC, Michigan and Colorado.

“I never thought I could be that good in football,” Jones said, “and it turned out I’m a pretty decent tackle.”

Decent indeed.

“No. 1, he’s intelligent, and No. 2, he’s athletic,” Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said. “He’s focused and he’s hard-working. Guys that big usually don’t move like that. He’s got great feet. . . . [The recruiters] I’ve sat down with in the off-season were real impressed that he’s not a big guy who falls down all the time or is hunched over--he stands tall, he’s aggressive and athletic.”

Jones has played basketball and volleyball but will probably stay focused on football after this season; he wants to get bigger.

“My weakness is my size,” Jones said. “I have height, but I need to bulk up if I want to play at the next level. I’m weighing in at 251, and most people say the minimum you want to be to play in college is 280, 290 pounds.

“I was about 273 last season before volleyball, but with volleyball I dropped a lot of the weight, down to 235.”

Jones anchors an offensive line the Sailors hope will carry them into the playoffs after missing out last year.

Robert Cole (6-4, 325) is a formidable right tackle, and tight end Nick Langsdorf is 6-4, 217. Between the tackles are left guard Steve Wukawitz (6-2, 205), center Louis Cruz (5-10, 210) and right guard Nick Haddy (6-2, 240).

All are seniors whose task will be to protect an unproven quarterback and help running backs Andre Stewart and Ryan Brill, who had 171 yards combined rushing last year, fill the shoes of Robert Peredia (1,122 yards).

One thing is certain for Jones. He doesn’t want a repeat of last season, when Newport Harbor won its first five games, then dropped four of five Sea View League games.

In 1997, Jones’ first season on the varsity, the Sailors reached the Southern Section semifinals.

“My sophomore year, I didn’t feel I was contributing that much,” Jones said. “My junior year, I felt I was working harder, blocking better, becoming a better football player, but the success wasn’t as great. Last year was a big learning experience.”

Which is why Jones has forced himself to step into another role.

“I’ve never been much of a real leader before,” he said. “I’ve seen some good captains at Harbor, and I’ve seen us have a good season, and that’s what I’m looking to repeat.”

So he has copied the routines he saw as a sophomore, promoting a goal of going undefeated while keeping morale high.

“I love trying to help the kids behind me, or the JV kids,” Jones said. “I want to teach them as much as I know. I was taught the same way. I try to pass that on.”