Looking to see why Foothill High School is 0-5 entering tonight's Capital Valley Conference football opener against visiting West Campus, coach Allen Berg says it starts with an inconsistent offense.
"Offensively we have really struggled," Berg said. "We're still shuffling guys around."
Berg has used three different quarterbacks and nine running backs all trying to play behind an offensive line that has perfomed like one giant Yo-Yo.
"You'll see one side of the line go down and pancake guys but someone on the other side misses a block," Berg said. "We just need all six guys to come together."
The Mustangs are only averaging 210 yards and 15 points per game. They obviously miss graduated running back C.J. Woodbury, who rushed for 2,171 yards and 27 touchdowns in a Bee All-Metro season in 2007.
The Mustangs have played better defensively, although the offense often puts them in a hole.
Returning 2007 CVC Defensive Player of the Year Mike Exford is back at linebacker and is the team's top tackle while 6-foot-1, 250-pound defensive end Anthony Cox has five sacks "and has come into his own the last couple of weeks," according to Berg.
But the Mustangs lack depth on the defensive line, one reason a couple of converted defensive backs - 5-8, 150-pound Fou Saechao and 6-1, 160-pound Israel Johnson are playing up front.
"They give us a different demension because they are so quick off the ball," Berg said. "Sometimes you stick a little guy in there across from a big guy, and he's hard to block."
There may be something to that. Johnson, a nose guard, has a team-high six sacks.
