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Poinsettia Bowl kicks off major college bowl schedule
Navy Midshipmen return to battle MWC Utah Utes

Posted Dec. 18, 2007
Thursday’s San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl kicks off the major college bowl season — the first among 32 bowl games for pigskin fanatics. For local fans, the match-up between Navy and Utah, both with 8-4 records, provides an attractive draw, particularly among the region’s large military contingent.

The Pacific Life Holiday Bowl takes center stage the following Thursday, Dec. 27, at Qualcomm Stadium featuring a match-up that boasts the No. 11 Arizona State Sun Devils (10-2) against the No. 19 Texas Longhorns (9-3). Kick-off is 5 p.m., with a national television audience on ESPN.

Once again, SDSU Aztec fans were left out in the cold as far as the college bowl picture is concerned. The Aztecs did show improvement in head coach Chuck Long’s second year but the team’s overall 4-8 record was only slightly better than its 3-9 showing the previous season. A team must have six wins to be bowl eligible.
The Aztecs were eliminated from bowl consideration with two games remaining on their 12-game regular season schedule.

SDSU, with a 3-5 Mountain West Conference record, once again tugged on the heartstrings of its fans with a roller coaster performance. Many on the Aztec roster this season, including former Castle Park standout Freddy Dunkle, ex-Eastlake star Marcus Yarbrough and former Chula Vista and Southwestern College standout Travis Crawford had hoped for a 6-6 finish and a berth in, at least, the Poinsettia Bowl.

For Yarbrough and Crawford, along with injured Demarco Sampson (Castle Park) and Victor Andujo (Eastlake), freshman Terry Love (Bonita Vista) and sophomore transfer Bryan Shields (Bonita Vista), the future has yet to fully unfold. For the seniors on this year’s SDSU squad, like Dunkle, it was a disappointing finish. With the graduation of many skill positions, it could take two years for the team to realize its potential from recent recruiting classes, according to some observers.

Most notably, the Aztecs lose quarterback Kevin O’Connell (La Costa Canyon), who passed for 3,063 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.

Mediocre or something special in the making? The 2008 — and beyond — SDSU Aztecs remain just that: a question mark at present.

The 2007 Aztecs remained a team that somehow did not realize its full potential, especially after winning two of its first three conference games. A last-minute 20-17 loss to visiting New Mexico on Oct. 20 seemed to set the tone for the season, which ended with consecutive losses to Air Force (55-23), TCU (45-33) and BYU (48-27).

Yarbrough, listed as a redshirt freshman, played in 11 games this season, recording nine tackles (four first hits) from his linebacker position. Dunkle, hampered by ill-timed injuries, was credited with eight tackles (six first hits) in nine games both on special teams and at linebacker. Crawford, who appeared in nine games, was listed with three tackles to complete his junior season.

While O’Connell (named this season’s team MVP) may depart, that should not mean the end to the Aztecs’ passing attack. Insiders are predicting great things for Sampson, who is expected to be “100 percent healthy,” as one source put it, after being sidelined much of the past two seasons by a leg injury.

Whether SDSU’s starting quarterback next season is Kelsey Sokoloski or former El Capitan standout Ryan Lindley, the 2006 San Diego Section Player of the Year, remains to be seen.

Andujo, another redshirt freshman, was injured in training camp and sat out the season while place-kicker Shields had to sit out one season after transferring from Utah State. Love, a receiver, was restricted to sideline duty.

Seven Aztecs did pick up All-MWC post-season honors: senior wide receiver Brett Swain (first team offense), junior linebacker Russell Allen (first team defense), senior offensive lineman Will Robinson (second team offense), sophomore linebacker Luke Laolagi (second team defense), O'Connell (third team offense), senior defensive back Ray Bass (third team defense) and senior punter Michael Hughes (third team special teams).


Mack attack
East County will be represented in Thursday’s third annual Poinsettia Bowl, however, by Utah junior running back Darrell Mack, a former standout at Monte Vista High School. Mack finished this season ranked seventh in scoring in the Mountain West Conference with 13 touchdowns (7.1 points per game) and recently was awarded with second team all-conference honors.

Kick-off is 6 p.m., with a national television audience on ESPN.

While the majority of fans at Qualcomm Stadium will likely be rooting for Navy, the Utes should have a healthy cheering section, especially well populated by Monarch fans.

Mack leads Utah’s rushing corps with 231 carries for 1,128 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns. He also has 17 receptions for 113 yards and three touchdowns. He scored three touchdowns in a 44-6 non-conference victory over UCLA on Sept. 15 and three more against Louisville in a 44-35 non-conference win on Oct. 5. He had two touchdowns in a 50-0 win against visiting Wyoming on Nov. 10.

Mack’s 1,128 rushing yards rank fourth-best in school history for a single season. He tied the school record with five consecutive 100-yard games and has six 100-yard games to his credit this season. Mack’s 100-yard games have come against UCLA (107), Utah State (132), Louisville (163), SDSU (131), TCU (100) and Colorado State (151). The Utes are 6-0 when Mack rushes for 100 yards.

Mack leads the team with 1,241 all-purpose yards (112.8 yards per game).

Utah, the representative from the Mountain West Conference, is playing in its fifth consecutive bowl game and third under head coach Kyle Whittingham.

The Utes, who defeated SDSU by a 23-7 score on Oct. 13, have won seven of their last eight games, coinciding with the return of quarterback Brian Johnson to the starting lineup from an injury.

Utah is coming off a last-second loss to arch rival BYU. Mack scored on a one-yard run to give the Utes a 10-9 lead with 1:34 remaining in the game. However, the No. 23 Cougars rallied to go ahead 17-10 on a touchdown and two-point conversion with 38 seconds to play after converting on fourth down and 18.

Utah lists 32 players on its roster from California, including 24 from Southern California. Besides Mack, players from the San Diego region include freshman wide receiver David Cravens and freshman defensive back Chris Jones, both from La Jolla.

Utah figures to showcase its defense against Navy. Utah ranks No. 2 in the nation in pass defense efficiency and No. 3 in scoring defense (15.5 points per game). The Utes led the Mountain West Conference in opponent third down conversion (28.8 percent) and sacks (36).

Utah is led by junior place-kicker Louie Sakoda, who recently was named 2007 first team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America while also earning All-MWC first team accolades and distinction as the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.

Joining Sakoda on the all-conference first team were teammates Martail Burnett (senior defensive lineman) and Steve Tate (senior defensive back). Second team all-conference honors went to junior offensive lineman Robert Conley, sophomore offensive lineman Zane Beadles, senior defensive lineman Gabe Long, junior defensive back Brice McCain and senior returner Derrek Richards. Honorable mention picks included sophomore defensive back Robert Johnson, freshman defensive lineman Paul Kruger and sophomore linebacker Stevenson Sylvester.

Navy, which is coming off a 38-3 thrashing of Army and a fifth consecutive Commander-In-Chief’s trophy, holds the fledgling bowl’s record for most points scored in one game with its 51-30 victory over Colorado State in the inaugural game in 2005. Reggie Campbell, who tied an NCAA bowl game record with five touchdowns in that memorable game, ranks 19th in the nation in kick-off returns and is tied for 22nd in all-purpose yards. The Midshipmen rank first among NCAA teams in rushing offense (351.5) and eighth in scoring offense (39.9 points per game). However, Navy ranks 99th in total defense, yielding an average of 438.2 yards per game.

Sophomore fullback Glen Woods is Navy’s local connection. Woods, a National City resident, played football and wrestled at La Jolla Country Day. He completed a year of prep school before joining the Midshipmen. For those who followed youth wrestling, Woods won eight state titles. He earned Outstanding Upper Weight honors after winning his 189-pound class at the 2005 San Diego Section Division IV finals.

The roster of Pac-10 co-champion Arizona State boasts three players from Vista: sophomore linebacker Travis Goethel, sophomore center Thomas Altieri and senior defensive tackle Michael Marquardt.

Extra points
Utah averaged 42,593 fans to its six home games this season for the third best attendance mark in school history. The Utes sold a school-record 25,138 season tickets.

The 2005 match-up between Navy and Colorado State attracted 36,842 fans. The two teams combined to set an NCAA bowl game record 1,183 yards in total offense. Navy’s Campbell piled up 290 yards in total offense, including touchdown receptions for 55 and 34 yards. Campbell will represent the Midshipmen at the Hula Bowl All-Star Game Jan. 12 in Hawaii.

This marks the first time that Navy has gone to five consecutive bowl games.

The Poinsettia Bowl has had an economic impact of $8 million on the San Diego region.

Mack is back as Utah sacks Navy
Former Monarch scores twice in Poiinsettia Bowl victory

Posted Dec. 24, 2007
Former Monte Vista High School football standout Darrell Mack, by his estimate, had a cheering contingent he estimated at 50 family members and friends to watch him play in last Thursday’s San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. The former Monarch standout did not disappoint his fans as he scored two touchdowns -- including what proved to be the game-winning touchdown -- to help lead his Utah Utes teammates to an exciting 35-32 victory over the Navy Midshipmen.

“This feels great,” said Mack, who scored on runs of five and one yards. “I’ve been undefeated in this stadium ever since winning CIF.”

Mack and his Monarch teammates punctuated a championship season with a 20-3 victory over Grossmont Conference South League rival Helix in the 2003 San Diego Section Division II title game. Since then, as a member of Utes, he has emerged on the winning side in each of Utah’s Mountain West Conference match-up’s in San Diego against the host SDSU Aztecs.

A junior running back, Mack keyed Utah (9-4) with 1,128 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns and 13 touchdowns overall (including three pass receptions for scores) to finish as the MWC’s seventh-leading scorer this past season. He earned second team all-conference honors after tying the school record with five consecutive 100-yard rushing games and finishing with six 100-yard rushing games this season.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Mack proved the workhorse of the Utah offense, particularly in the first half as Utah was forced to work itself out of poor field position and attempt to hold possession of the football to keep Navy's No. 1-ranked rushing offense off the field. He finished the game with 22 carries for 76 yards and caught four passes for 31 yards to finish the bowl game with 107 all-purpose yards.

The bowl game victory was the seventh consecutive for the Utes. However, Utah had to fight back from a 10-7 halftime deficit to do so.

Mack scored the first points of the game when he capped an 80-yard march by Utah with 8:42 left in the second quarter. The scoring drive was set up after a missed field goal by Navy. Prior to that, the Utes had staved off another potential Midshipmen scoring opportunity by recovering a Navy fumble on their own two-yard line. Mack’s five-yard jaunt gave Utah a 6-0 lead that quickly became 7-0 when All-American kicker Louis Sakota tacked on the extra-point attempt. Mack set up his TD with a sizable gain down the sideline.

Navy, which entered the game averaging 351.5 rushing yard per game, countered on its next drive when quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku Enhada scored on a one-yard run to cap a 70-yard field march. Joey Bullen’s PAT conversion tied the game at 7-7. The Midshipmen (8-5) took a three-point lead into halftime on a 39-yard field goal by Bullen with 28 seconds left in the first half.

The Utes regrouped for the second half by scoring 14 points in each of the last two quarters. Mack’s one-yard run with 1:27 left in the game proved to be the game-winning touchdown after Navy shocked the 39, 129 in attendance by quickly striking on a 58-yard scoring pass from Kaheaku-Enhada to Zerbin Singleton with 1:12 to play to trim Utah’s lead to three points. Navy then recovered the ensuing onside kick and the game when down to the final 31 seconds with the outcome in doubt until Ute safety Joe Dale intercepted an under-thrown pass by Kaheaku-Enhada on the Utah 31-yard line.

The terrific finish likely earned the third annual bowl game a lasting spot in the NCAA’s 32-game bowl lineup. It was reminiscent of what has come to define many exciting finishes in the senior Holiday Bowl, also put on by the same San Diego organizing bowl committee. This year’s Poinsettia Bowl attendance was the best in the game’s three-year history.

Utah quarterback Brian Johnson, forced to open up the offense in the second half, finished the bowl game victory by completing 20 of 25 passing attempts for 226 yards with none scoring pass while rushing 10 times for 70 yards and also scoring once. His first pass of the game was intercepted by Navy’s Ross Pospisil. However, Johnson came back strong after the Midshipmen took a 17-7 lead by scoring the first touchdown of the second half. Johnson completed 11 consecutive passes and at one point was 20-for-22 in the completion department. He totaled 199 passing yards in the second half (16-for-18) after going 4-for-7 with 27 yards in the first half.

The Utes reeled off 21 unanswered points to take a 28-17 lead with 12:47 to play in the game. Navy countered with a 10-yard scoring pass from Kaheaku-Enhada to Shun White to trim the margin to 28-25 with 8:48 to go. It was at this point that the game’s momentum turned as Utah was stopped on a fourth-down series at the goal line, with Mack corralled less than a foot from the goal line.

The Utes defense responded in kind by holding the Midshipmen on a fourth-down series, with Mack taking the football into the end zone on Utah’s ensuing possession.

The turn of events proved fateful after Navy quickly answered back on the long-range score to Singleton and the recovery -- by Singleton -- of the ensuing onside kick.

“I showed up in the first half (with a touchdown). I wanted to show up in the second half (with another touchdown,” said Mack, whose 12 rushing touchdowns rank in a tie for third most in a single season in school history.

As for his teammates?

“We showed up,” Mack said with a satisfied smile, adding,.”We're going to get back to work next season and see if we can't improve our bowl ranking.”

Johnson earned Offensive MVP honors while Dale was named the bowl game’s Defensive MVP. It was Dale who stopped Kaheaku-Enhada on a fourth-down run on the Navy 10-yard line to set up Mack's game-winning TD.

Utah rushed 45 times for 221 yards while Navy amassed 316 yards on 58 rushing attempts. The Midshipmen, however, were limited to 122 passing yards to the Utes' 238 net passing yards.

Utah’s defense won the battle against Navy’s offense, though just barely. The Midshipmen, whose defense ranks among the nation’s most porous, surrendered 451 offensive yards to the Utes. Utah’s defense “held” Navy to 438 offensive yards as the teams combined for 889 yards in total offense -- just short of the NCAA bowl record 1,183 Navy and Colorado State amassed in the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl in 2005.

Navy senior running back Reggie Campbell, who tied a NCAA bowl game record with five touchdowns in that memorable 2005 contest, was held to 58 rushing yards and 29 receiving yards in the Midshipmen’s return visit to Qualcomm Stadium.

The loss broke Navy’s four-game winning streak and five game post-season bowl win streak.

Post-season bowl game excitement continues with Thursday’s 30th annual Pacific Life Holiday Bowl pitting the No. 11-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils (10-2) against the No. 19-ranked Texas Longhorns (9-3). Kick-off is 5 p.m., with a national television audience on ESPN.

Extra points
Utah's top receivers included Brian Hernandez with five catches for 63 yards and Derrek Richards with four receptions for 61 yards and one touchdown (a 40-yarder in the third quarter to put the Utes up 21-17). Jereme Brooks scored on a 23-yard run with 4:47 to play in the third quarter to trim Navy's lead to 17-14.

Navy's offensive leaders included Eric Kettani with 125 rushing yards on 12 carries and Kaheauku-Enhada with 122 passing yards (7-for-14, with one interception).

Navy's Greg Vetero averaged 45.7 yards on three punts while Utah's Sakoda averaged 34.5 yards on four punts, with a longest punt of 49 yards.

The touching Parade of Wishes was once again sponsored by Viejas, with tribal elders presenting the Make A Wish Foundation of San Diego with a check for $5,000 during pre-game ceremonies. About 600 Make A Wish children attended the bowl game.

The San Diego Hall of Champions honored its prep football Stars of the Month during a break after the third quarter. The four players receiving plaques included Steele Canyon's Jamie Dale (September), Oceanside’s Armani Taylor (October), Grossmont's Josh Simms (October) and Madison's Robbie Rouse (November).

Friday's Emerald Bowl in San Francisco will feature former Grossmont College standout Chris Johnson on the roster of Oregon State (8-4) against Maryland (6-4). Kick-off is 5 p.m. on ESPN.