Prep football: Flying in formation

Barry Faulkner

IRVINE - Irvine High football coach Terry Henigan took the

Vaqueros’ winged helmet design from the University of Delaware, from

which he also borrowed the wing T offense.

But, since Irvine no longer runs the wing T, the logo has come to

symbolize a swarming defense, for which the coaching adage “flying to the

football,” is hardly an exaggeration.

Practitioner of the 46 defense Buddy Ryan made famous with the Chicago

Bears of the mid 1980s, Irvine has allowed an Orange County-low 90 points

this fall. And 59 of those have come after halftime, when all but a few

Irvine games have already been decided.

The Sea View League champions (13-0), who face league rival Newport

Harbor (11-2) in the CIF Southern Section Division VI title game Friday

at 7:30 p.m. at Orange Coast College, have scored eight defensive

touchdowns and produced a pair of safeties this fall.

Only three teams and two individuals (including Newport’s Chris

Manderino, who piled up 168 yards on 34 carries in a 19-14 Vaquero win

Oct. 13) have rushed for more than 100 yards against the scheme

orchestrated by coordinator J.C. Clarke, who maniacally dissects

videotape and whom Henigan calls “a genius.”

Irvine has posted two of its four shutouts in the playoffs and held

Tustin, which came in averaging 44 points per game (more than 62 its

previous seven contests), to six points in a 17-point semifinal victory.

And all this with a starting lineup that averages 6-foot, 176 pounds,

according to typically inflated program listings.

Additionally, the unit features only two players who started at the

same position last year.

“I don’t know if this is our most talented defensive group we’ve ever

had,” said Henigan, in his 20th season at the helm. “But these guys

definitely love playing football more than any group I’ve seen. I think

they even enjoy getting hurt -- and they do get banged up every week.”

The Vaqueros utilized a 6-2-3 alignment to shut down Tustin Coach

Myron Miller’s famed double wing offense, a feat one county coach in

attendance Friday termed “masterful.”

And while the Vaqueros typically cram eight defenders into the box,

their continually amorphous alignments create a unique challenge for

offensive coordinators.

“Their defense is very tough to prepare for,” said Orange Lutheran

Coach Jim Kunau, whose Division XI finalist Lancers were 55-14 victims of

Irvine in Week 3.

Despite Henigan’s respect for Clarke, whose plan of attack produced

eight sacks in last year’s 19-18 title-game loss to a Newport (Harbor

surrendered eight combined sacks to 12 opponents other than Irvine), any

game plan is only as effective as those who execute it.

“They’re very impressive,” Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said of this

year’s all-senior defense, paced by safety Joe Bollard, returning

first-team all-league end Brian Porteous, as well as linebackers Andy

Howe, Parker Nau and Zach Taylor.

The 6-0, 165-pound Bollard, who played defensive end as a junior, has

been the anchor man in the middle of the secondary. He has amassed 65

tackles (51 first hits), three interceptions,six fumble recoveries and

three forced fumbles. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns and

also scored on a fumble recovery. He has also been the Vaqs’ primary kick

blocker, including a blocked PAT against Tustin. He made a huge TD-saving

tackle of Manderino in the first Newport game this fall.

“Shifting Joe to safety was a great move for us,” Henigan said. “Last

year, we moved Keith Short from corner to safety for the playoffs. He’s

playing corner at UCLA now, so, that shows you how important the safety

position is in our ‘Bear’ defense. (Bollard) has been the major guy for

us, defensively.”

Said Porteous, “Joe is the cleanup man. He comes screaming to the ball

like a missile and he’s a huge hitter.”

Howe (106 tackles) and Nau (97) are both listed at 6-0, 180, while

Taylor (82 tackles) was a second-team all-leaguer at outside linebacker

last fall.

Dan Beuchat, another outside linebacker, started at offensive guard as

a junior. At 6-2, 205, he’s the brute of the group. He blocked a punt to

set up a field goal in the first Newport game this year.

Eric Patton was a Daily Pilot first-team all-league pick at cornerback

as a junior and had started all season, until missing the last two games.

He’s expected to play Friday, but won’t start, according to Henigan.

Patton has returned two interceptions for TDs this season.