New reign begins

The Jay Johnson era for Costa Mesa High football begins Friday at 7

p.m. when the Mustangs open the season with a visit to Brea Olinda.

Johnson, 26-45 in seven seasons as a head coach, most recently at

Fairmont Prep, makes his debut at the helm of the Mustangs, who are

coming off a 2-8 season.

Johnson has installed a no-huddle spread offense and will deploy

the scheme with five returning starters.

Included among the returners are senior quarterback Ryan French

and senior tailback Tyler Legg.

Legg, a first-team All-Golden West League honoree last year,

rushed for 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns on 210 carries. He also had

three receptions for 54 yards in 2004, but those numbers are expected

to increase substantially as the single back in the spread.

French, a second-team all-league choice, threw for 1,100 yards and

seven TDs last season. He completed 67 of 171 with 10 interceptions.

Costa Mesa has three starters back on defense and Johnson believes

Brea may have also converted to the spread after going 12-20 in its

first three seasons under Coach Robb Perrance.

Johnson said he spotted Perrance in the off-season observing the

UNLV spread offense at the Rebels’ spring workouts. So, Johnson has

prepared his defense for what the Wildcats ran last year, as well as

the new more wide-open scheme.

Brea defeated Costa Mesa, 21-7, in the season opener in 2004.

Johnson said his offensive and defensive game plans will be

simplified.

“We haven’t put our full offense or defense in yet,” Johnson said.

“We’ll have a limited playbook and we want to do what we do best.”

The Mustangs have six players starting both ways, including senior

Juan Diaz. The 6-foot-1, 300-pounder was second-team all-league as a

defensive tackle last fall. He will get double duty at right tackle

on offense.

Senior kicker Ryan Bagwell, a first-team all-leaguer last season,

also returns for Mesa.

Brea, which was 56-9-1, including a CIF Southern Section Division

IX title the five seasons before Perrance arrived, is led by 6-6,

220-pound senior tight end Tommy Gallardo. Gallardo had 23 receptions

for 439 yards and four TDs as a junior.

Kyle VanDeadekom, a junior, is the only other notable

skill-position returner for Brea. He rushed for 281 yards and one TD

on 37 carries in a backup role last fall.

Costa Mesa has a three-game losing steak in openers and carries a

two-game losing streak over from last season.