California Central Coast FB - Wild West Sports

This topic has 13 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 1 month, 1 week ago by Java.

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- May 22, 2026 at 4:48 pm #13263
  
  Butkus51
  Participant
  
  One of Calif very best 5* QB, Mark Burnell from Santa Maria, Ca, St Joseph HS. 4.5* RB Napoleon Kaufman, Lopoc HS was a great player. Man USC R both guys hard, but UDub got both of them.
  
  And, now there’s QB Darian Mensah, San Luis Obispo, St Joseph HS-Santa Maria was only a 3*. He was a top QB from the area, but under da radar. Goes to Tulane does well. Duke poaches him with an $8 M NIL deal, kills it there. Then, Miami upped the anti, Mensah takes the next plane to Miami. Mensah is another fine example how many low rated QB’s out performing 4* to 5* QB’s. Heck, he was hardly R (No on USC, UCLA, Oregon and others). In hind sight, they all lost out… Cheers
- May 23, 2026 at 12:03 am #13274
  
  mandb
  Participant
  
  Even though they didn’t have a ‘star’ system back then, Brunell would have most likely been considered a 4 star. He was in the same class as Todd Marijuanavich, that would have been considered a 5 star(?) and went to USC, and Rob(?) Brett(?) Johnson that would have been considered a 4 star and went to UCLA. Kaufman was most definitely a 5 star, rated the #2 RB in the entire nation, behind a RB that went to Florida St and washed out.
  - May 23, 2026 at 7:04 pm #13321
    Butkus51
    Participant
    Thanxs Bruddah Mandb, you’re 100% correct. Forgot dat Brunell and Marinovich was in da same class, 1988. Agree Brunell would have been a high 4* whereas Todd would have been a 5*, the #1 QB in nation. Looking back Brunell had a way better college and NFL FB career, not even close. Man, Brunell was a great QB at UDub and NFL.
    
    Dat top RB 1988 was Derek Brown, Servite HS, All CIF signed with Nebraska, earn AA in 1991. For some reason transferred to Florida St and did well. But, there were 2 other top RB’s in 1988. Tommie Smith, Antelope Valley HS, National Player of the Year, ended up at UDub. Weird, Smith became an AA as a safety. The other was Russell White, Crespi HS (CIF Champs) who went to Cal and became an AA too. Heck, USC wanted all these 3 RB’s badly.
    
    In 1988, USC ended up with very good RB in Mazio Royster, Bishop Amat. On da 1988 RB roster were, Aaron Emanuel, Quartz Hill HS, Leroy Holt, Banning HS, Ricky Ervins, Muir HS, Calvin Holmes, Carson HS and Scott Lockwood, Colorado.
    
    Yep, agree with you Kaufman (1990) was a 5 star RB. Man, dat kid was very fast, shifty and strong as heck for a small guy. Kaufman 100 m = 10.39, 200 m = 21.1, and State CIF champion in both race. He LJ 24’10”. Great athlete. Killed it at UDub, earned AA. Played 7 years in NFL, Oakland Raiders and did very well.
    
    This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Butkus51.
  - May 24, 2026 at 2:19 am #13330
    
    Butkus51
    Participant
    
    Correction. Bruddah Mandb, read your post more carefully. OK, the #1 RB in da 1990 class was Marquette Smith, from Lake Howell HS, Winter Park, Fl near Orlando. He was at Florida St for 2 years, but hardly played. He transferred to UCF in Orlando for his Jr and Sr season rushing for 2,550 yds (very good). Got drafted by Carolina Panthers, but got cut the following year. Played about 3 yrs in Canada.
  - May 25, 2026 at 4:14 am #13353
    
    mandb
    Participant
    
    Yes, Marquette Smith is the name.
    
    I knew he washed out at FSU but didn’t know how he did after that. Over 2500 yards for two seasons is pretty darn good and then some time in the NFL and CFL. I wonder what the problem at FSU was?
    
    Good stuff! Thanks for the updated info!
  - May 25, 2026 at 3:39 pm #13358
    Butkus51
    Participant
    I have a theory. 1991 FSU RB room = 10, with Amp Lee, Edgar Bennett and Sean Jackson as the 3 RB rotation. I think M. Smith being tagged #1 HS RB and all everything in HS, his ego got in the way. He proved his A+ RB skills at UCF (2,550 yds in 2 years is Xlent). Looks to me FSU lost out.
    
    But, he had a short stint in da NFL (one season, strangely no other teams picking him up)? Maybe da NFL found out some character stuff (drugs) on him and was black listed?
    
    This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Butkus51.
- May 23, 2026 at 6:19 pm #13319
  PasadenaTrojan
  Participant
  Valid effort Butkus and Mandb. I respect it. But my man that is a pretty short list. 😂✌️
  
  Just not enough bodies (density) up there.
  - This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by PasadenaTrojan.
- May 24, 2026 at 4:31 pm #13343
  
  Daystalker
  Participant
  
  It must be the ocean mist and smell of salt in The air from the waves crashing that Java experienced in his youth, in Fresno.
  - May 24, 2026 at 4:39 pm #13344
    
    BigBalls
    Participant
    
    lol, that’s the thing about this board, we never lets anything go.
  - May 25, 2026 at 11:14 pm #13361
    
    Tirebiter
    Participant
    
    Java’s beachfront home in Fresno, on land once inhabited by the Chumash Indians.
  - May 26, 2026 at 3:01 am #13363
    Daystalker
    Participant
    Java used to hang ten at the Coalinga pipeline, brah.
    
    This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Daystalker.
  - May 26, 2026 at 3:28 pm #13366
    Tirebiter
    Participant
    Dawn patrol @ the ‘Monica
    
    This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Tirebiter.
    
    This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Tirebiter.
  - May 29, 2026 at 4:41 pm #13480
    
    Java
    Keymaster
    
    That’s the truth. That’s what anvenal and coalinga is full of. Used to call them horses
    
    just on the other side of the mountain from. Some of the most expensive real estate in ca. it’s really ironic
- May 24, 2026 at 9:11 pm #13350
  
  FresnoMike
  Participant
  
  One of my fraternity brothers at Oregon went to Lompoc High. Class of 1973. Four time AA and on two NCAA championship teams. Retired MD now. I used to marvel at his morning runs…after we’d had a function at the house the night before lol.
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