Andrade enjoying his Prime Time chance at CLU after playing for Deion Sanders last season

Before football took him to Ohio and Mississippi, JP Andrade had heard plenty of stories about Thousand Oaks.

His head coach at Bonita High in La Verne, Steve Bogan, was an All-American on Cal Lutheran University’s 1971 NAIA national championship football team

“So I've heard a lot about it,” Andrade said with a laugh. “Senior year, we’d just be trying to put an offensive install in and he’d be rambling on for five minutes about Cal Lutheran.”

Turns out, CLU is the “hidden gem” head coach Anthony Lugo promised on Andrade’s recruiting visit.

“It’s lived up to the hype,” Andrade said. “Everything about this place is beautiful.”

After playing in one of the biggest programs in the country at Ohio State and enjoying a supporting role in perhaps college football’s biggest story at Deion Sanders’ Jackson State last year, Andrade has returned home to Southern California as a graduate transfer at CLU this fall.

Andrade has completed 50 of 74 passes for 582 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions through two games as the starting quarterback for CLU (1-1).

“It's been a blessing,” said Andrade. “There's really no place like Southern California, you know? It's beautiful here. The people are amazing here. And it's been nice because my family has been able to come down and watch me play.”

Andrade made an instant impact, leading five scoring drives in the first half of a 41-35, season-opening win over Southwestern (Texas) on Sept. 2.

“To get an opportunity to play in front of the family and play with some friends, this is home to him,” Lugo said. “JP did a great job in the first game. He did a great job of managing the offense and taking what the defense was giving him. … We’re excited about him.”

CLU (1-1) opens Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

A walk-on at Ohio State, Andrade played in nine games as the backup to Sanders' son, Shedeur, last fall at Jackson State.

“Playing under Coach Prime … he's a great coach,” Andrade said of Deion Sanders. “He really cares for his players. He just makes the game fun. He brings the energy.”

Andrade arrived in the summer to meet some curious teammates.

“I actually told him the first day of summer conditioning, I said, ‘Look, I'm going to get this out of the way right now, so we don’t have to talk about it anymore.’ And I got all my questions out of the way,” said senior defensive lineman Jackson White of the Sanders curiosity.

Although, Andrade might entertain his teammates with a Coach Prime impression if ESPN is on in the CLU locker room.

“He's done a good job of honing in on we're trying to build this year,” White said. “So we appreciate him.”

With Coach Sanders and nine of his former Jackson State teammates now making national headlines at Colorado, Andrade has watched the Buffaloes’ 3-0 start with a unique perspective.

“I know they don't go down without a fight,” Andrade said. “I know it's a big jump. I know everyone is hating on Shadeur and hating on Coach Prime, but I knew the culture that Coach Prime brings. You’ve got to be a part of that to really understand that everyone's bought in. … There's so much you can do with that.”

Andrade hopes to have a similar impact on his new program this fall.

“The first half of that first game definitely showed what we're capable of,” Andrade said. “We expect that of ourselves every practice, every game.”

CLU was 3-7 a year ago, including 1-5 in SCIAC play.

“Last year’s team was extremely young,” Lugo said. “This year’s team has some veterans who have been around, who have taken charge throughout the offseason, throughout the summer. They understand the legacy that Cal Lutheran football has. It’s meaningful to them.”

Lugo is in his 16th season at CLU, his third as head coach.

CLU’s offensive weaponry includes running back Dante Coxsom and Andrade’s high school teammates, Cade Cadam and Trevor Cadam, at receiver.

“I just got to go out there do my job,” Andrade said. “I just have to make my reads and everyone's going to take care of the rest. … I know if I get the ball in the right guy's hands, they're going make something happen.”

Tight end Jadon Cline, a Ventura High graduate, is among the team’s veteran leaders.

“With all the transfer stuff, you’ve got guys coming in and out,” Cline said. “We’re trying to build something so strong that we can all build on … and hold tradition.”

Agoura High graduate Max Thorne helps anchor the offensive line at right guard.

Captain Jackson White leads a powerful defensive line, which also includes promising sophomores Devon Goosby and Hunter Hall (Camarillo High). Oxnard’s Jacob Murillo is coming off a knee injury.

“Our defensive line is probably our most stout position,” Lugo said. They really set the tone for our defense.”

Sophomore linebacker Arthur Orta and junior cornerback John Moore, the former Royal High star, are important defensive playmakers.

With Occidental and Whittier colleges eliminating football in recent years, the SCIAC has pivoted to a new structure that splits the six teams into two three-team “pods.”

CLU will play Claremont and Chapman both home and away and Pomona-Pitzer, La Verne and rival Redlands once to form a seven-game SCIAC schedule.

“We got to take it week by week,” Lugo said. “I believe we’re in an extremely tough pod with Claremont and Chapman. Each week, the SCIAC is going to be an absolute bloodbath. That’s very exciting as a coach and a competitor.”

Joe Curley covers high school, collegiate and professional football for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcsjoecurley on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Andrade enjoying his Prime Time chance after playing for Deion Sanders