Rejuvenated Ventura College football team carries No. 4 national ranking into season

It feels like the morning after a torrential storm at the Ventura College Sportsplex.

Ventura College football was 7-4 a year ago, winning three straight games to retain the SCFA Northern Conference title and reach the playoffs after head coach Steve Mooshagian returned from a five-week leave of absence.

Reinforced by local stars and four-year transfers up and down the roster, the rejuvenated Pirates opened this season at No. 4 in Rivals’ preseason national junior college poll last month.

“This is the most fun I’ve had in years,” Mooshagian said.

The Southern California Football Association’s structure has shifted in the offseason, adding a conference game.

Old foes Moorpark, Santa Barbara City, El Camino and Antelope Valley have joined Ventura, Hancock, Canyons and Bakersfield in a retro-looking Northern Conference, which includes seven schools from the former Western State Conference.

First, the Pirates have to deal with powers Saddleback, Mt. San Antonio and Cerritos in nonconference play over the next three weeks.

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“It’s kind of like when we played Saddleback, Riverside and Mt. SAC in 2017,” Mooshagian said. “That’s one of the reasons why we scrimmaged Long Beach.”

The Pirates may have the firepower to survive that gauntlet. The quarterback position has been boosted by a pair of Division I bounce-backs.

Six-foot-4 pro-style passer Chris Irvin arrives after walking on at Washington State. The Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, native, who threw for more than 5,000 yards and 49 TDs as a high school senior, reminds Mooshagian of former VC star Jake Luton.

“He’s one of those pure passers,” Mooshagian said.

Daniel Duran, the older brother of current Pacifica High quarterback Dominic Duran, is also competing for snaps after arriving from the University of San Diego.

“Duran’s special,” Mooshagian. “He’s just undersized at 5-11. That’s his only knock. He throws a great ball.”

Sophomore Ezekiel Savage, who threw for four TDs and ran for another in five games last year, gives the position group some legs.

Most of the skill production graduated. Lamont James, who ran for 147 yards and a TD on 29 carries as a freshman, is the top returning running back. Jaron Glenn, who caught 14 passes for 224 yards and three TDs, is the top returning receiver.

Former Alemany running back Jaylen Thompson, a transfer from Snow College, former Buena High star Jake Murphy and former Simi Valley High star Caleb Alvary join James in the backfield.

Former Oxnard High star Elijah Aragon and sophomore Jayon Farrar, a transfer from Riverside College, are big additions to a deep receiving group.

“We probably have eight receivers competing in that group,” Mooshagian said.

Ventura’s Tyler Woodworth, Hueneme’s Drew Lopez and Calabasas’ Amoni Butler, the older brother of four-star recruit Aaron Butler, are notable locals.

Mikey Henderson could be a big offensive addition. The former three-star recruit who played at Oklahoma as a freshman in 2020, scoring two touchdowns and playing in a Cotton Bowl, comes to Ventura looking for a fresh start. He was removed from the team by then-head coach Lincoln Riley due to legal troubles.

“When he gets himself into playing shape,” Mooshagian said, “he’s going to be something special.”

Nearly the entire offensive line is local.

Six-foot-5 tackle Jakob Lemus (Hueneme) redshirted last year after starting as a freshman. Starting guard Julio Rey, who started on Pacifica High’s 2019 state title team, returns after missing most of last season with an injury.

Tackle Donald Dixon and center Gabe Rivera, also former Pacifica High teammates, transferred in from New Mexico and Cal Lutheran, respectively. Sophomore Malaki Brown (Rio Mesa High) started a handful of games as a freshman.

The biggest recruit up front is center Anthony Garcia, who was perhaps the top center in the county over his four years at Rio Mesa.

Former Channel Islands and St. Bonaventure High star Cody Hoffman returns at tight end. He’s joined by freshman Bryce Zavala, the dynamic 6-foot-4 multisport star from Santa Paula.

Jake Colman, the former Buena High and VC lineman, returns as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Former Newbury Park QB Jake Geringer will coordinate the passing game and coach quarterbacks. Former St. Bonaventure High star Shaun Wick is coaching the running backs. C.J. Pride, the former St. Bonaventure receivers coach, has taken the same position at VC.

“We have a lot of guys who played together on the staff,” Mooshagian said.

Boosted by a flurry of four-year transfers, the defensive line is expected to be a strength.

The defensive line has been boosted by defensive tackles James Gillespie and Larry Avila (St. Bonaventure), transfers from Louisiana-Monroe and UNC Charlotte, respectively. Defensive end Con Meads is a transfer from Mississippi Valley State.

Defensive end Angelo Jewell returns after piling up nine sacks and three forced fumbles as a freshman.

Former Camarillo High star Marcos Jaquez was also expected to part of that group, but he is recovering from offseason hand surgery.

“He’s a special talent,” Mooshagian said of Jaquez.

Former Pacifica High defensive end Poi Aina and St. Bonaventure High linebacker Ben Hall, The Star’s 2020 and 2021 All-County Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, form the heart of the defense.

Hall’s interception return was the Pirates’ lone touchdown of its scrimmage against Long Beach City.

“That was two really athletic teams that didn’t quite get it done offensively that day,” Mooshagian said.

Jaylan Wesley (Calabasas) and Fakhr Stewart return at cornerback and safety, respectively. Another cornerback from Calabasas, Jaylen Blizzard, transferred in from Wyoming. Safety Alijah Hamilton, who played for McNeese State at LSU as a true freshman in 2021, will also contribute.

Ventura’s Cade Ledesma, a transfer from Idaho, and former Buena High multisport star Zane Carter will also play safety. Carter will also punt.

The Pirates plan to honor former linebacker Jessie Lemonier before the home opener against Mt. San Antonio College on Sept. 9. The former NFL player died in January at 25.

Lemonier’s former No. 8 jersey will not be worn this season.

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: Ventura College football carries No. 4 national ranking into season