Method To Rankings Madness

State of Play: Mark Tennis (California Football Preseason TOP 20 follows below)

   Preseason prep football coverage tends to be dominated by rankings of the top teams, but looking at players has always been important as well.

   Key factors one always looks at for teams includes returning starters, what happened during the previous season, a program’s traditional success (or lack of it), early schedule (playing another top team in first or second week) and new players that may be coming up from an unbeaten JV or a major transfer.

   For players, such as the preseason all-state teams (1st or 2nd) or preseason all-section or all-region teams (SportStars does these and so does Cal-Hi Sports), what happened during the previous season is considered, but it also tends to be too hard to ignore all of the various recruiting rankings that are so popular.

   The four primary recruiting rankings that we pay the most attention to at Cal-Hi Sports are those from Scout.com, Rivals.com, ESPN and 247 Sports.

   Northern California’s highest-ranked players for the upcoming season according to those websites are TE Devin Asiasi and DL Boss Tagaloa of De La Salle, DB Lamar Jackson of Franklin-Elk Grove, DB Shurod Thompson of Liberty-Brentwood, DB Jordan Parker of Pittsburg and WR Collin Johnson of Valley Christian-San Jose.

   Players who aren’t ranked as high by these groups tend also not to be picked as high in the preseason, but keep in mind that at the end of the season those that lead teams to titles, those that come through with record-breaking performances and those that are selected as various players of the year by a newspaper will often then rise above.

   Usually, the reason a player isn’t that high on a Scout or Rivals list is simply a lack of size, especially for quarterbacks. Two good examples for Northern California coming into this season are Caden Voges of Sacramento and Darius Peterson of Marin Catholic-Kentfield. Neither one is on either the first or second preseason all-state teams by Cal-Hi Sports, but both have the skills and teammates around them to turn in huge 2015 seasons and can put together the type of resume that makes them impossible not to pick as a top all-state player in January.

   To see the complete Cal-Hi Sports preseason all-state teams, go to CalHiSports.com today. Note: Some of the content on our site is for Gold Club members only. It’s also a great time to sign up because the price is going up by September 1.

BEST BELLS EVER?

   Another huge package we’re about to finish on CalHiSports.com is a ranking of the all-time greatest 50 football teams in state history. This was a project we’ve been thinking about for more than two years, but really got going on it after last year’s Folsom team went 16-0 and scored more than 900 points. The Bulldogs will be written up in that package, but of course will have to be behind a number of other teams from De La Salle.

   Perhaps the greatest non-De La Salle team in Bay Area history (if you are going by CCS and NCS and not Vallejo) is one that was dominating 50 years ago at Bellarmine-San Jose.

   This was in the days prior to section playoffs so the 1965 Bells only played nine games, but their defense that season gave up zero points. The only points they allowed came on an interception return by an opposing defense from St. Mary’s-Berkeley.

   More than 12,000 came out to see the ’65 Bells play San Leandro, which had an 18-game winning streak, and Bellarmine won 17-0.

   The ’65 Bells, coached by John Hanna, were led by prep All-Americans Phil Burton (a running back who also kicked) and John Albanese (a dominant lineman). Another top junior on the team was Dan Pastorini, who later played QB for the Houston Oilers in the NFL. Albanese unfortunately passed away about one year ago and won’t be part of what should be a lot of recollections this fall about a truly great team.

   To see where the ’65 Bells landed in our all-time greatest top 50 state ranking, go to CalHiSports.com today.

Preseason Top 20 State: 

1.  De La Salle-Concord 14-0

No surprise that DLS is on top with five state titles in the last six years and multiple starters back on offense from the highest scoring team in school history.

2.  Centennial-Corona 12-3

WR Javon McKinley is one of the best in the nation and RB J.J. Taylor could have an equally monstrous year. The Huskies also have a secondary with three Div. I college recruits.

3.  St. John Bosco-Bellflower 12-2

While QB Josh Rosen from last year may be starting at UCLA, the Braves are loaded with top players, especially on defense. RB Sean McGrew on offense is a State Player of the Year candidate.

4.  Bishop Amat-La Puente 9-4

This team was sensational down the stretch last season and lost by just one point to Centennial in the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division semifinals. The WR/DB combo of Tyler Vaughns and Trevon Sidney also may be unmatched anywhere in the state.

5.  Folsom 16-0

A ton of players have graduated from last year’s super squad, including Mr. Football Jake Browning (could be starting this season at Washington), but the program has replenished before and should do so again. Besides, with the scores that the Bulldogs won by last year, it doesn’t make sense to rank too many teams higher until actual games are played.

6.  Long Beach Poly 11-2

The Jackrabbits could still inch up higher than Folsom in the early rankings if there’s a key transfer or two that show up in the early weeks of practice. They are playing at De La Salle in October.

7.  Serra-Gardena 8-3

QB Kahlil Tate really got the offense going at the end of last season while DE Olowale Betiku (6-4, 240) could be the best looking prospect since D.J. Williams was at De La Salle. Plus, the Cavaliers face No. 2 Centennial on Labor Day weekend.

8.  Mater Dei-Santa Ana 9-3

Two reasons to like the Monarchs for the preseason: 1. They have some strong returnees from last year’s team that got a win over Centennial; 2. They are opening against Bishop Amat.

9.  Grant-Sacramento 14-1

In watching the Pacers last year, the number of standout underclassmen was obvious. If they were closer to Folsom in the NorCal Div. I bowl game, they might have been even higher in these rankings.

10.  Narbonne-Harbor City 10-4

L.A. City Section powerhouse may have a squad similar in strength to the one in 2012 that was nationally ranked before losing to Centennial in the CIF SoCal Open Division bowl game.

11.  Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita 6-5

Stanford-bound QB K.J. Costello is the leader of a team that returns 12 starters from last season. All three linebackers are back, plus there’s an impact transfer in WR Dylan Crawford.

12.  Helix-La Mesa 10-3

CIF San Diego Section’s preseason No. 1 team has top talent returning on both sides of the ball, including versatile QB Michael Austin and leading rusher Nathan Stinson.

13.  Mission Viejo 12-2

QB Brock Johnson, the grandson of head coach Bob Johnson (well-known to De La Salle fans since the two schools played four times from 2004-2007), returns to lead team that won CIF-SS West Valley Division crown.

14.  Liberty-Bakersfield 10-3

They have QB Jordan Love and LB Krys Barnes both back to lead once again on offense and defense. We should learn a lot from their season-opener against Mission Viejo.

15.  Crespi-Encino 9-2

Both of the Celts’ top two players “” FB Jalen Starks and DE Marcus Moore “” have committed to UCLA. Head coach Troy Thomas also seems to know how to get this program closer and closer to the very top level of the rugged Pac-5 Division of the Southern Section.

16.  Bellarmine-San Jose 10-3

Thirteen starters are back from a Bells’ team that fell in last year’s CCS Open Division final. Plus, head coach Mike Janda has members of a WCAL championship 9-1 JV coming up.

17.  Mission Hills-San Marcos 9-3

Solid contender for top status in San Diego Section has 12 returning starters, led by DB Troy Warner and QB Dakota Miller.  Both of those players are getting offers.

18.  JSerra-San Juan Capistrano 10-2

Skill players must be replaced from last year’s team that got a win over Mater Dei and lost only to St. John Bosco & Long Beach Poly. Still, a strong line returns led by Washington-bound Luke Wattenberg.

19.  Del Oro-Loomis 6-6

Colorado-bound WR/DB Trey Udoffia headlines strong senior class. Hard to forget that as sophomores this group got a win over De La Salle in a sophomore game.

20.  Vista Murrieta-Murrieta 11-3

Twelve starters return for head coach Coley Candaele, who just two months ago was celebrating as the head coach of the CIF State Track & Field team champions.

For the complete preseason state rankings expanded out to 50 teams, go to CalHiSports.com today.