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CCSF looks primed for another run
By: Mitch Stephens, Chronicle Staff Writer
City College of San Francisco football coach George Rush has been around.
"I've got seven players now whose fathers I coached here," Rush said with a chuckle.
In his 27th year as head coach (32nd overall), Rush knows when he likes his team's makeup - and the 2003 Rams grade out very well.
This comes on the heels of a "disappointing" 9-2 season when, according to Rush, CCSF played below its ability and lacked chemistry. The Rams had their national record win streaked snapped at 42 games by Foothill of Los Altos Hills, and for the first time since 1998, they didn't win a mythical national championship.
"We had some problems with ego and personal issues," Rush said. "We worked hard in the offseason to eliminate it."
The talent level remains high as 11 starters return, including quarterback Jason Swanson and running back Tim Brown, who combined for 438 of CCSF's 562 yards and four touchdowns in a 55-13 season-opening win over Cabrillo of Aptos last week.
Rush, whose team hosts West Valley at 1 p.m. Saturday, was pleased overall with his team's opening performance. Especially because the Rams, ranked third in the state, didn't have a scrimmage.
"Once we got rolling, we did some good things," Rush said. "I wasn't quite sure what we had, but we have a lot of reasons to be positive."
Such as Bay Area athletes starting on offense: receiver Marcel Love (6- foot-1, 185 pounds, Galileo High graduate), center Bryce MacMartin (6-3, 285, Lowell), tackle Albert Toeaina (6-6, 330, Pittsburg) and tight end Jamir Davis (6-3, 245, Riordan).
Local athletes starting on defense are linemen Lloyd Talaki (6-2, 305, El Camino of South San Francisco), Justin Johnson (6-3, 245, Marin Catholic of Kentfield) and Isaac Watts (6-2, 260, Encinal of Alameda); linebackers Randy Sims (5-11, 230, Riordan) and Tony Barnes (6-2, 215, Terra Nova of Pacifica); and backs Maurice Porter 6-2, 195, South San Francisco), Jermaine Hargraves (6- 0, 175, Balboa) and Marcus Harper (5-9, 180, James Logan of Union City).
Harper is the son of former 49ers great Willie Harper, Toeaina was an all- state prep star who left the University of Oregon, and MacMartin, a freshman, was a first-team all-Metro pick last year.
"Sky's the limit for (Toeaina)," Rush said. "(MacMartin) is a great prospect. He's very athletic but also very intelligent. He knows what's going on."
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@sfchronicle.com.
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