The University City High Football Team is working hard in the preseason to prepare for a move into a tougher League and a higher Division in the upcoming 2018 season.

   Last season, the Football Team went 9-1 in the regular season, 4-0 in League, and made it to the Semi-Finals of the Division Four playoffs (maxpreps.com).

   Offensive Line Coach David Brewer said, “The biggest difference between this year, and last year is that this, year the skill positions are the veterans on the team, and the linemen are the younger players; the opposite was true last season.”

   Another change from last year is that in the upcoming season, the Team will be in Division Three and in Eastern League.

   Junior Receiver Tyler Mitchell said, “We moved up a division, and moved Leagues, so we are going to be playing tougher teams than we have in previous years.” He explained that Point Loma and Mira Mesa are among the harder teams they’ll face next year.           

    Junior Lineman Erik Torres agreed, saying, “Point Loma is definitely going to be one of the tougher — if not the toughest — teams that we will go against.” He added, “They have a lot of size, and that is something we lack this year.”

   According to Torres, the team’s biggest weakness is the lack of experience and size of the line. “There are only two returning starters on the line, so we need to teach the younger linemen what they need to do to succeed,” Torres stated.

   Sophomore Quarterback Gunnar Gray said, “With a younger offensive line, I’m going to have to work on getting through my reads, and getting the ball of faster.”  He added, “Last year, the offensive line gave me plenty of time, so it’s something that I’m going to have to adapt to.”

   Senior Juan Leyva said, “Coach Brewer is good line coach. The line has been undersized in previous years as well, but his coaching helped us dominate in the run game this past season.”

   “We have a new quarterback coach, and I have learned a lot from his even with the short time he has been here,” said Gray.

   Brewer said, “Since the line is younger and smaller, we’re going to emphasize technique a lot.” He added, “Last year, the run game setup the passing game, but since the offensive line is younger this year, the passing game is going to set up the run.”

   Even though the Team is different from last year, expectations for the season have not changed.