Mesa has tough act to follow

The start of the Costa Mesa High football season is a week away, but a T-shirt reminds players of last year.

The Mustangs went undefeated in the Orange Coast League. Listed on the back of the shirt is each of the four games during Costa Mesa’s outright league championship run.

These shirts aren’t available every year at Costa Mesa. Gets yours while you can because fourth-year coach Jeremy Osso said the Mustangs aren’t the favorites this season.

“I don’t think we can be,” Osso said because Laguna Beach returns key starters from last year’s team that won a CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoff game. “I don’t want to say [we’re] a better team [this year], because it’s tough to be better than a league championship team.

“We’ll be in the mix for a playoff spot.”

Costa Mesa starts the season with a nonleague game against Corona del Mar on Sept. 4 at Estancia High at 7 p.m.

Here’s a position-by-position look at the Mustangs:

Quarterback: Todd Davis returns after dealing with ineligibility problems the previous two seasons.

Davis is a senior and he’s grown up, now 6-foot-4, 185 pounds.

“He’s been really focused,” Osso said of Davis, who was one of four key players who missed the Mustangs’ first-round playoff game due to academic issues. “With Todd, it was never a matter of whether he wasn’t smart enough. It was whether Todd really wanted to put in the work, and he knows that.

“From what happened to him the last two years, he doesn’t want to do this again.”

If there’s a mishap, senior Brian Waldron is available.

Waldron played quarterback the past two years. In last year’s regular-season finale, he led Costa Mesa to a 38-30 come-from-behind victory against Laguna Beach to clinch the school’s first outright league title since 2002.

Costa Mesa trailed by 22 points until Waldron elevated his play, rushing for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lead the comeback.

Running backs: Antwon Byrd is gone, leaving it up to three backs to carry the load in the two-wing offensive set.

Seniors Levy Luong, Luis Gomez and Josh Erno are splitting time. The trio will try to match Byrd’s effort from a year ago.

Down the stretch, Byrd rushed for 517 yards and five touchdowns to earn the league’s offensive MVP award.

“We don’t [have to] rely on Antwon as much,” said Osso, who’s happy to see Erno back with the program after he last contributed as a sophomore. “[Gomez] moved from receiver [where he twice was first-team all-league] to get the ball in his hands more.”

Juniors Tyler Scheffner and DaSean Grayson will play fullback.

Scheffner saw time late last season and Grayson transferred late in the season from Moreno Valley.

“He’s quick,” Osso said of the 5-8, 165-pound Grayson. “He makes Antwon’s first steps look slow.”

Receivers: Waldron and junior Julian Marquez provide sure hands.

Whether the two get passes thrown their way is another matter. The Mustangs have struggled throwing the ball the past two years, forcing them to run on almost every down.

“[Waldron] and [Davis] are really [developing] a rapport,” Osso said. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not Rice and Montana. [The passing game is] starting to really matter.

“I think last year, it was more of a protection issue.”

Offensive line: The line is the team’s strength, even though it lost its coach.

In is Brian McHugh, who started as a left tackle at Mater Dei before graduating in 2004. Out is Miguel Romo, who lasted one year.

“[Romo] had some personal issues going on that he needed to handle,” Osso said.

Andrew Albers is the team’s biggest lineman. At 6-7, 265, the junior is the left tackle, protecting Davis.

Sophomore Christian Contreras (6-0, 225) starts at left guard, senior Travis Whitlock (6-2, 250) at center, senior Nick Matamoros (5-11, 240) at right guard and senior Corbin Kay (6-4, 250) at right tackle.

Whitlock, moves to center after earning second-team all-league honors at left guard last year. He was a first-team all-league pick as a sophomore.

“Last year, we faced a lot of teams with nose guards, a lot of odd-front teams,” Osso said. “When you have a guy like Travis, who’s strong, you don’t have to double team and that leaves you free to move your guards around more.

“Travis is one of those guys who can dominate. I’d be really surprised to find another lineman in our league better than him.”

Senior Justin Miller (6-1, 220) is a backup guard. He started at fullback last year.

Defensive line: Whitlock and Miller are the ends. Osso believes he has the ideal players coming from the outside.

The two are best friends.

“Their motor just doesn’t stop,” Osso said.

At nose tackle, Matamoros and sophomore Charles Mankin (6-2, 255), a transfer from Segerstrom, are competing for the starting job.

Linebackers: Waldron, the league defensive MVP, starts at outside linebacker.

The 5-10, 160-pound Waldron led the Mustangs with 96 tackles last year. The other outside linebacker spot is open. Juniors Ryan Barnett, Gilbert Quinones and Tyler Biggs are vying for the job.

Erno is slated as the middle linebacker. He played some strong safety as a sophomore before missing his junior year due to being ineligible. Senior Rudy Delgado is the backup.

Junior Nick Cendoya and Scheffner will see time at linebacker.

Secondary: Gomez started the Mustangs’ playoff loss to Santiago after the original starter was ruled ineligible. Gomez performed well, recovering a fumble.

Gomez is now a starting cornerback. Seniors Irvin Dorantes and Christian Rangel are competing for the other spot.

Look for Luong and Marquez to play safety.

Special teams: The Mustangs have two threats on kick returns in Gomez and Erno. Costa Mesa should have great field position.

Gomez earned the league’s special teams player of the year award after returning two kickoffs for touchdowns last year. He had a 90-yard touchdown return in the playoffs and went 95-yards during a nonleague game to score.

Two years ago, Erno recorded 64- and 50-yard kickoff returns during a playoff game.

Waldron is going to punt again. Osso said he averaged around 40 yards per punt last season.

Osso said he’s still looking for a kicker.