On Tuesday Sept. 1, Football Head Coach Frank Mazzotta gave an exclusive 20 minute interview with Talon Marks. There, Mazzotta gave in depth look into his 2015 Cerritos Falcons football team. He talked everything from past teams and experiences to expectations for this upcoming season.

Terrel Emerson: All right coach, so the first question I have for you is only three of the teams had plus .500 records last season ironically enough it was the three games that we lost. Do you have a response for that?

Frank Mazzotta: Yeah, well, like I was just telling its special teams. We lost the three games that we lost by a total of 10 points. All with our special teams. Its never happened since I’ve been here in 38 years, where special teams cost us games. It’s never happened, it’s partly my fault we changed personnel in our coaching staff. We didn’t put enough emphasis on it so this summer we really took time to spend the time and do it. I think we’re going to be better because of it; we’ve got better kickers because of it too by the way.

Emerson: One of the conference losses that stuck out to me was Ventura. Ventura was 5-1 in conference but they were only 6-5 overall. So how do you stress the importance of every conference game to the team?

Mazzotta: Well, we have our goals. Number one is to win the opener, number two is to win the conference, number three is to win the bowl game and being in the championship playoff. Ventura last year, the last couple of years, has been our championship game. Their head coach over there played for me so its kind of a rivalry but last year just as I was telling you it was special teams. We’re ahead basically most of the ball game and at the end we had to drive down and score to go up by one and I chose to go for two. And we went for two made it so we were up by three.

We get the penalty in the end zone, got another penalty with 50 seconds to go. They throw one in the end zone and they get us. It’s special teams, I mean we got a special teams penalty, we get a kickoff the guy kicks it short but we’re kicking from the 20-yard line. I mean shit, its horrible. You know, that’s the key; Ventura is the key for us right now to win the conference. Them and Bakersfield basically.

Emerson: So, even at the same time as everything that you just said do you feel the need to express that every conference game is important but EVERY game is important, how do you make sure the team doesn’t overlook anybody?

Mazzotta: We just take it one game at a time like right now; Saddleback historically has been a great rivalry for us. You know, the division that we’re in junior college football is the best. We have three divisions we’re in the top division of the three. We don’t have a game that isn’t huge. When you’re playing Saddleback and Fullerton and those people in your preseason games, those are crazy. We don’t have a game where we can take off; I don’t think our guys look past anybody because we don’t have anybody to look past.

I mean everybody in the [conference] can beat us. We don’t look past anybody; right now we’ve spent all summer talking about Saddleback. We don’t worry about the rest of them we have to beat Saddleback, that’s the key.

Emerson: We scored about 30 points per game last season; however, we did allow around 25 point per game. How much has defense been a factor this offseason?

Mazzotta: Well, I’m going to tell you what I told everybody when I got to this level. I coached at the four-year level too. One of the things that people don’t realize your opponent is going to score at least 20-25 points and I’ve always told our guys offensively we’ve got to score more than 25 points. They get the ball too many times and now with some of these hurry up offenses, teams are averaging like 16, 17 plays a game more than normal. You’ve got to basically outscore people and so from day one in 1978 when I started here I told our kids “People are going to score 25 points there’s no way around it.” I don’t think we were bad defensively last year, I think we’re a little better now than we were last year I think we’re faster.

We’ve got a few young kids you know, that are going to have to step up. Overall defensively we’re pretty darn athletic and I think the key is we’re pretty fast. Offensively, whenever you have your quarterback back you should be good. And our quarterback [is] back and I think that’s why we’re ranked so high right now because our quarterback is back.

Emerson: What is the biggest improvement that you’ve seen from last year coming into this year?

Mazzotta: I think just overall team speed and I think we’re a little better up front offensively than we were last year. And we’ve got four really good running backs, I know one of the questions you’re going to ask me about losing my running backs but I think we have four right now that are just exceptional. We lost Michael Garrison last year in our second or third game. I was just watching the Saddleback film today and if Michael Garrison would’ve been with us all season I don’t think we would’ve lost a football game. You know, that kid was that good and that important to us. You know, you don’t realize it until its over but our four running backs that we have right now are really, really good.

Emerson: That was one of the things that David [Fangupo] was telling me as far as the offensive line, he said that was something that he noticed that not only has it affected the team itself but their confidence and their maturity gives Jimmy [Walker] more time and Jimmy is going to look more patient and the running game is still going to be there. David pretty much said that his highest praise of the offseason went to the offensive line.

Mazzotta: Oh yeah, the only sad thing is right now is we’ve lost three or four kids to injury. But see last year if we would’ve lost them we would’ve been in trouble. We’ve got really good backups right now and two or three of the kids we’ve lost we’re going to get back so I think we’re in pretty good shape personally. I think one of the most notable changes in us right now; number one we’ve probably got the best punter in the state so we’re going to be good punting the ball, our extra point/field goal guys are just exceptional.

That was probably last year we just weren’t very good at kicking the ball. Kickoffs were terrible; I mean we were kicking the ball to like the 15, 20-yard line. I mean by the time you run from the 35 [yard line] they’ve already got the ball to the 40 [yard line]. So that’s been a big improvement for us too, the kicking game.

Emerson: And that was kind of a segway for the next question, I’m pretty sure I know what you’re answer is going to be. But, following last season what was one thing that you noticed that you had to change?

Mazzotta: Like I said the kicking game. You know, cause I always think we’re going to be good offensively and defensively. We’re always pretty good there now you know, some people [have] more talent than we do but our kicking game. You know, we’ve had Rich Camarillo play in the NFL; we’ve had guys that have been in the NFL. We’ve had great players; just the last year or two we couldn’t get a place kicker. I think we really have truthfully, four really good place kickers right now and two great punters. We’ve got a punter right now that reminds me of you know, we had Rich Camarillo, who played in the NFL for like 17 or 18 years.

Probably the best punter in the NFL at one time. We’ve got a guy just like him, I mean just like him. It’s hard to brag about it but this guy’s got a leg. If he can just get his head screwed on right he’s pretty good.

Emerson: These are probably the next two questions that you were dreading me asking but your team had 100 plus rushing yards in all but three games. How do you be sure to not allow your team to become one-dimensional?

Mazzotta: Well, I think that’s a loaded question because we’re not really one-dimensional. You have to realize when we go to the line of scrimmage we are truly a run-pass offense. We get to the line of scrimmage – that’s why I say having your quarterback is key. He runs the ball based on the defense. We throw the ball based on the defense. It’s like you’ll see us cross the 50 [yard line] and we’ll line up in a passing formation and we punt it. You’ll see us in a punt formation and we’re throwing it. It’s just; we’re going to run or pass based off what they line up on us. I don’t buy in to 100-yard rushers, you know, some games we’re going to rush more than we pass but it doesn’t have anything to do with our talent. It has something to do with what they’re doing on defense.

Emerson: And of course, that was one of the questions I put in there to try and stump you but after 38 years I don’t think that’s going to happen. But at least I have all season to try and do it.

Mazzotta: (Laughter)

Emerson: So your top three rushers from last season were sophomores so I was talking to Robert [Gordon] and he was telling me that it was going to be a joint effort to try to replace those three rushers so what is your response to that?

Mazzotta: Well, I think he’s right. I think Robert has really grown up. I mentioned it to the team the other day. A year ago Robert was one of our fastest guys but Robert was gong to go the wrong way sometimes you know. And this year he’s the leader there. We’re really counting on him; he’s kind of a mentor to the other kids. We’ve got a kid out of Vista Murrieta High School that’s probably the best running back in Southern California a couple of years ago. But he goes the wrong way; just like Robert did a year ago this kid is doing the same thing. We’ve got Lamarr [Crowder] another kid that’s just outstanding. We’ve got two other kids, we’ve got a kid out of Lakewood High School that’s just except – we’re good. I would say maybe five backs that we could play. Now Robert’s saying we’re going to do it by committee. I don’t know that we will if Robert can hang in there. You know Robert; you’re not going to catch that sucker, boy he can run. We just have to make sure he runs the right direction, that’s the key.

Emerson: So, last year your starting quarterback Jimmy Walker showed some impressive characteristics. What changes have you seen in him?

Mazzotta: Well, I told him number one he’s a good leader, and he’s a pretty accurate passer, he’s smart. We’re not going to use him in the running game; we’re not that read option type cause he’s not built like that. He’s an intelligent guy I told him and this was not all his fault. We can’t throw the interceptions he threw. I’m going to tell you a really interesting thing we broke a single season touchdown passing record Domo [Domonique Young], the kid that went to Purdue he broke our touchdown record. Domo probably dropped 10 touchdowns, I mean flat-ass dropped them. If you talked to Domo he’ll tell you they were real easy passes, you know, that hard one you’ve got to go catch over between your legs he can make those. The one running down the field for a touchdown? Shit, I will bet you 10 of them during the season and he broke our single season one. In the other respect Jimmy threw what 21 or 22 interceptions. You can’t do that. I mean that I don’t care what you do, you just think about that; dropped touchdowns and the interceptions he had and we’re 10 points away from being undefeated. It’s sickening to think about it but I told Jimmy if you’re going to play at the next level they’re not going to recruit you with 21 interceptions. I don’t give a shit if we win 430 games. If he throws 21 interceptions they’re not going to recruit you. And look at the record he had with doing that. If he hadn’t done that – and I’m going to tell you another thing they weren’t all his fault. Tipped balls, whatever, some of them were. He just did a couple of dumb things. He’s not dumb anymore.

Emerson: I was actually talking to him and he said that he’s a year smarter.

Mazzotta: Yeah and we’ve got some quality receivers. You know we had Domo last year. We had De’ Jai, De’ Jai Whitaker, he’s grown up. I mean De’ Jai’s a triple jumper, long jumper he’s a friggin’ athlete and a half. We’ve got a little guy Dashawn [Gordon]; I’m blanking his whole name right now. At slot back who’s a bounce back kid who played at Los Alamitos. All summer that guy was – jeez where did he come from. Well, he’s kind of disappeared when we got in pads. I don’t know sometimes pads do something to these guys. We have another wide out. We’re really going to be good at wide out if the kids would just do what they did this summer. We were really good at wide out this summer.

Emerson: And you have twice as many freshmen on your roster than sophomores, do you think experience is going to come into question this season?

Mazzotta: Well, it always does at this level. I mean, I looked at Saddleback’s roster and I mean shit there are more freshmen on that team and I thought they had a lot returning. It’s just the nature of this level. I mean, we’re going to lose half your football team every year. I mean just on average. We lost, when you really stop and think about it, we’ve only really lost about 21 or 22 sophomores last year. So, do we have a lot of freshmen, yeah? Do we have less sophomores, yeah. But the sophomores we have are intrical part of what we’re doing. Some of the sophomores or freshmen aren’t really with us anymore.

But we have 108 kids and stop to think about that. If we really only had 60 that would be perfect but I don’t cut kids. This game has something for everybody. I was telling our coaches the other day Long Beach City when they went through their little run in the 90s, they were really good. Coach [inaudible], their head coach says coach “I cut it to 60 players.” He would not coach more than 60. And they had shit eight or nine years where they were probably one of the best teams around. I’m just not that way, you know, I’m going to carry the kids. We have kids out here that can’t play for us but this program means a lot to them. If I didn’t have them here they would be in the streets you know, in trouble or doing stupid things. You know, their going to school, their having fun, the program is good. I’m not going to turn any – I can’t cut kids I never have and never will so its whatever.

I think the key if you trimmed it down to about 60 players and you’re kicker off that, you don’t have to concentrate on kids in the back that are maybe troubled or bitching but we’re pretty good at taking care of that we’ve got guys in the back that are disgruntled and we just can’t have it. You’re more than welcomed to be apart of this program but if you’re in the back bitching and moaning or whatever. And our biggest problem to answer your question that’s what freshmen do to you because they don’t get it. Their not bought into the program yet, you know, I always talk about being a Falcon.

You have to buy-in to be a Falcon. The sophomores right now their bought-in. The young guys just like David [Fangupo] a year ago, not sure. “We did this at my high school.” You’ve got to break them down and rebuild them that’s what you got to do. Coach told me that several years ago at the four-year level, it’s funny in high school they learn certain things especially if they were good. They come out and you tell them to go right and their going “Wait a minute, my coach never told me to go right.” And they love their coach so their going to balk and pretty soon you’ve convinced them what you’re saying is right. I tell the kids all the time if I’m wrong I’m going to be wrong you just got to do it my way if it doesn’t work I’ll take the blame but if you do it your way and it doesn’t work then we’ve got a problem.

Emerson: It’s all on you. So, if you had to sum up this team in one word what would that one word be?

Mazzotta: Well I don’t know cause I’ve had teams where I thought we were going to be really good. I think this team could be really good. We grade our kids everyday in the summer. Everyday, I make the coach talk about every kid. We spend two or three – just talking, you know, it might be the wide receivers coach mention something about the DB [defensive back] we just talk about every kid. Number one to get to know them, two to talk about them. We had the best grades, I tell the coaches I don’t know either you guys are screwed up or these kids are good, it’s the best grades we’ve ever had since I’ve been here. Now will that turn into wins I don’t know hopefully it does.

Emerson: And lastly, what does this team have to ultimately do in order to compete and win a state championship?

Mazzotta: Well, to win a state championship you’ve got to have a lot of luck, you know, and you’ve got to stay healthy and the third thing as always you have to have your quarterback. If we can have our quarterback, if we could stay healthy and get a little bit of luck you can win it. And I’ve coached what 15, 16 bowl games, I’ve been in championships, I was a high school coach and won, I coached the four-year level and won and it comes down to that. You’ve got to have your quarterback number one, you’ve got to stay healthy, that’s just those keys things and most of all you’ve got to be lucky. Luck plays a big part in that but you create your own luck too a lot of times.

Emerson: Welp, I haven’t been doing this for 38 years but I will say this is the one of the best interviews I’ve ever done.

Mazzotta: Well, thank you. It’s a pleasure to have you out here. I enjoyed talking with you most guys aren’t as organized as you are they come out here and just slap the off the hip, you know, there was some good questions there. Not all of them are easy to answer, shoot. It’s such a – football is such a crazy game like I said I had one of the best teams I’ve ever had back in 1988. We were picked number one in the nation at the time we ended up going 1-10. We lost, we lost. It was the worst team I’ve ever had but the best football team I’ve probably coached pound-for-pound. And we were playing with our fourth quarterback at the end of the year. It was absolutely ridiculous, the next year we come back and win the whole damn, you know. Being a young team too at the time, boy when you lose kids, at this level, you know, you talk about sophomore and freshmen, if I could take all the freshmen and redshirt them I would do that in a heartbeat. I mean, its like these kids don’t realize it coming out of high school but they’re playing against major college football players. You know two years ago, we had 26 kids get division 1 scholarships on our team. These kids walk out of Artesia High School, I mean, play against David Fangupo, that’s a man, that guy rushed as a running back he came in here at 390 pounds or whatever the hell he was and he had rushed for 900 yards as a running back. Now you put him at defensive line and he can run like that and he’s not that heavy right now but I’m telling you. I mean, these kids come out of, you know, Bellflower High School and they’re like “whoa this guy is the real deal.” And Domo Young our receiver that we had last year has a full scholarship to Purdue University now I’m going to tell you that’s a big time deal now right? He comes out of high school when he was here I don’t even think he had hair on his chest. He couldn’t have caught a ball, my whole deal when he was a freshman, I was telling the coaches, he will change. You’ve got to just understand freshmen they don’t get it. Domo grew up and I’m telling you look at it, he went from a guy that coaches wasn’t even sure he could play for us and that just happened and if I can take every freshmen and go you know what? Sit out, we’re just going to redshirt you, learn it all become a Falcon and be great. They come out here like “you know I played at Bosco and I started every game, I’m God’s Gift to football,” they just don’t get it. Boy, I’ll tell you game one when we play Saddleback you watch it’s going to be some eyeballs about that big you watch. It happens real fast.

Emerson: Well, it should be an interesting season. Thanks again coach.