Falcons’ football is currently ranked ninth in the CCCAA rankings and three of the top players for the Falcons talked about how the current football season is going and their future plans after Cerritos.
The quarterback for the Falcons and business major, Jordan Simpson, first started playing football with his dad in the park.
“Since I was seven, my dad, he has coached me and my little brother to play football just at the park,” Simpson said, “Every day, in June, we’d just workout the whole time and then we played in August.”
Simpson’s favorite athlete is Cam Newton and said that he’s someone who he looks up to.
“The fierceness he runs [with] in the red zone,” he said, “That’s a mindset I like to carry over.”
When Simpson isn’t threading the needle on the football field, the games he plays are Madden and NBA 2k.
“I play a lot of NBA 2k,” Simpson said, “Our starting running back Von and our starting receiver all play in the park and that creates chemistry on the field and off the field.”
“He’s [Simpson’s brother] #10 so I figured if I go over there [Boise State], we can one-two punch people and just beat them,” Simpson said, “We can hold each other accountable in that end.”
Simpson also added that it would be a dream come true for his parents to wear half jerseys of him and his brother.
Coaching is something Simpson also wants to do and said that he would like to have a kid and coach him.
“I do want to play at the highest level possible so I can have the most amount of experience to relay,” Simpson said.
Simpson added, “A lot of these days, players don’t believe in the coach if they haven’t done it.”
Milo Lopez, who’s a business major and starting strong safety for the Falcons, played football his whole life.
“My dad has coached me ever since I was young,” Lopez said, “He’s always taught me to be humble and good things will come so he’s definitely been an inspirational part of my life.”
Milo’s father played for the Falcons in 1993 and always put Milo in tons of sports to see what he liked.
At La Serna high school, Lopez didn’t get much playing time in his Freshman year but worked hard and got more playing time in his Sophomore year.
The sports that the Del Rio Defensive Player of the Year star likes is football, baseball and basketball.
Lopez had an offer for a four-year college before the season and is open for any college but would like to go away from home, “and experience something different.”
“My goal is to get a degree and I do want to become a firefighter as a career goal,” he said.
“I like the way he plays and this kind of swagger to him,” Lopez said about his favorite athlete, Kyrie Irving, He’s just a good guy […] and I definitely use him on 2k.”
The starting Falcons’ strong safety said that his NFL comparison would be Harrison Smith as being a do-it-all guy.
Lopez said that the defensive backs have a strong bond where they talk about things and hang out as a group.
“Hopefully I achieve my goal as a Divison I player and definitely pride myself in being a good person and when the time comes, be a good father and husband too,” Lopez said when asked to envision the future.
Jonathan Manzo is an offensive lineman for Cerritos College, is a sociology major and wants to be a counselor for special needs students.
Manzo said that his NFL comparison would be Trent Williams, “just his overall abilities to read the defense and know what’s coming and how he slows the game down.”
Manzo said that his pre-game food was Chipotle and plays music from Tee Grizzley before games.
The psychology major also added that the offensive line group is more comfortable and open with each other.
“Every Friday, we go out to eat as the offensive line,” he said, “We go to like Roadhouse or anywhere and just eat as a team.”
That bond helps the offensive line adjust and go with the flow of things, as Manzo explains.
When Manzo isn’t crushing it on the field, the games he plays are “Call of Duty,”, “Grand Theft Auto” and “Brawl Stars,” with the offensive linemen.
Off the field, Manzo is funny while on the field, he’s more serious and is focused on getting the job done.
“I would yell at my offensive line if we’re doing not what we’re supposed to be doing,” Manzo said, “but they know it’s tough love.”
