YOUNG GLADS DRIVEN TO IMPROVE

The record might not reflect it, but the Chabot football team is improving. 

This season is mostly about establishing a standard for McMurray's quickly assembled team and incremental growth from a squad that boasts 56 freshmen. Players are learning to process college football at full speed. Growing pains are part of the package.

Chabot (1-3) will host tough De Anza (4-0) at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Mt. Eden High, the Gladiators' temporary home this season. 

"I think we've grown every week, gotten better every week in a lot of phases," McMurray said on Monday, Sept. 22. "We've got to be better on Nov. 8 (in the season finale) than we were on Aug. 30 (for the opener)."

The Glads are coming off a road loss to Coalinga, 28-7, in which a fast, hard-smacking Chabot defense allowed just seven points in the second half. 

Isaiah Limcolioc sparked the offense with a 68-yard TD run in the second quarter that cut the deficit to 14-7 with Jacob Lewis' PAT.

RB Tariq Ford had 63 yards rushing on 21 carries and is averaging 96.0 yards rushing per game.

Chabot lacks depth on the playing field and in the coaching staff, but McMurray expects that to change in the years to come.

McMurray, also the defensive coordinator, says the defense is ranked in the state's top 20 in interceptions (six) and sacks (nine) and in the top 4 in pass defense (allowing 139.0 per game), and is in the top 20 in run defense (166.8 ypg, 4.0 ypc).

A trio out of St. Francis High, a well-established program in the West Catholic Athletic League, lead the defense. They are Kali Moa (Fr. DB), Esaia Vavao (Fr. DL) and JJ Sporleder (Fr. DL), along with Tennyson product Salesi Moala (Fr. LB), an athletic, high-motor player who has "great reads, flies around and doesn't let the scoreboard dictate his emotions," McMurray says.

Gerardo Zavala-Rangel leads the team in total tackles with 33.0. Moala has 29.0 tackles and 2 TFL.

Leki Vaka also has 29.0 total tackles, and Vavao has 28.0 tackles, 3.0 sacks and 3 TFL. 

Moa leads the team with three interceptions. Vaka, Shukoku Seida and Sporleder, who has 3.0 sacks and 4.0 TFL, all have one pick.

It's step by step all season for the young bunch.

"The biggest thing I told the guys is we've got to be 1 percent better every day and chip away at the foundation we want to build," McMurray said. "A lot of guys weren't ready for college football, but it's great for reps this year."