Team Preview: Grossmont

For years the Grossmont foot ball program was a model of consistency, however, over the past few years the Griffins have struggled to find a foothold and have rarely challenged to be part of the post-season picture. This year though they are poised for a return to prominence with a roster full of solid prospects...

As the trigger-man for Grossmont's offensive attack, QB Chris Bonner is a huge prospect, measuring in at 6'7" and weighing in at 235 yards.

He has a live arm, can move around pretty well for a young man his size and he saw reps last season, so he isn't new to the college game.

Joining Bonner in the backfield are two solid tailback prospects in E'Lon Spight and Alex Cornist.

Cornist is a big, bruising, between-the-tackles runner who can get outside when necessary. He carried the ball 12 times for 96 yards in limited reps last season.

While Cornist is the bruiser, Spight is a bit smaller, but quicker and he carried the ball 58 times for 291 yards and two scores. He is also a solid receiver out of the backfield, hauling in 11 receptions for 126 yards as well. The talented sophomore already has several schools looking at him and could see the interest pick up with a good start to the 2012 season.

When the Griffs need big chunks of yards gained, they have two solid wideouts to look at in Jesse Klein and Lavant Moore.

Moore is the top returning receiver, finishing second on the team in 2011 with 15 receptions for 226 yards and three touchdowns.

Along the offensive line, the Griffs will be young, but they do have one stud getting looks from D-1 schools in Joseph Gibson, a 6'3", 340-pounder who has great feet and explodes into defenders, driving them off the ball.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive ends Frank Collins and Daniel Moss lead the way.

Both saw limited reps last season, but Collins did manage to post 21 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

The linebackers are led by Donnie Walsh who led the team in tackles last season with 68 while also managing to post two sacks.

Joining him will be Ian Seau, the late Junior Seau's son, who bounced back after spending a year at Kansas State.

The secondary promises to be young, but the Grossmont coaches feel they have some solid youngsters coming in that can be playmakers for them in the deep patrol.

The Griffs get their season underway with a game on the road against College of the Desert and seam ready to make things interesting this fall. However, until it happens, people will take a cautiously optimistic approach waiting to see if they can return to the level of success they enjoyed after the turn of the century.