DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
DONNA — Donna North has won one game during its varsity football tenure, going 1-19 the last two years. Dominic Ochoa has been the primary offensive threat, rushing for 992 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
But the senior is set up to not only beat those numbers this season, but also lead the way for a competitive campaign for the Chiefs. It starts with first-year coach Matthew Rokovich.
In Rokovich’s I-formation offense, the tailback is king. It’s a vastly different look than the last two years when Donna North employed the spread offense. And while the Chiefs have quality depth in the backfield to complement Ochoa and give him a breather every now and then, much will depend upon Ochoa and his power inside and outside the tackles.
“Coach Rokovic is experienced with offensive lines and he knows what the guys here are capable of,” Ochoa said. “He’s adjusted things to where it takes advantage of our power and front. I love it. The holes are there and everybody’s been locked in.”
Ochoa is well aware that Rokovich has coached 26 offensive linemen to all-state honors over his 33-year career. That means Rokovich is likely to come up with schemes that have no problem springing Ochoa free.
It’s just a matter of Ochoa, who said he is “80 percent” recovered from a meniscus injury suffered late last season, to take advantage and capitalize for a Chiefs team that features 32 returning lettermen, including 16 starters.
“This season is so important, man,” Ochoa said. “We have 30 guys coming back, a lot of seniors. Coach Rok has been to the playoffs before and I want to get there too, and I know we can. We have pretty much the whole team coming back so we have a lot of expectations for this year. There are no excuses.”
Rokovich, who was last a head coach in 1995-1997 at Brackettville and spent the previous three years as an assistant coach at Donna High, believes in throwback football, specifically a ball-control style that wins the turnover battle, doesn’t commit penalties and keeps the defense fresh.
That will be dependent upon how successfully Ochoa, Tony Gomez, Mark Gutierrez and others can run the ball behind offensive line stalwarts Juan Martinez (6-foot-1, 235 pounds) and Luis Costilla (5-10, 210). The new offense has made for a pleasant style of play for the behemoths up front.
“We’re running the ball a lot more, and that means we’re going to hit the defense a lot more,” Costilla said “ I love it.”
So far, things have been good during preseason camp and practices. But the truth of the Chiefs’ optimism lies in whether that success translates to when the games start for real.
“Your best defense is an offense that keeps possession and doesn’t turn over the ball,” Rokovich said. “That’s why I love our offense. We’ll still get in a spread like anybody else, and we can throw it some as part of the package, but we’re going to run the football. We’re going to hit people.”
SAENZ BLOSSOMS
The Chiefs have promise at quarterback with senior Alex Saenz, who completed 54 percent of his passes in throwing for 947 yards and seven touchdowns to six interceptions in nine games last year.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder posted the third-most amount of passing yards in District 32-5A.
“He started nine ballgames for them last year and it shows,” Rokovich said. “He’s a leader in that huddle. He does the right thing and I’m real proud to have him.”
Saenz admitted transitioning from a spread offense to I-formation was a difficult one at first, but he has grown more comfortable. His threat as a passer will open lanes for Ochoa and others.
NEW ‘D’
Aside from a new offense, Donna North also has a new defense, going to a 3-4 base.
“The most important thing is we have the same intensity each day,” safety Alex Gonzalez said. “That intensity is very high. It doesn’t matter what scheme we’re playing or who’s out there, if we have that intensity we’ll win games.”
Rokovich likes the 3-4 because it fits his team of speedy, undersized athletes. The Chiefs lack height, but they are fast and strong. He also likes that stunting packages are more evolved out of the 3-4 look.
“It’s been overwhelming because it demands more from us,” defensive end Chris Villalobos said. “But Coach is putting us in position to succeed. It’s making things tougher on us and it will only make us better as a defense.”
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DONNA NORTH’S PROGNOSIS
The Chiefs like what they see early under first-year coach Matthew Rokovich, but progress is likely to be incremental, even with 16 returning starters. If Donna North can play meaningful football in late October, that would be a success.
Projected 2016 Record: 4-6
COACH’S TENURE
Coach: Matthew Rokovich
Year at school: First
Career record: 11-19
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