The Live Oak Acorns have gone the extra mile to shed any semblance of their 2011 selves.
It started with a new wardrobe.
The Acorns have been working hard this spring while wearing freshly painted yellow helmets, part of their new uniform combinations that hark back to the glory years of Live Oak football. When the season starts, the Acorns will wear yellow pants with green jerseys at home, and white jerseys when they are away. Their helmets will include the same interlocking “LO” decal they have worn since 2008.
“We’re going back to old Live Oak, getting the alumni back on our side a little bit,” Acorns coach Mike Gemo said Tuesday. “The kids are pretty excited about it. We’re trying to rekindle Live Oak tradition.”
That has been the theme of this offseason, with the Acorns recovering from their worst finish (1-9) since 2004, which relegated them to the Santa Teresa Division. They put in a solid weight-lifting program and have looked farther ahead on the field than where they were a year ago. Players have been focused in class as well.
“We had a lot of kids work hard on their grades to be eligible throughout the springtime for us,” Gemo said. “It’s really flowed with what we’re trying to do in spring ball.
“The biggest thing is teaching our new (junior varsity) coaching staff how to do things and getting the younger kids to basically learn, too.”
The new uniforms, simpler in contrast to the ones Live Oak wore the past four years, are a reflection of the way the Acorns moved the ball in 2011 – Trevor Bearden to the left, Trevor Bearden to the right, Trevor Bearden up the middle. To say they relied heavily on the sophomore phenom would be an understatement. Bearden, now a bulkier 6 foot 1, 210 pounds and faster than ever, shouldered 203 of his team’s 324 carries en route 1,275 rushing yards (fourth most in the Central Coast Section) and 12 touchdowns. While that formula did wonders for Bearden’s recruiting stature, it made Live Oak an easy target for opposing teams, who stacked the box and keyed on the star tailback.
Gemo said the offense will continue to evolve around Bearden in 2012, but he also acknowledged the need for other players to step up.
“It’s a big thing because every team we play knows about Trevor. Every school in the area’s talked to me about him,” Gemo said. “So we need to make sure that there’s other play-makers that can do something.”
Quarterback Taylor Turnipseed has taken that to heart. The junior’s stat line (564 passing yards, four touchdowns, seven interceptions) from 2011 wasn’t pretty, but he did have his moments before a broken collarbone, suffered Oct. 21 against Independence, sidelined him for the final three games.
“It was really hard having to sit out. I wanted to be in there, wanted to get better,” he said. “I’m always motivated, just trying to get stronger and faster. I knew I needed to after last year. You gotta keep (the offense) balanced.”
Turnipseed has grown an inch and has put on about 10 pounds. His arm strength, accuracy and foot speed are noticeably improved.
“Just overall, his body strength got a lot stronger this year,” Gemo said. “He’s done a great job of lifting. … We’ll protect him as much as we can, hope he stays healthy. He’s the type of kid that likes to run the football a little bit.”
Gemo expected a good training camp for Brandon Duran, Jerardo Caro and Joey Rodriguez. The three wideouts have delivered.
“They were guys who were starters last year as juniors. Going into their senior year, they’ve really become leaders of this team,” Gemo said. “[They’ve] really shined at some positions we’re gonna have them at this year. They were really good about getting into the weight room every day. It’s really transcended (on the field). They push everybody else.”
The offensive linemen are mostly young and inexperienced, but right tackle Sean Aitken, one of their few veterans, said they have progressed this spring.
“We wanted to get better right away, especially after how last year ended,” the 5-foot-10, 235-pound sophomore said. “We feel like we’ve got a good chemistry now. We’re all just working our hardest, trying to do our best.”
The group has earned Bearden’s endorsement.
“They’re already getting a lot better than how our line was last year,” he said. “Spring training, you just want to get the team together, bond. That’s what they’re doing.”
Perhaps no one feels more pressure to improve than middle linebacker Kyle Quadros. The sophomore has moved from the outside spot to replace three-year starter Nikki Weber, whose 130 tackles in 2011 ranked fifth in the section.
“No comparisons yet,” Gemo said. “Quadros has to learn it a little bit, but he has all the athletic ability to do what Nikki did last year.”
To shore up the defense, Gemo hopes to start Bearden at safety. That was the plan a year ago until Bearden’s work load on offense and special teams proved to be too much – yet another reason for teammates to draw attention away from him.
“It’s very important to keep him on defense,” Gemo said. “We’re just finding the right spot for him. He’s a play-maker on both sides of the ball, so he’s really worked on staying in shape so he can play both ways this year. We need him on the field.”
Former tight end Mark Butterworth is projected to get some of the carries at fullback. The junior has lost 30 pounds this offseason.
“We liked having him on the line, but it’s cool seeing him run the ball,” Aitken said.
Some of the first-year varsity players who have impressed Gemo include freshman Brandon Sorce and sophomore Mitch Crowley, who could factor in at the skill positions.
“We’ve got a lot of good young players coming up from the frosh-soph level that should really help,” Gemo said. “Right now, we’re just finding the right guys for the right spots. We’re gonna keep the same system. We’ve got Trevor, so shoot.”
NOTES: Live Oak will take part in three full-contact camps this summer, starting with a June 28-30 Competitive Edge Camp at the Outdoor Sports Center.
