Serra needs team effort

As a result, Walsh went back to school to learn the intricacies of the option offense. Walsh spent time at the U.S. Naval Academy, which runs the same offense as the Padres, to try and get a new look at things.

"All great coaches try to learn in the off season," Walsh said. "Football is an ever-changing game. The outcome of all that study is incorporating new ways of doing the same things. We have a couple new wrinkles on defense that could confuse some people."

Walsh and the Padres are hoping defensive end Will Powers will wreak more havoc than just confuse offenses. Powers is one of the most recruited defensive ends in the nation, with schools such as USC and Notre Dame courting the 6-4, 230-pound senior.

Powers will also be the Padres' tight end.

"He's grown big-time," Walsh said. "He was not a model player as a sophomore and even as a junior he had a lot of issues. Now, he's totally changed. He's done the things to be a premiere player."

Despite all the attention, Walsh is not asking Powers to be Superman.

"I just expect him to play hard," Walsh said. "He knows what his role is. We're not asking him to make every play. We haven't asked him to do any more than what we ask any other player to do."

With all the offense the Padres lost to graduation, the defense will have to hold the line until the offense gets comfortable. Linebacker Anthony Sanchez (6-0, 200), Francis Aurellano (5-9, 170) and Chris Boschetto (5-11, 250) all started last season and give the Padres a steadying influence on defense.

Another key player is senior Marco Navarro, a 6-0, 205-pound offensive and defensive lineman. Navarro started the last eight games his sophomore year and had big expectations before missing the 2003 season with shoulder problems. Walsh said he believed the Padres could have challenged for a WCAL and Central Coast Section title with Navarro in the trenches last season.

"He's anchoring the offensive line," Walsh said. "He's stepped up in terms of leadership. He has a big heart. The younger players know they can look up to him. He leads by example. The kids see that."

The Padres lost nearly all of their point production from a year ago with the graduation of quarterback Danny Bocanegra, running backs Angelo Fobbs-Valentino and Drew Ryan and wide receiver Alex Biddle.

Despite all that, the Padres' offensive backfield is not as bare as it looks. Senior fullback Doug Hansen saw playing time last season and senior running back Cheyenne Tuufuli has been on the varsity squad since his sophomore year. Junior Ed Berry and sophomore Lopeti Taufoou give Serra some depth in the running game.

The biggest key to the Padres' offense is junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who guided the junior varsity squad last season. Walsh hopes his new understanding of the option offense, along with Masoli's experience running it - the Padres run the same offense at the freshman and junior varsity levels - will cut down on the turnovers.

"We expect him to control the offense," Walsh said. "He's a pretty good ball handler and he's been running this offense for three years. He knows what he's doing."

With the WCAL talent pool taking a bit of a dip this season - Valley Christian and Mitty are the pre-season favorites - Walsh believes that if his team executes and takes care of the ball, the Padres will be right in the mix for their second WCAL title in three years.

"We have some decent talent at running back and the offensive line. Defensive line should be our strength," Walsh said. "We're going to have to get it done up front. We have to create those holes and seams (on offense). We have to be a better football team. If we duplicate the success we've had the past couple of seasons, it's because we're a better team."