Aug. 4, 2006
TORERO TIDBITS: Third year head coach Jim Harbaugh will welcome approximately 110 student-athletes (47 returners from last year's 11-1 club) when they report to camp on Monday, August 7th. The team will begin their camp practice schedule beginning on August 8th.
TORERO OUTLOOK: The Toreros are coming off of the program's best year ever as they finished 11-1 overall, finished 4-0 in the Pioneer Football League North Division, defeated Morehead State for the PFL Championship, and finished ranked No. 1 in the final The Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major poll. Head coach Jim Harbaugh, the 2005 PFL North Coach of the Year, has won 16 of his last 17 contests dating back to the 2004 season, and he looks to continue his winning ways behind the leadership of four preseason All-Americans: junior QB Josh Johnson (3,256 yards; 36 touchdowns, 70.1 completion percentage), junior defensive end Eric Bakhtiari (62 tackles; 15 for loss), junior offensive center Jordan Paopao, and senior linebacker Kyson Hawkins (64 tackles, 12 tackles for loss). Additional All-PFL returners that earned honorable mention status include RB Jon Polk (231 yards, 8 TDs), RB JT Rogan (944 yards, 7 TDs), DB Josh Brisco (36 tackles, 4 int.), PK Hutch Parker (9-15 FG, 89 points) and WR John Matthews (400 yards, 6 TDs). The Toreros open their 2006 campaign on Friday, September 1st, when they host the Azusa Pacific Cougars in a 7:00 pm kickoff. USD will be gunning for their 14th straight home win in Torero Stadium, and their 9th straight win dating back to the end of last season. USD will be celebrating its 50th anniversary of Torero football with the first team lining up back in 1956 - the Toreros did not field a team between 1962-68.
PFL PREPARES FOR 14TH SEASON: The Pioneer Football League prepares for its 14th season of play which will feature a return to a non-divisional format for the first time since the 2000 season. Each conference member will play a full round-robin format with the champion squaring off against the Northeast Conference champion in the first Gridiron Classic, Nov. 18. League members include Butler, Davidson, Dayton, Drake, Jacksonville, Morehead State, San Diego, Valparaiso.
TOREROS PICKED 1ST IN PFL COACHES POLL: The PFL coaches tabbed San Diego as the preseason favorite in the PFL Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving five of the eight possible first-place votes. Dayton, with two first place votes, was picked second, while Drake got the third-place nod. Morehead State, the 2005 PFL South champion, was chosen fourth in the preseason poll. Jacksonville, which picked up one first place vote, Davidson, Valparaiso and Butler round out the bottome half of the preseason poll. Poll Results: 1st- San Diego (5), 45 points; 2nd- Dayton (2), 43 points; 3rd- Drake, 37 points; 4th- Morehead State, 32 points; 5th- Jacksonville (1), 26 points; 6th- Davidson, 17 points; 7th- Valparaiso, 15 points; 8th- Butler, 9 points. Note: First-place votes in parentheses... 7 points awarded for a 1st-place vote, with one point less for each succeeding place... coaches not allowed to vote for own team.
MEDIA NOTE: Practices are open to the media. To interview a USD coach or player, please contact the Media Relations office at least one day in advance by calling (619) 260-4745. A tentative USD roster should be available on August 8th.
