Familiar faces plug in openings for Crane

CRANE As much as Justin Mendoza likes playing linebacker, he also likes playing fullback on offense.

But with Crane’s use of the spread for the past two years, Mendoza’s been basically out of work offensively.

Now, with the Golden Cranes’ decision to mix in the I formation with the spread, Mendoza expects to be heavily involved.

“That’s what I was hoping we would go back to,” Mendoza said. “I wasn’t really that big of a fan of the spread. I knew we could do it with the running game — we got Cody (Black) and Teague (Esparza) — and I could be there blocking.”

Crane prefers to shape its schemes around its personnel.

Absent is the quarterback-receiver tandem of Lloyd Chisum, second on the school’s all-time career passing yards list, and Justin Carrasco, co-District 4-2A MVP last year.

What the Golden Cranes have are a pair of senior running backs — Black and Esparza — whose speed is dependable enough to shift’s Crane’s offense from a high-flying aerial assault to a solid ground attack.

They also have an offensive line that returns just two starters and is a bit young, but it is bigger than others in recent years.

“Offensively, we’re still gonna stay with the spread,” head coach Naldo Esparza said. “But, yes, we’re gonna try to run the football a little more this year and probably be 60-40 in that department as far as run-pass.”

The terminology will stay the same, but the application is different. For example, last year Teague Esparza was the H back, the inside slot receiver on the left side.

This year, the H back is Mendoza, the traditional fullback who is tasked with mowing down linemen and blitzing cornerbacks alike.

“I like running the ball better than passing,” Black said. “I think running’s more efficient.”

Defensively, Mendoza will anchor the unit at middle linebacker. There was talk of switching to the 4-3, but the Golden Cranes will stay in a 3-4, same as last year.

Senior Jordan Cavazos will move from wide receiver to quarterback. Naldo Esparza believes he can handle the switch, as well as the philosophical change in the offenses from 2008 to 2009.

“He understands the offense,” Esparza said of Cavazos. “We’re gonna try to mold the offense around him, with our running backs, based on what they do well. Jordan’s done a great job already and the kids are rallying behind him.”