Agoura High Air Attack Also Well-Grounded

Anyone who has watched the Agoura High football team play over the past two or three years understands the Chargers prefer to throw the ball.

They do it well, and relying on the passing game makes complete sense. The Chargers, after all, have personnel that's suited to strike vertically.  

Offensively, the pass-run ratio could be on the verge of changing, though, due in part to the presence of Frank Schmidt.  

"He's a powerful kid,'' Agoura coach Charlie Wegher said of Schmidt, a 6-foot and 190-pound running back who has played well this summer and appears ready to take on added responsibility for the Chargers in the future.  

"We think Frank is the type of player that can step in and be the guy,'' Wegher said. "He's valuable and talented. He's going to start for us.''  

The fact that the coaching staff has already made a decision about the senior's role in the backfield is important because, for the better part of the last month, the Chargers have been looking for someone to replace Sammy Bradley.  

In each of the last two seasons, Bradley has essentially been the featured ball-carrier for the Chargers, although his numbers haven't been staggering in their pass-happy offense.

As a senior, Bradley rushed for 255 yards on a 45 carries. His carries were designed to keep opposing defenses honest.  

"We like to sling the ball around, that's for sure,'' Wegher said. "But give Sammy credit, he did what we asked him to do. He was a jitterbug and would make people miss. That was his running style and there's nothing wrong with that.  

"We're hoping that Schmidt can come in here and pick up some yardage for us. He won't do things the way Bradley did. Frank is a one-cut type of guy and then get up the field. He loves the contact. He'll take a hit and keep moving forward.''

When called upon as a junior, Schmidt proved capable of contributing. In 37 carries, he gained 171 yards with a pair of touchdowns. His 4.6-yards per carry was slightly less than Bradley's 5.0 per play.

"Frank, we call him 'Frank the Tank', he's an important guy because he does so many things well,'' Agoura quarterback Gerard Poutier said.  

"He's a strong runner, someone who will run you over instead of going around you. He's good pass-catcher too, someone who catches the ball all of the time. Most important, he's a great blocker, the last guy back there protecting me.''  

Therein lies the key: Schmidt understands what the coaching staff expects of him. His job, first and foremost, is to use his size and strength to deter opponents and keep Poutier upright so he can spread the ball around through the air.  

Of course, when the opportunity presents itself, Schmidt will be expected to change gears and pick up tough yardage on the ground to keep the chains moving. 

"When I'm out there blocking, no one gets to our quarterback, I mean nobody,'' Schmidt said. "That's just how things work around here.

"My goal is to pick up six yards at a time when I do get the ball. If I do that two times in a row, we'll have a first down every time. I know what I can do. Now, finally, I'm ready to show everyone else what I can do.''