ALUMNI REPORT : Former Griffin Standout Fits Profile for NFL Scouts

It’s not often that NFL scouts beat a path to UC Davis football practices, but they did a year ago to see quarterback Kevin Daft, the former Foothill High standout who was drafted in the fifth round by the Tennessee Titans.

The scouts are back this season for a close look at offensive lineman Troy Larkin.

Larkin, who played at Los Alamitos High, is in his fourth season as a starter for the Division II team. He started his 41st consecutive game for the Aggies on Saturday when they played at Western Oregon.

“A lot of pro teams have been through here,” UC Davis Coach Bob Biggs said. “There must have been 15 pro scouts here in the last two weeks. He seems to fit the profile of what they’re all looking for.”

Larkin is 6 feet 4 and 303 pounds.

“He’s really mobile for a big guy,” Biggs said. “And he’s gotten himself into great shape. He’s still a youngster, just 20 years old, and he’s going to continue to get stronger.”

Larkin, who can bench press 340 pounds, anchored an offensive line that last season helped generate an average of 442 yards per game in total offense, eighth nationally in Division II. So how did Larkin end up at UC Davis?

“New Mexico, Colorado State and Utah showed some interest in me, but I didn’t want to go to those schools,” Larkin said. “Villanova offered me a scholarship and I decided to take it, but they gave it away two hours before I called to accept it.”

A good student, Larkin took a recruiting trip to Columbia and was accepted there, but then decided against it because of the cost. He said he also was considering attending UCLA or Colorado, and had been accepted to both schools.

However, UC Davis assistant coach Tony Franks happened to sit next to Larkin’s parents at a scholar-athlete banquet, and Franks let them know he would be interested in talking with their son about playing football at UC Davis.

Later, when a friend was visiting UC Davis and Humboldt State, Larkin decided to go along. He liked what he saw at UC Davis and decided to enroll there.

“One of the things I liked about it was there was no pressure on me to be a football player,” Larkin said. “If I wanted to play, I could play, and if I didn’t, I didn’t have to.”

Larkin said he has enjoyed playing in that type of atmosphere, even though he has had “second thoughts” at times about not playing in Division I. Larkin has continued his success academically, and has a double major in English and political science.

“I don’t know whether he’ll be drafted by the NFL or not, but I think there’s a good chance he’ll be in a pro camp someplace next summer if that’s what he wants to do,” Biggs said.

HELPING AZUSA PACIFIC

There is a strong Orange County influence again this season on the Azusa Pacific football team, the defending NAIA champion.

Three former area players are in the starting lineup. Marvin Smith of Servite is the No. 1 tailback. Alex Pula, who played at Santa Ana Valley and Santa Ana College, is a regular at defensive tackle, and Brad Baker, who played at San Clemente and Saddleback College, is a starting tackle on offense.

Top reserves are tailback DeAngelo Gossett of Aliso Niguel, defensive end Sammy Purcell of Irvine, linebacker Jake Jerome of San Clemente, defensive back Mike Steenbergen of Garden Grove and offensive lineman Jake Morrow of San Clemente. Defensive back Luke Jerome of San Clemente was regarded as a potential starter before being sidelined because of a shoulder injury in the first week of preseason practice.

San Clemente’s Geoff Buffum, the starting quarterback for Azusa Pacific last year, is an assistant coach with the team this season.

Azusa Pacific, which went into the season ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, defeated second-ranked Olivet Nazarene of Kankakee, Ill., on Saturday, 21-14. Azusa Pacific defeated Olivet Nazarene last year in the national championship game. The Cougars will play at Chapman on Nov. 13.

DeSOTO EARNS MVP

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo middle blocker Kari DeSoto earned most valuable player honors in the recent Cal Poly Hotel Classic volleyball tournament with a hitting percentage of .404 in victories over Wichita State, San Francisco and Oklahoma. She also averaged 4.10 kills and four blocks.

DeSoto, who played at Esperanza, reached a milestone Friday when she went over 1,000 kills for her career with 17 in the Mustangs’ match against Oral Roberts in a tournament at Fresno State. Only seven players in Cal Poly history have recorded more than 1,000 kills.