BRADY KNOWS MISSION SENIOR'S DAUNTING TASK IS TAKING CSUN TO PLAYOFFS.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

In this season of change at Cal State Northridge, there's at least one constant: Marcus Brady.

When CSUN football camp opens Saturday, Brady will begin his fourth and final season at quarterback.

He already owns all school passing marks. So what's left for him to do? Guide the Matadors to the playoffs, which will be much more difficult now that CSUN is in its first year as a I-AA independent team.

The Matadors have eight road games and just three at home. They'll be playing in their final season at North Campus Stadium, moving to Pierce College next year.

Still, Brady, who decided not to enter the NFL draft, can't wait to don the pads and embark on another set of two-a-days.

``I'm just anxious to go out there and have fun for my senior year,'' Brady said. ``My goal is to dominate my opponents and have fun.''

Rookies report at 8 a.m. today for physicals with practices scheduled for 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Veterans begin at 4 p.m. Saturday.

CSUN football coach Jeff Kearin, in his third season, can't wait to work with what's expected to be another prolific offense. And to check out a new defense, directed by Dave Robinson, who took over as defensive coordinator in the fall.

``We're tired of lifting weights. We're ready to get going,'' Kearin said. ``It's so refreshing to get the kids here. You can smell it in the air. You can always tell the camp's going to start because the heat wave kicks in.''

Kearin doesn't have a Big Sky Conference championship ring to motivate players anymore. But he's not short on goals. An independent team can receive an at-large bid to the playoffs, but the Matadors would probably have to win at least nine games for that to happen.

``We're excited about this team,'' Kearin said. ``They seem to have really good focus. I feel good about it. There's all this uncertainty about the independent status and all this uncertainty about the playoffs. But you know, we've got to win all of our games. We're going to take each game one at a time. We'll take each practice one at a time and we're going to try to put together an effort that gets us into the playoffs.''

As Brady goes, so do the Matadors. Brady, billed as a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, threw for 2,815 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last year. But it's his ability to scramble - he was the team's third-leading rusher last year - that makes him such an effective quarterback.

And Brady, who's gained another five pounds of muscle while working out in Northridge in the offseason, has nearly his entire receiving corps back - Drew Amerson, Jamal Perry, D.J. Hackett and Jason Stone. Brady needs just 152 completions to set the Division I-AA career completions record.

Cos Abercrombie and Lewis Blanton return to the linebacking corps and safety Travis Campbell to the secondary. But newcomers will be asked to take over at both cornerback positions.

CSUN figured to be in good shape after winding up with Quinton Freeman of Notre Dame of Riverside, who was going to Colorado State. The Rams didn't have an available scholarship and coach Sonny Lubick told Kearin, a friend, about him.

Freeman was accepted to CSUN but was denied student housing and was put on a waiting list. Freeman has now decided to go to Idaho State, according to Kearin.

``We have a huge housing crisis, so that's really a shame,'' Kearin said. ``We couldn't seem to find a spot for him. He's decided to go to Idaho State and I can't blame him.''

Cornerbacks Kingsley Echeme (Hawthorne) and Chasen Walker (Beverly Hills) might start as freshmen.

BRADY NUMBERS 2000 1999 1998 Career

Passing yards 2,815 3,326 2,983 9,217

Completions 227 299 256 782

Attempts 392 483 377 1,252

Touchdowns 25 24 26 75

Interceptions 10 15 11 36

Rushing yards 512 390 392 1,294

Total offense 3,093 3,419 2,951 9,556

CSUN DATES TO REMEMBER

Season opener: CSUN at Northern Arizona, Aug. 30, 5:05 p.m.

First home game: Southwest Texas State at CSUN, Sept. 15, 1:05 p.m.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

(color) Marcus Brady, who has all the Matadors' passing records, will lead CSUN in its first year as a I-AA independent team.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box: (1) BRADY'S NUMBERS (see text)

(2) CSUN DATES TO REMEMBER (see text)