CANYONS HOPES TO KEEP ROLLING.

Byline: SEAN CEGLINSKY Staff Writer

Expectations are seemingly always high when it comes to football at College of the Canyons. Western State Conference titles are the norm.

Appearances in bowl games year in and year out have become commonplace.

The program has enjoyed tremendous success in the past and this season figures to be no different from the rest for the Cougars, who enter tonight's nonconference season opener against visiting Chaffey as the No. 2 in the nation, according to Street & Smith's, and No. 8 overall in the country by J.C. Grid-Wire.

``We want to come out and show everyone that we're ready,'' sophomore running back Brian Stuart said. ``We want to get things started off on the right foot. Set the tone.''

Canyons has won 57 of its past 62 games, won five consecutive WSC Northern Division titles, qualified for eight consecutive postseason games and took home a J.C. Grid-Wire national championship in 2004.

``It's been a long summer and we've been working hard so we can carry on the tradition here,'' Stuart said. ``We're eager to play against someone else. We want to see some new faces, a new different color jersey. We can't wait to go full steam.

The Cougars avoided their share of potentially disruptive setbacks over the past six months, or so. First, the program had 19 players from last season's team move onto the Division I level, and then, offensive coordinator Dean Herington and assistant Ted Iacenda both took jobs at Alemany High in Mission Hills.

Don Fellows, who coached the running backs a season ago, takes charge on offense, several sophomores return with added experience and a bumper crop of freshmen and transfers are waiting in the wings.

It would appear as if coach Chuck Lyon has reason to be optimistic.

He prefers to downplay the hype, though.

``I would say that our practices have been fair to poor up to this point and it's a concern,'' Lyon said. ``I'm not quite sure we get it yet. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure were ready to play.''

Canyons had better be considering perennial bowl qualifier Chaffey is no pushover.

Beyond that, Grossmont, the top-ranked team in the nation according to Street & Smith's, looms in Week 2 and conference rivals Bakersfield, Moorpark and Pierce pose threats thereafter.

Here's a position by position breakdown of this group:

Quarterback: Marcel Marquez, currently at Sacramento St., departed after a standout two-year career with the Cougars, leaving the coaching staff with plenty of questions and not many answers.

Andrew Miramontes gray-shirted a season ago, used his time well as an attentive understudy and appears ready to take over as the starter.

Garrett Graves will serve as his primary back-up, a role he's familiar with after proving reliable in relief of Marquez last year.

Running back: The plan is to employ a running back by committee approach, featuring sophomores Stuart and Vince Patterson, who are in line for a majority of the carries, initially, anyways.

Freshmen Thomas Kyle and Nick Daniels figure to push the veterans for playing time down the road.

Receiver: Terence Scott will be the primary target after proving to be a big-play threat as a freshmen, finishing with 47receptions for 1,058 yards and nine touchdowns.

The 6-foot, 170 pounder runs the 40-yard dash in a sub 4.5seconds, is a preseason all-American candidate and has received recruiting interest from several of the top Division I programs in the nation, including USC and Tennessee.

Jovonne Augustus will line up on the other side of Scott, J.T. Wright, Andrew Jones and John Austin will be among those who get an opportunity at playing in the slot and Collin Franklin and Tyler Roby will split time at tight end.

Offensive line: This unit could end up being the strength of the team considering four of five starter return. Fernel Vasquez (6-3, 300), Alex DeKok (6-2, 270), David Curiel (6-0, 255) and Joey Muilli (6-0, 250) are back and will be joined by freshman Kainoa LaCount (6-7, 305).

Defensive line: The Cougars lost just one starter from this group.

Sophomores Steve Cenatus and Kava Fine will provide experience while newcomers Darus Nua, P.J. Padden, Derrick Onwuachi, Brian Wilson and Josh Cordray will all rotate up front.

Linebackers: The Cougars will sorely miss Joey La Rocque, who lead the team in nearly every significant statistical category a season ago.

Wallace Bates, a Moorpark College transfer, can't be expected to replace La Rocque's production, though he is talented in his own right. He'll start alongside fellow sophomore Will Strong and freshman Matt Brown.

Defensive backs: If there is one potential weakness, it could be the secondary, where all four starters moved onto to Pac-10 schools.

Cornerback Justin Tryon and safety Troy Nolan are at Arizona St., safety Brian Walker is at Washington St. and the other corner, JaVonte Holmes, is on his way to Oregon St.

``We're essentially starting over in some areas,'' Lyon said.

Special teams: Jason Johnson was responsible for kickoffs, punts, extra points and field goals last season and did well enough to earn a scholarship to Arizona St. Paul Weinstein is the place kicker this time around and Chris Chalmers will handle the rest.

Kyle and Deon Sumler will return punts and kickoffs.

sean ceglinsky.dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Starting quarterback Andrew Miramontes, left, passes.

Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News

(2 -- color) Canyons running back Brian Stuart wants a strong start.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer