COC FOOTBALL PERFECTION A POSSIBILITY COC FOOTBALL 5-0 AT MIDSEASON.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Very little has gone wrong for the College of the Canyons football team so far this season.

The Cougars (5-0, 3-0) are looking for a third bowl invitation in as many years since the school brought the football program back to its campus in 1998.

COC, which has a bye this week, hosts West Los Angeles College next Saturday night in a WSC Northern Division game.

The Cougars' success this season earned them recognition as one of the elite programs in the state, and in the most recent California Community College Football Coaches Association rankings, COC polled in at fifth in the state - third in Southern California.

COC is among six remaining unbeaten teams in the state.

The Cougars have demonstrated the ability to be successful in virtually all facets of their game so far this season, and the statistics reflect that.

The Cougars are ranked second in the WSC in team offense and in team defense. They are averaging 400.4 yards per game on offense and allowing just 200.8 yards per game.

Most of their offense has come via the air, where they are averaging 262.8 yards per game, which ranks them second in the conference in passing.

Wide receiver Jason d'Autremont has emerged as one of the Cougars' most dangerous weapons. He is tied for second in the WSC with 27 catches and leads the conference in receiving yardage with 451.

Defensive back Darryl Murphy is tied for fifth in the conference in interceptions with three, and leads in interception return yardage with 101.

The Cougars have been dominant on special teams as well.

Jason Daily is the WSC's leading punter, averaging 41.0 yards per kick, and Cedrick Thompson leads the conference in punt return yardage with 253. He has returned 2 of 14 punts for touchdowns.

Placekicker Tommy Garagliano has converted 23 of 24 PATs, and is 5 for 7 on field-goal attempts.

And beyond the numbers, the Cougars have shown they come to play each week no matter who they play. After an emotionally draining 21-14 win in the fourth week of the season over Allan Hancock - which is considered to be the COC's toughest regular-season opponent - the Cougars were able to maintain their intensity level in a 66-14 thrashing of Pierce College last Saturday.

The margin of victory over Pierce, which at the time was the WSC's leader in team offense and was ranked sixth in team defense, helped the Cougars advance from No. 6 to No. 5 in the most recent state rankings.

The Cougars have been fortunate to stay away from injuries, but when key players have been hurt, others have picked up the slack.

When running back Major Caldwell suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2 in a game against Antelope Valley College, Steve Smith was called upon to carry the extra load and has been brilliant as the Cougars' primary threat out of the backfield.

Smith has amassed 430 rushing yards and has scored six touchdowns on 67 carries to help balance COC's passing-oriented offense.

Quarterback David Parker, who shares playing time with Travis Winn, suffered a hip injury in the Hancock game and did not play Saturday against Pierce, although he was available.

He wasn't needed, however, as Winn had his best game of the season, completing 19 of 21 passes for 281 yards.

Of the five regular-season opponents remaining on the Cougars schedule only one, Moorpark College, is ranked in the top 15 in Southern California.

COC visits Moorpark (3-0, 4-1), which is ranked 10th in Southern California and 15th in the state, on Oct. 28 in a game which figures to be the biggest obstacle between the Cougars and an undefeated regular season.