CSUN NOTEBOOK: MATADORS TRY TO PUT UP A FRONT.

Byline: Chris Branam Daily News Staff Writer

He used to be the excuse for a horrible running game and shoddy pass protection.

But Keith Kincaid kept plugging away as a starting offensive lineman for the Cal State Northridge football team. Never mind that he was a freshman who hadn't even experienced a spring practice with the Matadors.

Kincaid just finished his first spring at CSUN. The 6-foot-4, 285-pound right tackle came out of the three-week practice session as the best player on the vastly improved offensive line.

``(Kincaid) has great feet and a great understanding of the game,'' said Bob Conley, the Matadors' new offensive line coach.

Conley, who was a graduate assistant at Texas A&M, said Kincaid compares favorably with the Aggies' offensive linemen.

``Keith could probably play at that caliber school,'' he said. ``I see him doing some things that the guys at Texas A&M were doing.''

Kincaid played every down for the Matadors last season. That is a positive for him, but a telling sign for a team that lacked depth. The line has improved so much this spring that a freshman like Kincaid probably couldn't make the starting lineup in the fall.

``We're starting to get more physical,'' Kincaid said. ``I talked to some of the guys and they said (the linemen) weren't even at this point last year. We're putting more emphasis on running the ball.''

That philosophy - producing a fine running game - existed only in theory at CSUN last year. The Matadors were 7-4 (5-3 in the Big Sky Conference), and head coach Ron Ponciano wanted to form an offensive line that was bigger and stronger.

And after the spring session, offensive coordinator Rob Phenicie said the starting offensive line is ``the biggest difference in this football team.''

``They have turned into a cohesive unit,'' Phenicie said. ``Bob Conley has done a great, great job. I'm so fired up about having Bob Conley with us.''

The offense looked good Saturday morning in the Matadors' final scrimmage of spring ball. Quarterback Marcus Brady threw a long touchdown pass and ran for another, and tailback Jaumal Bradley also had a long touchdown run.

``The young kids under Coach Conley have really stepped it up,'' said Ponciano, last season's Big Sky Coach of the Year. ``It's obvious. And that's without our guns fully loaded.''

Before Saturday, the CSUN defense had the upper hand in the first two scrimmages. Just as the Matadors want a better run offense, defensive coordinator Craig Wall's priority is a better run defense.

``We weren't real good against the run last year,'' Wall said, noting the Matadors gave up an average of 197 yards per game on the ground. ``Our No. 1 goal was to improve our rushing defense.''

Wall wanted a more aggressive group. That hasn't been a problem the last three weeks; Phenicie said ``every day has been a battle.''

``A lot of that (improvement) is attitude,'' Wall said. ``We're getting after it.''

Overall, Ponciano was ecstatic about the progress made in spring practice.

``Everybody got better,'' he said. ``I would give us a nine out of a 10.''

New opponent: CSUN may finally be ridding itself of Southern Utah. The Matadors, who have been trying to dump their season opener against the Thunderbirds for six months, are in the final stages of bringing Western Washington, a Division II school in Bellingham, to North Campus Stadium on Sept. 4.

``It's closer to a done deal than anything we've got,'' Ponciano said.

So long: Tight end Kevin Cooper, a transfer from Washington, quit the team after the first day of practice. Cooper, a 6-7, 260-pound sophomore from Long Beach, was a key mid-semester signee.

``We had very high expectations (of Cooper),'' Ponciano said, adding CSUN is still deep at tight end.

SPRING FLINGS 

Cal State Northridge finished spring football practice Saturday. Here are a few stars of the camp:

Aaron Arnold, WR. When offensive coordinator Rob Phenicie was asked about the standout offensive player, he said: ``Aaron Arnold, period.'' Arnold, a junior out of Monroe High, should be one of Division I-AA's top WRs in the fall.

Cos Abercrombie, LB. A broken jaw cut Abercrombie's season to just two games last year. He redshirted and should be an effective complement to all-conference LB Brennan Swanson.

The offensive line. Sophomore tackle Keith Kincaid and senior center Julio Alcala led the charge for the most improved area of the team.

Lewis Blanton, LB. The former walk-on became a starter early last season, then lost his job. He should be back in the lineup after a solid spring.

Mel Miller and Chazz Moore, DBs. Individually, they are among the best in the conference. Together, ``you'll be hard-pressed to find a pair of corners better at any level,'' head coach Ron Ponciano said.

- Chris Branam

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Photo, Box

Photo: no caption (CSUN football)

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

Box: SPRING FLINGS (See text)