The defense that is in the top 5 in SoCal in points allowed (21.1), Top 10 in total defense (367.1 yards per game) and has allowed all but one opponent under their season scoring average is the product of an interesting coaching dynamic.

"It's a perfect blend of youth and experience," Ventura coach Steve Mooshagian said. "I will express myself when I need to, but I leave those guys alone. ... You've got to let them coach."

First-year coordinator Tyson Butler manages veteran position coaches Ted Lawrence (defensive line), Gary Anglin (linebackers) and Morris (secondary), who combine for more than a half-century of VC experience.

"It works for us," Morris said. "Coach Butler brings such an amped-up attitude. He tweaks things right and left that makes things even better. He brings a new view to it. ... He's going to become a great coordinator."

Ventura College has hired Feather River College head coach Steve Mooshagian as its head football coach.

Mooshagian, 51, fills the void left by Jon Mack's January departure to Crespi Carmelite High.

"We're ecstatic to add a teacher and coach the caliber of coach Mooshigan to our staff," said Ventura athletic director Will Cowen. "It's well worth the wait."

Mooshagian brings to Ventura experience at virtually every level of the game.

"He has a vast array of coaching experience," said Ventura College athletic director Will Cowen. "I think it's important to have a leader who really understands what it takes to be successful at every level."

Mooshagian spent four years in the NFL as the Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers from 1999 to 2002, working with Chad (Johnson) Ochocinco, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Darnay Scott, Carl Pickens, and Peter Warrick.

He was an NCAA Division I-A offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh (1997-98) and Nevada (1996).

He was the head coach at Division I-AA Sacramento State for four years (2003-06) and the assistant head coach at the University of San Diego (2007-08), when the Toreros led NCAA Division I FCS in scoring (44.3 points per game).

"Good find, huh?" said longtime Ventura assistant coach Gary Anglin. "He's a very good fit for Ventura College."

Mooshagian's resume also includes one other stint as a California community college head coach (Fresno City, 1995) and two years at Washington Union High in Fresno (1983-84),

In between, he spent 10 years on the staff at Fresno State, where he coached 10 NFL receivers during a stretch when the Bulldogs won six conference titles and played in six bowl games.

"You never stop learning," said Mooshagian. "I've picked things up along the way, I think I've been very blessed to have learned from a lot of people."

Feather River was 5-5 last fall in Mooshagian's first season last fall, falling 27-26 to Mendocino in the final game with the Mid-Empire Conference title on the line and finishing the season ranked No. 15 in Northern California. All 22 sophomores transferred to four-year schools.

The son of Ray Mooshagian, who spent 31 years as a high school coach in the Los Angeles area, Mooshagian played wide receiver at Downey High, Cerritos College (1978-79) and Fresno State (1980-81) and signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Express of the USFL (1983).

The loss of head coach Jon Mack may be a big hit publicly for the Ventura College football team.

But at least three of its key freshmen said this week that the core of the coaching staff that predated Mack and will postdate his departure next month to Crespi Carmelite High will ensure the Pirates continue to compete for the Northern Conference.

"We're going to be a force to be reckoned with," said linebacker Brenden Daley. "The only hit we take is in the recruiting. He did help us out a lot there. But I feel like if everyone stays on board, coach Mack's departure will not be that big of a loss. Although it is a loss."

Daley said his linebacker coach, defensive coordinator Gary Anglin, was every bit as important as Mack to his success.

"Mack was a recruiting coach," said defensive lineman Tommy Stuart. "He got it done. He got everyone fired up. But I still think everything will be fine at VC if the other coaches stay."

Stuart singled out his defensive line coach, Ted Lawrence, for the "motivation and knowledge of most four-year college coaches."

"He just loves the county too much to leave," said Stuart.

"The coaches basically ran practice" continued Stuart. "Coach Mack was there screaming and yelling, getting people fired up, but the position coaches are all excellent coaches, some of the best coaches in the nation for (community college)."

Anglin, Lawrence, special teams coordinator Tom Lawrence and offensive coordinator Tim Gutierrez, who all predate Mack with a combined for 63 years of service at Ventura, are all expected to stay.

"Coach 'G' (isn't) going anywhere," said freshman quarterback Antavius Sims Wednesday, before he faced Oxnard College in men's basketball. "We'll be fine."

Gutierrez, who also coached with Mack at St. Bonaventure, said earlier this week that he still "had a lot to think about," before equating the situation this week to "breaking up with your girlfriend over the phone."

"We're all here and moving on and continuing our recruiting," said Anglin. "We're up for the challenge."

Mack, who held a press conference in Encino Saturday to be unveiled as Crespi coach, visited VC campus Tuesday to meet briefly with the team and file his resignation.

That enabled the VC administration to begin the process of opening the search for his successor.

"I hope that we'll be able to fill it quickly," said Calote. "It's an important time to have a full-time coach."

From Ventura's perspective, there's good and bad news from the pregame warmups at Memorial Stadium.

Quarterback Antavius Sims (ankle) is in uniform and is expected to start. He looked pretty good, if a little stiff, in warmups.

"He'll be fine," said offensive coordinator Tim Gutierrez.

Gutierrez feels Bakersfield may have the best defense on Ventura's schedule.

"They remind me of Cerritos," said Gutierrez. "Big and fast."

I was not able to locate cornerback Travaun Nixon. It's not official, but I've been told Nixon has broken his foot, had surgery Friday and hopes to heal fast enough to play in the postseason, should Ventura qualify.

Defensive coordinator Gary Anglin, who missed much of the week with bronchitis, said the Pirates will fill the hole left by Nixon's absence with a rotation of up to six players.

Although I expect safety Valtray Jackson to play a lot more.

Ventura College defensive coordinator Gary Anglin on the Pirates' key visit of College of the Canyons Saturday night:

"To be in the hunt, to be in this position towards November. That's the excitement of college football."

(on Canyons)

"They're still very powerful. They have some opportunities that we don't have here yet. But they seem to get top athletes that have fallen short of going to a four-year school.

"Looking at them on film, they look like another Canyons team."

(on the VC defense)

"It makes it fun to be a defensive coach. We're healthy going into this game. Our defense is excited. I'm confident that our offense will go out and play well.

"Travaun Nixon has been everything we've asked him to be. Ryan Panapa and Brenden Daily are right there atop our tackle chart. Derrick Clune has done a tremendous job on the defensive line.

"Those are just guys that are very, very active and they're very sound in their assignments.

"Brenden Daily is a freshman, but if he continues to grow in the game, he's going to be something special at the end of his sophomore season. He reminds me of a linebacker of the name of Jerry Haflich, who I had here in 1980, who's now head football coach of American River College.

There will be a 30th year of Ventura College football after all for Gary Anglin.

One of the lasting memories of the Pirates' 35-13 Citrus Cup win over Moorpark last November was the sight of the veteran coach, cup in hand, being lifted on his players' shoulders after the end of his final VC football season.

The former VC baseball star and head coach planned to make a permanent move back to the diamond. A move that was reversed in the wake of the offseason budget crisis.

"We had a staff meeting last week and we all sang the song 'Reunited,' " said head coach Jon Mack. "It's so great to have him back, not only for his knowledge and his experience, but also himself. He's just a great man."

From safety Travaun Nixon to linebacker Ryan Panapa to defensive end Derrick Clune, the Pirates' defense is full of key returners. But none is more important than the experienced defensive coordinator.

Together, they should be the strength of the team this fall.

One of the lasting memories of the Ventura College football team's 35-13 Citrus Cup win Saturday at Larrabee Stadium was the sight of veteran coach Gary Anglin, cup in hand, being lifted on his player's shoulders after the end of his 29th and final VC football season.

"I was honored but I was also a little embarrassed," said Anglin. "That was a team victory."

Anglin gave the pregame speech.

"There's just a lot of great memories," said Anglin. "To beat Moorpark in our final game at Larrabee Stadium is special."

After Monday's football practice, Gary Anglin told his Ventura College linebackers that lining up against cross-county rival Moorpark College was a fitting end to any season.

And any career.

Anglin, 57, has spent 34 of the past 39 years in the Pirates' football program as a player and coach. Saturday's 41st Citrus Cup game against Moorpark College will be his final football game in orange and black.

"It's a lot of years," said Anglin, who will rejoin the school's baseball program in the summer as an assistant to head coach Don Adams.

"I can't believe it... To me, it's the greatest."