Top 25 Early Contenders high school football team preview: No. 6 Mater Dei

Bruce Rollinson knows about cycles. He's coached football at Mater Dei in the heart of Orange County for 28 seasons.

He and the Monarchs once ruled the wide region and they are a perennial national power, winning mythical national titles in 1994 and 1996.

The program's rich history features quarterback Heisman winners, John Huarte (1960) and Matt Leinart (2004), and Gatorade National Athlete of the Year Matt Barkley (2007). Since the 1950's there have been 521 wins against 199 losses with 26 league crowns and nine California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section titles. Only five seasons have ended with Mater Dei sporting a losing record.

But over the last decade, other Southern California programs — particularly Centennial (Corona) and St. John Bosco (Bellflower) — have unseated Mater Dei as the big dog in the region.



Not quite yet, say the 2016 Monarchs.

With 10 sophomore starters back from last season's No. 17 team that went 10-3, along with a talented senior class and probably the best sophomore quarterback in the country in J.T. Daniels, Mater Dei is back in the national mix.

"I knew it was coming," Rollinson said of the attention his 2016 team would be getting. "We took one of the best teams in the country last year (Centennial) down to the wire (losing 42-36 in Southern Section semifinals) with 10 sophomores. We've got a lot of kids coming back. We're definitely cycling back up."

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Rollinson knows that simply by the amount of college coaches roaming the newly renovated Santa Ana campus.

"It's been a very busy spring," he said. "We have 11 players with major college offers. That's a great problem to have. That comes with the territory."

The Players
The one most colleges are curious about is Daniels, a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder who threw for 3,042 yards, 33 touchdowns and three interceptions as a freshman.



He was a first-team MaxPreps freshman all-American and drew comparisons to Barkley, the first Mater Dei quarterback ever to start as a freshman. At 15, Daniels already has a vast understanding of the game.

"He thoroughly enjoys learning the game," Rollinson said. "Like Barkley and all the great ones, he understands what it takes to be great. Besides all his athletic ability — and it's all there — being a true student of the game might be his best quality."

Daniels has weapons all around him, especially at wide receiver, where Osiris St. Brown (6-2, 181) figures to get the most targets. The nation's No. 14 senior receiver according to the 247Sports Composite, has 21 college offers, but Notre Dame, Stanford and Cal appear to be at the top of his list.

Other top senior recruits are cornerbacks Quentin Lake and Jalen Cole, linebacker Fa'avae Fa'avae and safety Chase Ault.

Lake (6-1, 173), with offers from Oregon State and Hawaii, is a little longer and rangier, while Cole (5-10, 172) is faster and very skilled. He also stars on special teams as a returner. Lake (49 tackles) had seven interceptions last year and Cole (60 tackles) added two.

"He can fly," Rollinson said of Cole. "It's great having both those guys back there. We're not afraid to take chances with defensive calls with those two guys who can really cover."



Fa'avae (6-1, 210) had 59 tackles, but he was especially effective on the blitz, leading the squad with 11 sacks. He has offers from Arizona State, Hawaii, Boston College and Louisville.

"He's a playmaker," Rollinson said. "The kid is legitimate. He was a little on the wild side as a young player, but he's really matured and can flat-out play."

Two of the top Mater Dei recruits are actually from the Class of 2018. Left tackle Tommy Brown (6-7, 323) will protect Daniels' blind side and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (6-0, 175) should improve upon his good numbers as a sophomore.

Brown is ranked the fifth-best junior tackle in the country by the 247Sports Composite, and St. Brown is the 30th top junior receiver in the country. He has 12 offers, including ones from USC, Notre Dame and Alabama.

When comparing the St. Brown brothers, Rollinson said: "Osiris is smooth and very precise with his routes. Amon is a scrappy dog. He's got a great blend of arrogance and wanting the football all the time."

The Schedule
The Monarchs won't leave Southern California, but always play the usual rugged Trinity League schedule, considered one of the toughest in the nation each year.



The team's first four games are against Fountain Valley, Bishop Amat, Mayfair and Upland, which had a combined record of 32-15 last season. All of those teams won at least seven games.

Most will circle the Oct. 21 game against No. 9 St. John Bosco at Cerritos College.

Rollinson, who sports a nifty 259-82-2 record, said he can't wait for the season to start.

"I think you need to reinvent yourself and remotivate yourself every year without changing your core values," he said. "I've got great coaches surrounding me and good kids. I consider myself very lucky."

Especially this season.