Garrett Coaches While He Works on Degree

As Jerry Garrett’s world turns.

When we last checked in on the former Oceanside High quarterback and Palomar College wide receiver, Garrett was getting his academic act together and was set to begin school at the University of Houston this fall.

But because Garrett didn’t earn his associate’s degree, he is back at Palomar as a receivers coach on Tom Craft’s staff.

Craft said Garrett had intended to go to Mesa College in Tempe, Ariz., to get away from home and to be close to a girlfriend who is attending Arizona State, but that plan fell through and he returned to the San Marcos campus.

“He asked me if he could work with the receivers, and I was thrilled,” said Craft, who is beginning his 10th year as Palomar’s head coach.

In 1991, when Palomar was named national co-champion, Garrett led the state in receptions (83), yardage (1,303) and touchdowns (15) and was named first-team All-American by the J.C. Grid-Wire.

Garrett has two years left of his college eligibility, and Craft said if he earns his degree, schools will be interested. San Diego State, Arizona, Fresno State and Oregon State were among the schools that wooed Garrett last year.

“I think he’s definitely not interested in that situation (with Houston),” Craft said. “I think he’ll re-sign a letter of intent with someone else.”

Possibly the Aztecs?

“If he gets everything done with his degree, we would love to have him at SDSU,” said Aztec Coach Al Luginbill, whose son, Tom, is the starting quarterback at Palomar.

Because of NCAA rules, Garrett would have to approach SDSU. The school can’t recruit him.

“(Garrett’s) talked about (coming to SDSU),” Luginbill said. “He asked my son if (SDSU) would be interested. I told (Tom), ‘Yes, we would be.’ ”

Luginbill said he sees Garrett as a receiver or wideout: “He has a great feel for the game; he’s a special athlete.”

But time is running out. A year ago, Craft said he was sure Garrett could get his degree and get on with his life.

“Knowing this is his last stop, I think he’ll eventually get it done,” Craft said in September 1991. “He’s got nothing left after this year.”

Garrett has extended that deadline, but Craft said now that he’s coaching, he has added motivation to succeed.

“It’s sometimes frustrating because they want to get out there and do it, but that helps keep them going to school,” he said.

Craft was speaking of Garrett and Tamasi Amituanai, a defensive lineman who was set to go to the University of Arizona this fall.

Amituanai, also a first-team All-American and now a defensive line coach at Palomar, dropped out of summer school and is a few units shy of graduation. But Craft said he probably will have his associate degree in time to go to Arizona for spring football.

“They’re developing a sense of responsibility, getting the respect of the players. It’s a real positive thing for them to be involved with the staff,” Craft said.

Now if it can just rub off in the classroom.

To gear up for the regular season, Point Loma Nazarene’s women’s volleyball team decided to challenge itself in the preseason.

Before it begins NAIA District 3 and Golden State Athletic Conference play, the Crusaders will have played schools out of its league, including San Diego State and UC San Diego. In the San Diego City Championships last week, PLNC took a game from SDSU and extended the Aztecs to 15-12 in another, then defeated UCSD for the first time.

Over the weekend, the Crusaders turned back Cal Poly Pomona in a tournament in Irvine that Cal Poly eventually won. Tuesday night, PLNC knocked off Southwest Minnesota, ranked ninth in the NAIA preseason poll.

“This early season schedule will help us,” said Barb Wnek, who is beginning her sixth year as PLNC’s coach. “But our own conference is where we are really challenged. We play in the strongest NAIA conference in the country.”

Fresno Pacific (third) and Azusa Pacific (15th) join PLNC (18th) in GSAC play.

The Crusaders (2-3) have played without junior outside hitter junior Robin Rabello, who has a strained lower back. They are led by senior middle blocker Roberta Smith and her sister, junior setter Debbie Litten.

Grossmont College football coach Dave Jordan sees some of his 1974 football team when he looks at his 1992 team. Those are big shoes to fill.

In 1974, the Griffins won the state championship led by quarterback Joe Roth, a Granite Hills High graduate who later played at Cal.

In 1976, his junior year at Cal, Roth led the Bears to a Pac-10 co-conference title with USC. He was a Heisman Trophy candidate and projected as a No. 1 draft choice, but died of cancer a year later.

Last year, Grossmont retired its first football jersey when it retired the No. 12 worn by Roth in 1973 and 1974.

This weekend the SDSU women’s volleyball team plays host to the Asics Grand Prix Tournament,, with teams from Villanova, Northwestern, University of San Francisco and Baylor.

Tickets for the round-robin tournament are available at Peterson Gym for $5 for adults, $3 for children and two-day passes for $8.

The Aztecs’ first game is 12:30 Friday against USF, followed by a 7:30 contest against Baylor. Play begins at 10 a.m., with five matches played every day.

Outside hitter Gracie Schutt has 60 kills in three matches for SDSU (2-1).

The SDSU men’s soccer team move to AzTrack from Aztec Bowl has been delayed. Wednesday’s game against Cal Lutheran, Friday’s against Biola (1) and Sunday’s against Cal State Sacramento (3) have all been rescheduled from the grass infield of AzTrack to Cuyamaca College in El Cajon.

The Aztecs won their season opener Monday, 3-1, against Cal State San Bernardino.