JC Football Preview: Orange Coast vs. Palomar

Orange Coast (1-2) vs. Palomar (1-2)

When/where: Saturday, 6 p.m., Escondido High

Key Pirates: Fr. WR D.J. McFadden; Fr. RB Lorenzo Williams; Fr. OLB Jason Kollock; Fr. OLB Caleb Potter.

Key Comets: Fr. RB Justin Harris; So. QB Ryan Lamb; So. WR Anthony Mount; So. SS Stephen Parks.

Breakdown: The Pirates and Comets both head into the Southern Conference opener struggling ... The Pirates are last in the seven-team conference in total defense, rushing and first downs ... Palomar is last in the conference in scoring (19.7 per game) and yards per game (286.7) ... OCC is averaging only 70.4 rushing yards per game and other than Williams (181 yards on 52 carries), the Pirates have produced just 30 yards on the ground ... McFadden, averaging 20.9 yards on 14 catches, is emerging as a consistent threat ... Lamb is a mere 36 for 90 passing (40%) and has thrown six interceptions to only four touchdown passes ... OCC is minus-five in turnover ratio, while the Comets are even ... Kollock leads the team with 28 tackles, despite coming off the bench ... Palomar’s two leading tacklers, Parks and David Atoe, are both safeties ... Palomar has two rushing TDs this season, one fewer than OCC ...OCC is 5-23 in conference games the last five seasons.

— Barry Faulkner