Football's 24 Takeaways Lead Nation's Community Colleges

Through six games and going into today's action with no game scheduled this week, the Pasadena City College football team led the state and the nation in takeaways--turnovers created via interception and fumble--with 24.

The Lancers (3-3 overall) lead the SCFA American Metro League standings with Santa Ana, both at 2-0. PCC is on a 3-game winning streak and much of that is due to the team's ability to create turnovers. Pasadena's defense has made 14 interceptions and recovered 10 fumbles, and average four takeaways a game. 

PCC is tied for second in the state in both interceptions and fumble recoveries, respectively. 

Lancers interim head coach Steve Mojarro talked about the statistic.

"The credit has to go to our whole defensive coaching staff, starting with our defensive coordinator Fred Fimbres," Mojarro said of the former PCC head coach and now key assistant (2011-2014). "One of our team's philosophies is to have our players always anticipate and look to force turnovers. Sometimes we are taking chances to get that edge, but it's working well for us. The secondary keeps making pickoffs and our defensive linemen especially have stripped balls and gotten to fumbles."

Defensive lineman Jasper Iheaso has two fumble recoveries while three different Lancers, Ty Apana-Purcell, Josiah Purchase and Jshoun Wolfe, are tied for the team lead in interceptions with two each. In fact, 10 different players have picked off at least one pass this season with still four games remaining in the regular season. 

PCC returns to action next Saturday, Oct. 21 when it hosts Glendale College in a 6 p.m. league game at Robinson Stadium.