PCC’s Football Bounty: Rodriguez All-American/State Region IV Defensive MVP, Tucker State Coach of Year

The accolades keep coming in from the Pasadena City College football team’s glorious 2021 season as linebacker Lucio Rodriguez was named to the elite All-American Team as well as selected the State Region IV Defensive Player of the Year while Lancers head coach Robert Tucker was chosen Region IV State Coach of the Year.

The 9-2 Lancers, SoCal Bowl champions and tri-champs of the SFCA American Mountain League, were ranked #24 on the Final JC Athletic Bureau State Top 25 Poll. Rodriguez headed a list of five PCC players selected All-State Region IV, including a second straight choice of cornerback Kaydon Spens, who made the 2019 All-State squad.

Rodriguez, a sophomore, led the PCC defense with 80 tackles (44 solos and 36 assists also team highs) and a Lancers best seven sacks. His 17.5 tackles for 90 yards lost led the entire SCFA and was second in the state. Rodriguez added an interception, two quarterback hurries, a pass knockdown, and a recovered fumble for a touchdown. He also caught a TD pass on a fake field goal.

He was the lone Lancer on the 36-player CCCFCA All-American Team. Rodriguez is also the first All-American voted in since the 2001 season when PCC Hall of Fame running back Jonathan Smith, center Jesus Yanez and defensive lineman Jimmy Williams were selections from that year’s 2001 Mission Conference and South County Bowl champions.

Spens led the state in blocked kicks, several that were game-changers including his blocked field goal that started the PCC rally in the team’s SoCal Bowl win over Santa Ana. Two of his punt blocks resulted in PCC touchdowns, one by the talented special teams artist. He added 49 tackles (38 solos second on team), a sack, a hurry, a forced fumble, made three interceptions and broke up six other passes. Often, teams refused to throw to Spens side of the field, knowing the blanket he put over on opposing wide receivers. Spens committed to NCAA Division II-Pittsburg State this week. Spens is now the second Lancer to ever be named 2-time, All-State–the first being wide receiver/all-purpose player David Telles in 2018-2019.

Tucker’s community college legend continues to soar to bigger heights. PCC’s first-year Director of Football Operations is 39-5 at this level (.886 winning percentage) with four bowl titles and three conference championships (at three different colleges).

SoCal Bowl MVP sophomore quarterback Kade Wentz, SoCal Bowl Player of the Game linebacker Jordan Monroe, and freshman offensive lineman/right tackle Edward Aranda Calixto joined Rodriguez and Spens as All-State recipients.

Wentz put together the eighth highest passing yards season in school history as he completed 155 of 261 passes for 2,188 yards, 19 touchdowns and only seven interceptions (a 59.4 completion percentage). He was eighth in the SCFA in pass efficiency with a 148.5 rating. Wentz is the first PCC 2,000-yard passer since 2015 and he proved to be an adept rusher as he totaled 360 net yards and ran for four TDs. Wentz ran for 100 yards exactly in a win over Citrus and exceeded the 80-yard mark three times, including the team’s league title-clinching triumph over Mt. San Jacinto. The team was 5-0 when Wentz passed for more than 260 yards in a game. His SoCal Bowl-winning touchdown pass of 95 yards to running back Miles Anderson was the longest pass play in Lancers football history and third longest ever by the program.

The freshman Monroe ran back an interception 97 yards for a TD in the SoCal Bowl (fifth longest in school history) and he finished the season with 39 tackles, three interceptions, 3.5 sacks, and four quarterback hurries.

Aranda Calixto, a 5-11, 300-pound freshman, was part of an unheralded PCC offensive line that featured a balanced passing and rushing game. The Lancers offense averaged 31.5 points a game and was a solid 47 percent on both third down and fourth down conversions. The work of the O-Line allowed PCC to average a chain-moving 23 first downs per game.

CCCFCA All-State Selections from PCC 

2021-Lucio Rodriguez, LB, Defensive Player of the Year, Kaydon Spens, DB, Kade Wentz, QB, Jordan Monroe, LB, Edward Aranda Calixto, OL
2019-David Telles, WR, Mark Navarro, LB, Kaydon Spens, DB
2018-David Telles, All-Purpose
2017-Stevie Williams, WR, Enrique Lozano, Punter
2016-Daeqwan Bailey, DT
2013-Dalyou Pierson, DL
2010-%Charles Tuaau, DL, Omar Smith, DB
2009-Ahkeem Mckinney, DL
2007-David Pittman, QB, *David Reed, WR, Marcus Anderson, WR, Terell Carr, DB
2003-*#Jerome Harrison, RB
2002-Hannibal Thomas, WR, Michael Watson, OL
2001-%#Jonathan Smith, RB, Co-Offensive Player of the Year, Jesus Yanez, OC, Paul Schiffer, OG, Jimmy Williams, DL, Jeff Runnells, LB, Darryl Moore, DB

#-members of the PCC Sports Hall of Fame
*-played in the NFL
%-signed as NFL free agents but did not play past exhibition season