Football: D

Coach John McDermott's squad is struggling with an 0-7 overall record and it has lost its first two conference games against College of Redwoods at home and at Yuba College on Saturday.


Currently, the offense is having difficulties putting points on the board, as the Comets have been shut out twice already this season.


Finger pointing has occurred as a result, as quarterback Royce Hughes and wide receiver Alberto Johnson have placed blame on the team's young offensive line.


"It's hard to get into a rhythm as an offense without a line in front of you," Johnson said.


Despite the erratic play of the offensive line, Hughes and his receivers have not been able to connect even when the line has provided enough protection on passing plays.


"We're not making plays on offense," McDermott said. "Our big play guys need to step up and make plays for us, but we're not doing a good job of that right now."


The lack of a big-play capable offense has hurt the Comets in several games this season when the defense has played well enough to keep the team within striking distance.


McDermott and his coaching staff have begun to work on the basics to hopefully jumpstart the offense and put more points on the board.


The defense, however, has continued to improve as the season has progressed.


After struggling early against Los Medanos and Diablo Valley colleges in Contra Costa College's first two games, the defense has picked up its play.


Despite giving up 270 points through seven games thus far, it has been more a product of the inabilities of the offense to stay on the field.


"Our defense has stepped up and played tremendously for us in our recent games," McDermott said. "They're making plays to give the ball to our offense, but we can't capitalize on these opportunities."


CCC has yet to play a game where both the offense and defense were able to execute at an equally high level.


The defense alone cannot shoulder the load for too long without a more consistent performance from the offense.


Until the offense can find a way to produce, it will be difficult to manage even one victory this year.


­—­Jeff Carillo