Change of scenery for college players

BURBANK — With its recent success, its not surprising the Glendale Community College football program has turned out its share of talented players.

It's because of that success that a large number of athletes have been moving on to four-year colleges after their tenure with the Vaqueros the last two years. Last season, 27 of the 30 sophomores on the team earned scholarships at four-year universities.

However, along with individuals leaving, the program's success has also prompted players to want to come to GCC.

Two former Burbank-area standouts have found new college homes after helping the Vaqueros to a fine year this past season. Bellarmine-Jefferson High graduate Brendon Doyle has signed to play quarterback at Weber State University and wide receiver/special teams player Jesse Ayers — a Burbank High graduate — is now at Dakota Wesleyan University.

The Vaqueros also received good news that former Bulldog star quarterback Mike McDonald is transferring from UNLV and will be a sophomore for GCC in 2007.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound McDonald landed at GCC after things didn't work out for him at UNLV. After breaking records at Burbank, he redshirted as the Rebels' third-string quarterback two seasons ago.

He thought he was going to stay at the position last season — even playing quarterback through the final spring game — but the Rebels coaches decided to move him to linebacker.

He was disheartened when he saw little playing time at his new position. That prompted McDonald to make a decision.

"When I was switched to linebacker, I was OK with it at first," McDonald said. "But the more I thought about it the more that I realized that the position just doesn't feel right to me.

"I have the mindset of a quarterback, and want the ball in my hands. I really wanted to play quarterback somewhere in college. So, that's why I made the decision to go to a place where I can play quarterback."

McDonald said the Vaquero program is a nice fit for him.

"They do a lot of things on offense, like spreads and going from the shotgun," he said. "The coaches are also really great and the program is successful."

McDonald will likely be competing against GCC sophomore Jacob Proctor for the starting job.