File photo – A large contingent of local players are expected to play for the Corsairs this fall.

By Ray Hamill — The Corsairs began practice this week, as college football gets set to make a welcome return to the North Coast for the first time since 2019.

The College of the Redwoods players held six practices without pads, with 70 players on hand and around 10 more expected to join up over the coming days.

The team will will begin practice in pads on Aug. 8 with the first game of the season scheduled for early September.

And, according to head coach Jason White, the players appear focused and eager to represent their local community college this fall.

“I’m really happy with the overall attitude of the players,” White said. “They’ve been working hard, they’re well behaved and they listen. It’s a very good group to coach, and we have some talented players.”

The program was suspended for budgetary reasons in the summer of 2020, but was was reinstated in early 2021 with the condition there would be a greater emphasis on local recruiting.

White has certainly done that with an expected local contingent of close to 40 H-DNL players expected to suit up this fall.

This week, the coaches and the players have been working on some basics.

“A lot of it is the installation of schemes and working on techniques and fundamentals,” White said.

Having not played for the last two years, this season’s roster will be made up almost entirely of freshmen.

White, however, had 30 players practicing in the spring, which will help with the transition over the next month.

“That definitely makes a difference,” he said of the spring sessions. “Because those guys know what to expect and can help the other guys coming in.

“A lot of it right now is getting to know what the players are capable of. You have a lot of evaluation to do and when you don’t have sophomores coming back, you’re basically trying to learn what your players can do.”

The Corsairs open the season at Merced College on Sept. 3 and will play their home opener a week later against San Jose City College.

All homes games will be played at the Redwood Bowl.

The 2022 Schedule

Sept. 3 – at Merced College

Sept. 10 – vs. San Jose City College

Sept. 17 – at West Hills College

Sept. 24 – vs. Monterey Peninsula College

Oct. 1 – vs. Foothill College

Oct. 8 – at Los Medanos College, 6 p.m.

Oct. 15 – Bye

Oct. 22 – at Yuba College, 6 p.m.

Oct. 29 – Bye

Nov. 5 – vs. DeAnza College

Nov. 12 – vs. Gavilan College

Nov. 19 – at Feather River

All games at 1 p.m. unless otherwise noted