Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Carson Tucker in action for the Tigers two years ago.

By Ray Hamill — After a year at Contra Costa College, former Arcata Tiger Carson Tucker is back on the North Coast this fall and turning some heads on the football field.

The 2022 Arcata High graduate, who was named Humboldt Sports Big 5 Athlete of the Year as a senior, has earned a starting spot on the College of the Redwoods football team.

He transferred to CR after red-shirting last fall at Contra Costa College.

Tucker and the Corsairs will kick off the new season against Merced College on Saturday at the Redwood Bowl.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and Tucker will start at slot receiver, earning the start from a deep pool of receivers on this year’s CR team.

The former Tiger was a dynamic playmaker at Arcata High and a key component of a high-octane offense in 2021 (spring and fall seasons) along with quarterback Shane Purcell.

Purcell also has transferred to CR after a year at Contra Costa and will back up starter Max Hough, a former Fortuna Husky who enjoyed a breakout season at the collegiate level as a freshman a year ago.

Tucker is one of eight former H-DNL players who will either start or see substantial playing time on offense or defense this weekend.

In addition to Carson and Hough, former Fortuna Husky Joey Quen, a multi-sport athlete at CR, will start on the offense line at right tackle and is the only returning starter on the unit.

Del Norte’s Levi Cox-Cooley will also feature heavily at tuning back after establishing himself at the collegiate level a year ago.

Two other former Del Norte Warriors will also start on defense.

Shane Purcell is back on the North Coast playing for CR this fall, joining his former Arcata teammate Carson Tucker on the roster.

Tanner Forkner is back at linebacker after playing a key role for the team in 2022, while freshman Bryson Price has earned a starting spot at defensive tackle.

Rounding out the local contingent of starters for Saturday’s game, Eureka’s Chase Steubing will play alongside Forker at linebacker and Ferndale graduate Lane Branstetter will start at cornerback.

Saturday’s game is the first of five regular-season home games this fall for the Corsairs.

For more on the game, see Community interest building ahead of CR season opener …