Aaron Arnold

It was a simple six-yard reception, but for Aaron Arnold, it was a record breaker. Arnold became the Cal State Northridge career receptions leader Saturday after catching the short pass in the second quarter against Western Oregon to break Dave Romines' mark of 138. Arnold, a senior from Monroe High in his fourth season at Northridge, combined with Marcus Brady for 12 catches for 138 yards, raising his career total to 143. Arnold is 98 yards shy of Romines' career record of 2,259 yards.

From the minute he got to Nashville, Aaron Arnold felt so darn miserable, so much like those guys they twang about in those country songs. Not because he disliked the city. It was no eyesore and, frankly, all that stuff about Southern hospitality was true. Not because he would be away from home, pretty much alone, for such a long haul for the first time. He anticipated missing his family and friends for sure, but was prepared to stick it out. No sirree, nothing that simple to overcome.

Birmingham 19, Monroe 14--Courtney Blunt rushed for 174 yards in 31 carries and scored once as the visiting Braves (3-1) held off Monroe (1-3). Marvin Powell added 99 yards in seven carries, including a six-yard scoring run. Birmingham rushed for 299 yards in 47 carries. The Vikings (1-3) scored first when quarterback Mike Johnson hit Kashan Griffin with a 32-yard scoring strike in the first quarter. However, Birmingham then scored 19 consecutive points.

Jeff Kearin walked onto the Cal State Northridge practice field Wednesday with a warning. "Hey, you guys in the secondary," the Matadors' interim coach said, "Big guy, No. 18, Aaron Arnold. . . Don't hit him!" To which cornerback Chazz Moore quipped: "I'm going to smash him." The mood may have been jocular, but Kearin wasn't kidding.

Aaron Arnold didn't expect the play to work. Marcus Brady likewise had his doubts. But Jeff Kearin was certain of one thing. "Aaron Arnold does what Aaron Arnold does," said Kearin, interim coach for Cal State Northridge. "He's been a big-play guy since we got him. It always comes back to, 'Let's get the ball to Aaron Arnold. Let's throw it to him, hand it to him, kick it to him.'

Monroe High quarterback Aaron Arnold, who glides around the football field with style and efficiency, smiles and reveals an intimate detail about himself. "I love to stuff the run," he says. Granted, Arnold is talking about playing football on his video system, but he still isn't what you might call a typical quarterback. His practice pants get dirty.

Jeff Kearin walked onto the Cal State Northridge practice field Wednesday with a warning. "Hey, you guys in the secondary," the Matadors' interim coach said, "Big guy, No. 18, Aaron Arnold. . . Don't hit him!" To which cornerback Chazz Moore quipped: "I'm going to smash him." The mood may have been jocular, but Kearin wasn't kidding.

Aaron Arnold watched practice from close range Wednesday at Cal State Northridge, his right shoulder bundled in a bag of ice. While the Matadors prepared for a Big Sky Conference game Saturday against visiting Cal State Sacramento, Arnold, the Matadors' career receiving leader, looked on in discomfort. He will not play because of a separated shoulder sustained last week against Montana. "It feels better every day," Arnold said, giving his shoulder a wiggle. "I have some pretty good mobility."

One Cal State Northridge coach says the kid will be an impact receiver. The quarterback says he might well become the best the school has ever seen at his position. Aaron Arnold, only a sophomore, already is showered by superlatives. And why not? He is a graceful athlete with sure hands and sound football sense. Yet Arnold takes compliments in the same stride that could carry him where no other Northridge receiver has gone. "I've got a lot to learn," he said.

The football and the receiver converge at the same spot, the player making one of his typically theatrical grabs. It's show time for Aaron Arnold. The canned R&B sound fills the air, the four singers putting words and feeling to the music. It's show time for Aaron Arnold. Whether on the field with the Cal State Northridge Matadors or on stage, Arnold loves to perform. "I like to entertain people," Arnold said.

Aaron Arnold watched practice from close range Wednesday at Cal State Northridge, his right shoulder bundled in a bag of ice. While the Matadors prepared for a Big Sky Conference game Saturday against visiting Cal State Sacramento, Arnold, the Matadors' career receiving leader, looked on in discomfort. He will not play because of a separated shoulder sustained last week against Montana. "It feels better every day," Arnold said, giving his shoulder a wiggle. "I have some pretty good mobility."

Aaron Arnold didn't expect the play to work. Marcus Brady likewise had his doubts. But Jeff Kearin was certain of one thing. "Aaron Arnold does what Aaron Arnold does," said Kearin, interim coach for Cal State Northridge. "He's been a big-play guy since we got him. It always comes back to, 'Let's get the ball to Aaron Arnold. Let's throw it to him, hand it to him, kick it to him.'

It was a simple six-yard reception, but for Aaron Arnold, it was a record breaker. Arnold became the Cal State Northridge career receptions leader Saturday after catching the short pass in the second quarter against Western Oregon to break Dave Romines' mark of 138. Arnold, a senior from Monroe High in his fourth season at Northridge, combined with Marcus Brady for 12 catches for 138 yards, raising his career total to 143. Arnold is 98 yards shy of Romines' career record of 2,259 yards.

Aaron Arnold cannot count on one hand the number of receptions he needs to become the career receiving leader for Cal State Northridge. It takes two. Arnold needs seven receptions to tie David Romines' record of 138 catches. He needs 236 receiving yards to equal Romines' mark of 2,259. Arnold holds the Matadors' record with 21 touchdown receptions, including 12 last season, a team record he shares with Romines, who played from 1992-96. But who's counting? Certainly not Arnold.

The football and the receiver converge at the same spot, the player making one of his typically theatrical grabs. It's show time for Aaron Arnold. The canned R&B sound fills the air, the four singers putting words and feeling to the music. It's show time for Aaron Arnold. Whether on the field with the Cal State Northridge Matadors or on stage, Arnold loves to perform. "I like to entertain people," Arnold said.

One Cal State Northridge coach says the kid will be an impact receiver. The quarterback says he might well become the best the school has ever seen at his position. Aaron Arnold, only a sophomore, already is showered by superlatives. And why not? He is a graceful athlete with sure hands and sound football sense. Yet Arnold takes compliments in the same stride that could carry him where no other Northridge receiver has gone. "I've got a lot to learn," he said.

From the minute he got to Nashville, Aaron Arnold felt so darn miserable, so much like those guys they twang about in those country songs. Not because he disliked the city. It was no eyesore and, frankly, all that stuff about Southern hospitality was true. Not because he would be away from home, pretty much alone, for such a long haul for the first time. He anticipated missing his family and friends for sure, but was prepared to stick it out. No sirree, nothing that simple to overcome.

Aaron Arnold cannot count on one hand the number of receptions he needs to become the career receiving leader for Cal State Northridge. It takes two. Arnold needs seven receptions to tie David Romines' record of 138 catches. He needs 236 receiving yards to equal Romines' mark of 2,259. Arnold holds the Matadors' record with 21 touchdown receptions, including 12 last season, a team record he shares with Romines, who played from 1992-96. But who's counting? Certainly not Arnold.

Monroe High quarterback Aaron Arnold, who glides around the football field with style and efficiency, smiles and reveals an intimate detail about himself. "I love to stuff the run," he says. Granted, Arnold is talking about playing football on his video system, but he still isn't what you might call a typical quarterback. His practice pants get dirty.

Birmingham 19, Monroe 14--Courtney Blunt rushed for 174 yards in 31 carries and scored once as the visiting Braves (3-1) held off Monroe (1-3). Marvin Powell added 99 yards in seven carries, including a six-yard scoring run. Birmingham rushed for 299 yards in 47 carries. The Vikings (1-3) scored first when quarterback Mike Johnson hit Kashan Griffin with a 32-yard scoring strike in the first quarter. However, Birmingham then scored 19 consecutive points.