The Long Beach City Vikings ended with a 6-5 record last season, good for third in the National – Central Division.
LBCC focused more on the passing attack offensively as they were sixth in the country for yards per game and ninth in total passing yards. But with new head coach Marques Cooper taking the reins of the program, there should be a different offensive identity for the Vikings in 2025.
“I think definitely this year we’re going to shoot to have more of a balanced approach, ” said Cooper. “We’ll certainly be similar in what we do but we want to be as balanced as a team as we can.”
Cooper had a long task ahead of him when he took the head coaching role this year. After one-third of the team graduated and multiple freshman players transferred or saved eligibility, he needed to get the team filled quickly.
“When I took over the program, the numbers dipped with the change, and we had 15 players. So we had a massive rebuild. That was two months before the season so we went into real activation in recruiting,” Cooper said. “The numbers have definitely been different from when I’ve been here (as defensive coordinator) and we had 120-130 people to 90 now, but only 11 can get on the field.”
Cooper says this year’s team has the ability to fly after the ball, both offensively and defensively.
“We wanted our identity to be fast and tough because if you can fly around and you’re tough, you can win a lot of games,” Cooper said. “We just want to construct a roster of guys that are fast, that can fly around and that can be tough and we can teach them the game of football and build around that.”
Offensively, the running backs and receivers are perfect examples of a mix of quickness and the ability to get yards after catch.
Cooper gave multiple names on the team that were bright spots during their fall camp, two of them were sophomore wide receivers Owen Tomich and Ike White.
Tomich played at Cerritos College last year and Cooper said he can take the top off, he runs great routes and can play special teams if need be.
White is a Minnesota Gopher and UNC Charlotte bounceback who was a four star ESPN recruit coming out of Saint Frances High in Philadelphia. According to Cooper, had a 70-yard reception during a preseason scrimmage.
The running backs are just as elusive with sophomore standout running back Devin Samples, whose ability to break tackles stood out during Monday’s practice.
“Devin Samples has had a great summer camp, his shiftiness, his speed, his low and he’s compact to the ground so he’s able to hit the hole. You don’t really see him but when you do see him, he’s running and finishing runs physically,” Cooper said.
In 2022, Samples had 40 percent of Long Beach Poly’s rushing attempts en route to a 10-1 season for the Jackrabbits.
Cooper said that the running back room was probably one of the better groups in the team and that they worked their butts off this offseason.
“Their body shows it, they’re in shape, they run physically, fast and they’re dynamic,” he said.
“We’re all a brotherhood, especially the running backs. We’ve been working since last year, we didn’t take any breaks,” Samples said. “Through adversity, through hardship, we’re going to keep pushing.”
Tight ends sophomore Kyle Brown and freshman Riley Weinstein each bring height and the ability to make contested catches to help be a security blanket for the offense.
“Kyle Brown and Riley [Weinstein] are like 6’7-6’8 so we have some guys that have length and playmaking ability that when the ball is in the air, they’re going to attack it,” Cooper said.
Brown was named second team all-conference tight end in 2024 for the Vikings and averaged 84 yards per game with 672 receiving yards at South High School in 2023.
The sophomore tight end said has a good connection with sophomore quarterback Allen Fernett, who was in the quarterback room last year.
“We have a good relationship outside of football so I think even building relationships outside of football is good and whenever I’m in coverage, just making sure that he knows I have his back,” Brown said.
On the defensive side, the Vikings bring that same speed and energy just like the offense.
“Defensively, we’re definitely going to have a mindset of tempo, speed, we’re going to fly around, we’re going to be physical,” Cooper said.
Bounceback cornerbacks freshman Marvin Williams, sophomore Keon Washington and sophomore Cordell Montgomery help bring experience and leadership to the team.
“I think having guys that have experience brings a lot of stability on the team, it brings a lot of maturity and it helps guys just grow and they can kinda be a big brother,” Cooper said. “When you’re in those programs, you just know what it’s like to have structure and it allows you to come back with good coaching to know what the standard is.”
Freshman linebacker and former Wilson Bruin Kaden Draper stood out to the first-year head coach, saying that he had an outstanding camp because of his ability to adjust to the speed of the game.
Draper said that his goal this season is to have 50 or more tackles, three forced fumbles and an interception.
“I’m expecting us to do pretty well this season, I feel like Coach Coop is a good coach and I’d say our defense is pretty solid and so is our offense,” he said.
With a new coach and completely new roster, the Vikings could be the team that surprises people.
“We think people are underestimating us, but don’t be surprised if we come out firing and come out hot,” Brown said.
“A lot of people are going to hate because they don’t know what we got or what we’re capable of doing, but we’ll show that Saturday,” Williams said.
Cooper said that the factors that can take the team over the edge this season is player growth, learning technique and playing sound football.
“I want people to know that these kids are resilient,” Cooper said. “We have a group of kids that believed in me … They believed in the philosophy and they put their heads down everyday.”
The Vikings open the 2025 season on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Riverside, then play their home opener on Sept. 6 against Mt. San Jacinto with a 4 p.m. kickoff.
