Top 10 ranked MJC football gears up for new season with local talent at forefront

Robert Burciaga is ready to do whatever it takes to help the Pirates win.

He’s a lead-by-example type guy who works the hardest in the weight room and on-field drills and is always willing to offer advice to a teammate who asks.

Offense gets all the love. People admire the quarterbacks, want to be as cool as the wide receivers and celebrate when the running back breaks a long run, but Burciaga knows defense most times is the difference between a win and a loss.

“They want to see the offense,” he said with a laugh. “I think (defense) is the biggest part of our game. It’s cool to get the scoop-and-scores, pick-sixes and things like that, but if we can go out there and shut down an offense to a punt, that demoralizes an offense. Now the tide is in our favor. Then you put the ball in [quarterback Luke Weaver’s] hands and let the offense do what they’ve been training to do and go after it.”

Head coach Rusty Stivers said Burciaga is “pound for pound one of the strongest on the team.” He’s a solid football player who will always be in the right spots, rarely makes mistakes and keeps the team-first mindset in everything he does.

“Sometimes his responsibility on defense is to give himself up to make it easier for a guy behind him to make a tackle, and he’s all about that,” Stivers said.

Burciaga went to a Division III after graduating from Summerville High but found his way back to Modesto. After playing mostly on special teams last season, he wants to make a bigger impact as a sophomore.

“I was able to show them that I was good enough to be a special teams player last year and I filled my role,” he said. “This year, I think I’ve got an opportunity to really help the team, not only on special teams but in all aspects of defense.”

JUCO ball is all about “getting out” and earning a scholarship offer from a four-year university. Players know it mostly hinges on team success.

“My individual goals can be put in the rearview mirror with the team goals,” quarterback Luke Weaver said. “My main thing is the more the team wins, the more everyone is going to get the opportunity to get out. I want to do my job and that’s going to help me, but realistically if I help the team win, everyone is going to get out and that’s the biggest goal.”

The Pirates are chasing yet another Valley Conference title, and while they talk about that, Stivers also keeps things in perspective for the team. MJC is the No. 10 team in the state, according to the JCAB Preseason Coaches Poll .

“We want to always win our league title, but I try to keep it old-school process-oriented,” he said. “Worry about today and it’ll take care of tomorrow.”

He said that has translated to the players. They are focused on the process and getting better each day. They had successful spring and summer practices and when fall came around, the young team had taken major strides. Players are focused on winning games but also have a bigger goal in mind: capturing a state title. MJC’s football program has made it as far as the NorCal title game in recent years, but no further.

“We don’t talk about (the state title) in meetings or on the field or anything like that. That’s all on them, just being excited about football,” Stivers said. “In my first eight years, we won four league titles. So now we feel like, OK, now we’ve won a league title, can we push a little farther? We’ve been to the Northern California championship, can we get to that game and have more success?”

Friday night is the annual season opener at Laney College. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Pirates’ home opener is Saturday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. against Santa Rosa and they play a tough slate of nonconference games before playing Valley Conference opponents.

“Guys are hungry,” Stivers said. There’s been good attention to detail. This is an awesome group of kids to coach. An easy group to coach.”

Leading receiver and track champion returns

Joey Stout turned down a Division I offer from Eastern Washington last winter to return to MJC. He ran track in the spring and won Big 8 titles in the 200 and 400 meters and in the long jump, NorCal titles in the 400 and 4x400 relay and a state title in the 400 meters with a dramatic come-from-behind race. On the gridiron, he was an all-conference wide receiver and led the Pirates in nearly every receiving category.

His connection with Weaver was almost instant. After two freshman practices, it clicked. Weaver and Stout connected a few times in 1-on-1 drills, and then the next day, Stout hauled in a one-handed catch on a ball Weaver threw over the middle.

“The first pass I throw to him, he caught a one-handed pass over the middle,” Weaver said. “I think ever since then, it’s been pretty straightforward.”

Said Stout: “I had a few catches I was confident about. But then talking with Luke and building that bond and talking with him on and off the field, it creates that trust that you need as a quarterback and receiver.”

Last season, the two connected 60 times for 708 yards and five touchdowns.

Starting quarterback returns for his sophomore year

Weaver is excited to be back for his sophomore season with the Pirates after taking home Valley Conference MVP honors last season. His return was a pleasant surprise to the MJC coaching staff because he earned Division I scholarship offers from Alabama A&M and Western Illinois, which he turned down with the hopes of finding the right fit.

“It didn’t feel like the right situation, especially since I had another year of eligibility (at MJC),” he said. “It was more like don’t rush it, sit and pray on it.”

The 6-foot-3 captain is in his fourth year running MJC’s NASCAR offense. He ran it his senior year of high school at East Union and has three years under his belt as a Pirate. He is ready to put the injury that forced him to miss nearly all of his true freshman year behind him, focusing instead on conference and state titles.

Stivers said Weaver is the best he’s ever coached at MJC because of his combination of strength, speed, athleticism and football IQ.

“He’s probably the best I’ve coached in all facets,” Stivers said. “In fact, sometimes I tell him I’ve got to get out of his way because he’s smarter than me. So I just get out of the way and listen to what he says.”

Hernandez returns to football after serving as all-star game hero

Trace Hernandez thought his football career was over after his final game at Central Catholic High School. In spring 2024, he said he was just going to be a regular student at whatever four-year college he went to. Then he played in the Lions All-Star Game that summer. Hernandez caught the game-winning touchdown and found his love for the game again.

“That one week (of practice) coming back in full pads for the all-star game made me realize how much I miss the game,” Hernandez said. “Coming back, having a purpose and a goal to fulfill instead of just going to school and giving up on my dreams.”

Now, he’s a member of the Pirates’ loaded receiver room and plans to use his sure hands and impressive speed to help the Pirates chase a state title. He already has played against some of the best high school competition as a Raider, playing for a state championship and going up against St. John Bosco and Serra of San Mateo.

He’s eager to learn from Weaver and Stout, two offensive players with Division I offers, and sees himself playing at the next level when his time at MJC is over.

“I know I’m around D1 competition. I’ve got a D1 quarterback throwing to me, I’m with D1 receivers teaching me things every day,” he said. “I’m going up against one of the best corners in JUCO every day in practice so it just makes me better.”

Jaelen Nichols embracing bigger role, playing in front of family

Jaelen Nichols went from never leaving the field at Central Catholic to seeing limited time as a freshman at MJC as the team’s nickel cornerback. He was not on the field for every defensive snap, but when the team used formations with an extra defensive back, his number is called. This year, he’s moved to safety and wants to make an impact.

“I want to go out there and play hard for my teammates,” Nichols said. “I just want to do my job and win some football games.”

In 2023, the Pirates defense did not allow over 30 points in conference play and held two opponents to two touchdowns or less. If they want to win their third straight league title, the defense has to play its role.

“Our job as a defense is to get the ball back to the offense,” Nichols said. “Anytime you hold them to three points, that’s good. We’re well-rounded and there’s a lot of depth at all positions. We have a great bond and that always plays a factor in sports.”

Nichols, like nearly everyone on MJC’s football roster, played football locally growing up. A sophomore, he’ll get the chance to play in front of his friends and family for another year.

“I love the game of football and I wanted to come back here to leave a legacy,” he said. “I want to play for my family and friends still in Modesto. I think it’s going to be a fun year.”

Linebacker and captain healthy and ready for freshman season

Alijah Cota is happy to be healthy. He dislocated his shoulder during his senior year at Manteca High, resulting in a torn labrum and a cracked bone. He estimates it popped out about 10 times at any point from basketball games to in his sleep. He gray-shirted in 2023, getting surgery, rehabbing, resting and learning more about the game. He enters 2024 ready for action.

“I just have to thank God,” he said. “I had to think about my actions and buckle down. It’s JUCO now so there’s no excuses.”

He was on the sidelines last season, watching games and mentally adjusting to the speed of college football.

“This is a grown man’s game,” he said. “You have to be hungry for this. This is a humbling experience. If you can get through this you can get through a lot.”

He feels he’s more explosive than before. He increased his workout regimen after recovering from his shoulder surgery to make sure he was ready for college football. He will play the same position he played in high school, middle linebacker.

“I’ve been playing this position basically my whole life,” he said. “I want to bring a positive energy and a leadership role and do my job to help put my teammates in a position to go to state.”