This is a strange time at Orange Coast College as football season approaches.
For only the second autumn since the college opened its doors on the Costa Mesa campus in 1948, there will be no OCC football.
Read more Trump’s IndyCar race: Doing 200 in a 25 mph zone with manhole cover-displacing torque
The quiet will be unfamiliar at LeBard Stadium, the 7,600-seat venue that has long stood as a beacon for community college football, flanked by one of the most impressive weight-training facilities anywhere.
The football and weight-training facilities are so well-regarded that several teams, including Coach Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide, have fine-tuned their preparations for Rose Bowl and NCAA national championship games there.
Orange Coast is a program with deep roots and a proud reputation, having claimed two JC national championships, in 1963 and 1975, under former coach Dick Tucker. But this year the Pirates will be silent.
The only other interruption came in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most amateur sports across the country. This year, a pause is intentional.
“This gives us the opportunity to rebuild the program the right way, with a strong foundation for our return,” OCC Athletic Director Jason Kehler said. “We are all in for fall 2027 and beyond. This pause is about the future of Coast football.”
Since 2018, the Pirates have struggled, posting a 10-53 record, including four 1-9 seasons and last year finishing 0-10 under Coach Joel Gonzalez.
During the pause, Orange Coast will focus on upgrading the program through targeted recruitment, strengthening program infrastructure and rebuilding the coaching staff, according to school administration.
“We care deeply about our student-athletes, and this pause allows us to rebuild in a way that reflects the experience they deserve,” OCC President Angelica Suarez said.
Read more Ohio already has the oldest Mormon temple. Now it has one of the newest
It has been nine months since OCC’s last game – Nov. 8, 2025 – a 60-3 loss to Pasadena City on the 50-year anniversary celebration of the 1975 national championship team, reflecting a stark contrast between past glory and present reality. Last year included a 69-6 defeat to district rival Golden West, which also plays home games at LeBard Stadium.
There was a time when OCC football was filled with community spirit and Saturdays were electric, when fans packed the stadium and kids climbed ivy-covered walls and nearby trees to catch a glimpse of their gridiron heroes. The revered Pirates stocked their roster with local talent and embodied the pride of beach-city allure.
The 1963 squad, “the toast of the town,” Tucker once said, finished 10-0 and captured the national title with a 21-0 win over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in the Junior Rose Bowl game before 44,044 fans at the Rose Bowl. The game was aired on national television.
Orange Coast halfback Mike Hunter sparked the Pirates with his all-purpose running, including three of the longest punt returns in OCC history — 89, 67 and 66 yards.
“We were idolized,” Hunter said. “The stands were packed every week, and people would be hanging from the ivy (on the stadium’s fringe).”
OCC’s ’75 unit finished 11-0, capped by a 38-14 victory over Rio Hondo in the Avocado Bowl, led by running back Tony Accomando, who rushed for 1,155 yards and 29 touchdowns and played mostly in the first half because the outcomes were so lopsided. Orange Coast won its games by an average score of 40-13.
“That ’75 squad was a great team, maybe the greatest in community college history,” Tucker said. “We had no weaknesses. We were great on offense. I would have hated to try to defend us. We played ball control. We also had a great defense, and we had an outstanding kicking game.”
After this year’s pause, the Pirates are hopeful of returning to prominence.
Richard Dunn, a longtime sportswriter, writes the Dunn Deal column regularly for The Orange County Register’s weekly, The Coastal Current North.
Read more How to use your smartphone to capture the August total solar eclipse over Europe