JC Football: Munson regains mojo at OCC

It was the fall of 2010 and Mark Munson was anything but open. Even the most lethargic defender, after all, can lock down a receiver who is casually parked on his mother’s couch.

So, before the Orange Coast College sophomore became one of Southern California’s most productive pass catchers, he first had to make a shoe-string snag of his sinking self-esteem.

After a sterling junior season in 2008 at Fossil Ridge High in Keller, Texas, Munson said he was receiving recruiting interest from schools such as Oklahoma State, Baylor and Utah. But after a broken leg sidelined him just two games into his senior season, recruiters moved on as swiftly as a quarterback shifting through a read progression.

“Before I broke my leg, a lot of coaches were telling me that I had Division I talent,” Munson said. “I was at the top of my high school and everyone knew me and respected me. But after my senior year, I was going through the rehab process. It was a down point in my life and I didn’t know if I wanted to play football anymore. I was just sitting [on the couch] thinking, ‘What am I going to do?’”

That’s when Munson’s mother, Shelley, led him into space more aptly than an Aaron Rodgers deep ball.

“She said ‘You’re going to do something,” Munson said, “because you are not going to sit here.’”

Munson heeded Shelly’s audible and followed a cousin to East Texas Baptist, an NCAA Division III school in Marshall, Texas.

“Their coaches said ‘Come out, catch some balls and help us win,’” said Munson, who caught just nine passes in six games for the Panthers in 2011, his only season at the school.

“It didn’t work out,” Munson said of ETBU, after which he planned to play at a community college in an attempt to obtain a scholarship to another four-year program.

“I was looking at a couple JCs, when I found out about OCC from [then-head coach Mike Taylor],” Munson said. “I was going to play [at OCC] last season, but I found out I was ineligible because I didn’t have enough units. So, [Taylor] told me to stay home and get bigger, stronger and faster, then come back the following year.”

Taylor subsequently was replaced as head coach by Kevin Emerson, who quickly earned Munson’s trust.

“After the first couple days of practice, [Emerson, who also coordinates the offense] told me that I was going to be his guy and we were going to get in there and work,” Munson said. “The rest is history and we’re still working on it.”

Munson’s blend of strength and speed [the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder said he has run 40 yards in 4.43 seconds] has helped him compile 37 receptions for 602 yards and seven touchdowns through five games. He had seven catches for 167 yards and three touchdowns, including scoring plays of 57 and 44 yards, in a 49-10 romp over Los Angeles Pierce on Saturday. It was the Pirates’ first win.

OCC tries to extend its winning streak on Saturday, when it meets Palomar at Escondido High at 6 p.m.

The 22-year-old ranks No. 2 in Southern California in touchdown catches and receiving yards per game (120.4) and he is just one behind the SoCal co-leaders in receptions.

“When I came here, I wanted to get 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns,” Munson said. “But since I’m getting close to that, now, I am probably going to boost them a little more and shoot higher. Really, all I want to be is a matchup problem, who is too fast for a linebacker to cover and too big for a cornerback.”

Emerson has been thoroughly impressed.

“He’s the real deal,” Emerson said. “And he works very hard.”

Beyond stats, Munson said he is playing to win for his teammates and coaches. And he is also playing to regain the potential he possessed as a high school junior.

“I almost called it quits,” he said. “But when I was sitting out, I kept thinking I had to get back to where I was. I went from everyone knowing me in high school to coming back two years later and no one knew me. It took a lot out of me. It hurt me. I remember the [Fossil Ridge] coaches looking at me like ‘What are you doing?’ I just want to get back to where I’m in the good graces of everyone and everyone has something good to say about me.”

Munson said playing time is his top priority when it comes to choosing a future collegiate home, and he would choose a level below Division I if it provided the best opportunity to start.

Flirting with a 4.0 grade-point average with a four-class load this semester, he is also determined to obtain a college degree. But he refuses to limit his football aspirations.

“Football gives me meaning,” Munson said. “My joy is just the grind of it. Scoring touchdowns is cool, but it’s the little things, like having 10 guys on the field with you all working in unison to move the ball down the field. That’s the joy of playing football for me.”