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Leave it to Alonzo Carter to one-up an old axiom.
"I'm trying to kill three birds with one stone," Carter, the first-year Contra Costa College football coach, says of his vision for the program.
"I'm trying to win games, make sure these kids get an education, and make sure they move on to four-year schools."
So far no one's crying foul.
After the team went 1-19 over the previous two seasons, Carter's Comets have found a Coach 'Zo mojo. They are 3-3 after Saturday's 27-9 win over Redwoods in the Bay Valley Conference opener.
Carter, who has coached at McClymonds and Berkeley high schools, optimistically says the goal is to win six or seven games and earn a bowl berth. He is trying to change a football culture too accustomed to mediocrity.
"People are comparing the record -- winning two games to 1-19 the past couple of years -- and they're ready to light up a victory cigar and put out a marching band," Carter said. "Two wins -- but I'm not satisfied with that."
Contra Costa threw a scare into both of its Contra Costa Community College District rivals this season, falling 27-20 to Diablo Valley and 25-17 to Los Medanos on back-to-back weeks.
Last season, the Comets lost to the Vikings and Mustangs by a combined 109-21.
Consider Contra Costa defensive end Niko Aumua exhibit 'A' of the Carter way.
A 6-foot-6, 225-pound former wide receiver at Alameda High, Aumua took a year off after high school, then struggled on and off the field at Contra Costa last year. He was suspended from the team for nearly half the season.
Now, in a new position, he leads the state in tackles for losses and ranks fourth in sacks. Aumua has received an offer from Washington State and is closing in on his AA degree.
"In high school I never had anybody on top of me as far as keeping me academically sound," Aumua said. "Even here I was clowning around, and they (Carter and his staff) helped us get tutoring and financial aid. It's made huge impact on the team."
Aumua had tried to convince Carter to let him play receiver, but the coach wouldn't budge. Carter didn't see a viable Division I opportunity for a 6-foot-6 wideout, but he did remember Aumua as a dominant outside linebacker against his Berkeley teams.
Now Division I schools are lining up for Aumua
"It's fun," Aumua said of his new role. "I played a little bit of defense in high school ... I've got that speed coming off the end."
Carter is pleased to have some local gems on the squad, including defensive backs Keenan Coogler (Berkeley) and Issac Goins (El Cerrito), wide receiver Najee Lovett (St. Mary's) and defensive end Jerry Smith (El Cerrito).
The Comets, who have 40 freshmen, are ranked 17th in the state in yards allowed per game, at 305.8 -- a far cry from the 479.2 average over 10 games last season.
Carter can't emphasize enough how important it is for his players to hit the books, not just blocking sleds.
While coaching at Berkeley, Carter took night classes and earned his own AA degree last May at Contra Costa. He plans to continue his studies at Cal State East Bay, where he played football and ran track from 1986-1990.
"One thing I noticed when I graduated from Contra Costa College was there were no football players graduating," Carter said. "I had problem with that. We've got to change that. ... Now we have several players ready graduate."
Contact Matt Schwab at mschwab@bayareanewsgroup.com .
