# 1983 Southwestern Apaches football team

The 1983 Southwestern Apaches football team was an American football team that represented Southwestern College as a member of the Mission Conference during the 1983 junior college football season. In their eighth year under head coach Bob Mears, the Apaches compiled a 9–2 record (4–2 in conference games), finished third in the Mission Conference, defeated El Camino in the South Bay-Kiwanis Bowl, and were ranked No. 21 in the final J.C. Grid-Wire poll of 1983.
Southwestern hosted the second annual South Bay-Kiwanis Bowl, which pitted the team with the best record in San Diego County against an at-large team selected by the state bowl committee. Southwestern secured their berth with an 8–2 regular season record while El Camino earned an invitation after a runner-up finish in the Metropolitan Conference. The game was cancelled ahead of its third edition in 1984.
Linebacker Harry Leomiti was selected as a second-team player on the 1983 junior college All-American football team by J.C. Grid-Wire, while wide receiver Steve Pierce received honorable mention. In addition, 10 Southwestern players were selected to the 1983 All-Mission Conference football team. Two were named to the first-team offense (Pierce and running back Darnell King) while three were named to the first-team defense: Leomiti, fellow linebacker Irwin Smith, and defensive lineman Chris Cross. Pierce recorded 39 receptions for 672 yards and a conference-best 11 touchdowns in the regular season, and added 13 catches for 260 yards and a touchdown in their bowl game win to earn offensive MVP honors. He later played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns.
The team played its home games at DeVore Stadium in Chula Vista, California.

## Offseason
### Coaching staff changes

Head coach Bob Mears took on the additional role of offensive line coach when he was unable to fill the vacancy after the departure of Jay Mack, who also served as offensive coordinator. For Mears, it was the first time in his 20-year career that he coached the offensive line, though he was assisted by ex-Apache players Bill Dowd and Byron King. Likewise, quarterbacks coach Jan Chapman Sr. took on the additional duties of offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach.
Other coaching staff departures included running backs coach Gil Warren, who was hired as offensive coordinator at Castle Park High School in Chula Vista, and defensive backs coach Dan Henson, who was hired as head coach at Christian High School in El Cajon.

### Player changes

Southwestern lost a majority of its starters from the previous season for a variety of reasons, including graduation, injuries, marriage, and military service. Notably, second-team all-conference running back Tommy Hinzo quit the team to focus on baseball. He went on to sign with Arizona, where he won a national title in 1986, and was selected four different times in the MLB draft before finally signing with the Cleveland Indians.
Starting quarterback and reigning Mission Conference Player of the Year Reid Sholl transferred to Colorado State. The team's other Division I transfers were: running back Eric McDuffie (Cal State Fullerton), offensive linemen Bill Dowd and Dan Knight (both San Diego State), defensive lineman Steve Howe (Illinois), Tevel Holeman (Cal State Fullerton), and defensive backs Dennis Mitchell (Fresno State) and Tony Walker (San Jose State). Wide receiver Steve Pierce received interest from schools such as UCLA, Arizona State, and Illinois, but chose to stay at Southwestern for another year. After the 1983 season, he signed with Illinois and went on the play for the Cleveland Browns.
Southwestern added multiple former Division I players: Harry Leomiti (San Diego State), Kevin Mason (Utah), Clyde Sewell (BYU), and Cortez Grier (Cal State Fullerton). The team also recruited four members of the 1982 all-CIF San Diego Section football team: Greg Steward, John King, Kevin Ludwig, and Jeff Overcast.

## Preseason
### Preseason rankings

Southwestern was ranked the No. 17 team in the nation in the J.C. Grid-Wire preseason poll. However, the team was unranked in the California junior college preseason poll.

### Preseason coaches' poll

In the preseason Mission Conference coaches' poll, Southwestern was predicted to finish second in the conference.
Coaches' poll :
| Predicted finish | Team |
| 1 | Saddleback |
| 2 | Southwestern |
| 3 | Riverside |
| 4 | Citrus |
| 5 | Santa Ana |
| 6 | Palomar |
| 7 | San Diego City |

## Schedule

The annual preseason scrimmage was discontinued due to budget cuts.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 17 | West Los Angeles* | DeVore StadiumChula Vista, CA | W 18–0 | |
| September 24 | at Imperial Valley* | Imperial, CA | W 31–0 | |
| October 1 | Desert* | DeVore StadiumChula Vista, CA | W 51–7 | |
| October 8 | at Antelope Valley* | Lancaster, CA | W 28–7 | |
| October 15 | at Citrus | Azusa, CA | L 0–31 | |
| October 22 | Riverside | DeVore StadiumChula Vista, CA | W 22–20 | |
| October 29 | at Palomar | San Marcos High School StadiumSan Marcos, CA | W 40–22 | |
| November 5 | San Diego City | DeVore StadiumChula Vista, CA | W 42–24 | |
| November 19 | at Santa Ana | Eddie West FieldSanta Ana, CA | W 7–6 | 3,000 |
| November 24 | Saddleback | DeVore StadiumChula Vista, CA | L 7–10 | 1,500 |
| December 3 | vs. El Camino* | DeVore StadiumChula Vista, CA (South Bay-Kiwanis Bowl) | W 24–11 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

## Coaching staff

| Name | Position |
| Bob Mears | Head coach / offensive line |
| Jan Chapman | Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks / wide receivers |
| Bing Dawson | Defensive coordinator / Linebackers |
| Mike Pompa | Defensive line |
| Walt Justice | Defensive backs |
| Bill Dowd | Assistant offensive line |
| Byron King | Assistant offensive line |
| David Prager | Assistant |

## Awards and honors

All-American :
| Player | Position | Team |
| Harry Leomiti | LB | Second Team |
| Steve Pierce | WR | Honorable mention |
| Source: |||
All-Mission Conference :
| Player | Position | Team |
| Darnell King | RB | First Team |
| Steve Pierce | WR | First Team |
| Chris Cross | DL | First Team |
| Harry Leomiti | LB | First Team |
| Irwin Smith | LB | First Team |
| Walter Holmes | RB | Second Team |
| Sam Manti | TE | Second Team |
| Bill Wright | DL | Second Team |
| Pat Portillo | LB | Second Team |
| Byron Nichols | DB | Second Team |
| Source: |||