Jonathan Korn

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When Pima College hired Bill Laslett as its football coach in January 2006, the team had eight players.

The school canceled the 2005 football season after school officials learned just 22 players were academically eligible.

The Aztecs started over with Laslett. Now the numbers are up — as are expectations.

Entering Laslett's third season, the roster listed 140 players.

Laslett wants to reduce that figure to 80 — the first time in his tenure at Pima he has been able to cut players.

Laslett hopes the improvements in numbers and quality of players will translate into victories. The Aztecs were 1-10 last season, securing their first win since the end of the 2004 season when they beat Verde Valley, an amateur team from Northern Arizona, 63-0.

"We're excited. This is the first year we've had sophomores we've recruited," Laslett said. "Our expectations are higher. We want to get better."

Laslett will call upon several key transfers to help Pima complete its turnaround. Defensive back Gary Short, who attended Santa Rita High School, and quarterback Frank Gonzalez, a Cholla product, returned to Tucson after transferring from Arizona Western.

Gonzalez is expected to compete with six freshmen for the role of starting quarterback.

One of the team's top players will likely be the reigning junior college national champion in the shot put. After securing the title in the track and field event in May, Jeremiah Korn will lend his hand to the football team as a fullback.

"He's the real deal," Laslett said of the Sahuaro graduate who threw 52 feet 10 inches at the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association National Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May.

Korn and an improved line should allow the Aztecs to run the ball more and display a more balanced offense than last season.

Striving for improvements on defensive, Laslett hired defensive coordinator John Daley.

Another change is the venue — Pima will play its home games at Tucson High School after playing at Amphi last season.

"It's a new start being right down the street for us but also almost on the UA campus," Laslett said. "It kind of gives us more of a college feel. It's a great (turf) surface."

Pima will play only opponents from the nine-team Western States Football League this season.

"It's hard to find people to play as far as a scrimmage," Laslett said.