![\"Junior](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Gaige-Weddle-passing.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen you have a football player who is considered the best in the section, state and maybe the nation, you are off to a strong start before the ball is even snapped.<\/p>\n
But Rancho Bernardo isn\u2019t just a one-man gang this season.<\/p>\n
A year ago, sophomore Gaige Weddle, son of coach Eric Weddle, passed for 2,224 yards, completing 146 of 290 attempts (61%), 19 of which went for touchdowns versus eight interceptions.<\/p>\n
That was only a third of the story as the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder rushed for a team-best 679 yards and 10 TDs in addition to being considered a major college prospect at safety, a position his dad knew well playing for the Chargers and Rams.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s gotten better each of the last two years,\u201d said Eric of Gaige, \u201ceverything has slowed down for him. He has grown into the position by studying it. He has great footwork and moves well side to side. He has the ability to escape the rush and the more he plays, the more automatic his reactions are.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019ll be recruited by the colleges as a safety, but he could also be a good college quarterback,\u201d Weddle said of his son. \u201cHe eventually wants to play in the NFL and safety will probably be his position.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tim Garcia<\/p>\n
Junior Gaige Weddle is among those expected to lead the Rancho Bernardo High Broncos this season. (Tim Garcia)<\/p>\n
Eric Weddle, though, admits that last year was a challenge for Gaige as the Broncos\u2019 No. 2 rusher gained just over 400 yards, meaning the defenses could focus almost exclusively on the quarterback.<\/p>\n
That, and playing full time on defense, took a toll by the end of the season.<\/p>\n
While five wide receivers and a pair of tall tight ends return for 2026, Gaige should be able to mix things up with the addition of La Jolla High transfer Aiden Farrell, an All-Eastern League running back who rushed 183 times for 1,194 yards and six touchdowns.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdding Aiden is definitely beneficial,\u201d Eric Weddle said. \u201cHe\u2019s explosive and that will open things up offensively.\u00a0 Aiden and Brody can do it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brody is Brody Cella, one of nine returning All-Avocado East players, who not only caught 24 passes for 399 yards and three TDs, but was the Broncos\u2019 primary kick return specialist and like Farrell, doubles as a defensive back.<\/p>\n
Additionally, 6-2 starter Tyson Wilcox (10 receptions, 159 yards, 2 TDs) and veteran Trevor Domiano are joined by transfers Rylin Battle, a 6-3 receiver from Del Norte (13-119-3), and Lincoln\u2019s 6-2 Andre Mcless Walker, who did not play last season.<\/p>\n
Two-way All-Leaguers Carson Bischoff (6-5, 245) and Rio Bersamira (6-2, 215) return at tight end for additional passing targets.<\/p>\n
The Broncos have good size up front, but their depth took a hit when Portland transfer Konner Nackerud (6-4, 250), a junior, suffered an ACL injury and is probably out for the season.<\/p>\n
Still, two-way All-League starter Lucas Serrano (6-2, 245) is joined by All-Avo East Sam Martin (6-4, 230) and Ryan Bieri (6-1, 240) plus Del Norte sophomore transfer Yousif Adnan-Bondugije (6-4, 285).<\/p>\n
On the defensive side of the line, Bischoff, Bersamira and Pamore can move in to give two-way players Serrano, Martin, Bieri and Adnan-Bondugije a breather as well as play defensive end.<\/p>\n
All-League linebacker Drew Coats returns but there are some openings there as well as defensive backs where Weddle, Cella and Cal Grandinetti with Walker, Farrell and Battle possible two-way starters.<\/p>\n
Rancho Bernardo\u2019s players not only grow with age, but they have a rigid weight-lifting program that starts at the season\u2019s end, increases in April and continues right through spring ball and summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to do that to compete,\u201d Coach Weddle said. \u201cIt\u2019s part of the overall expectations. We have 42 guys on the varsity, 27 on junior varsity and 28 freshmen and while those are good numbers, they\u2019re not like the top programs that have 60 on the varsity and more than 100 overall.\u201d<\/p>\n
This being Weddle\u2019s fourth year (24-12 record), every player has been part of his program.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just looking to improve every year,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are looking for an Avo East title and our first section championship.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rancho Bernardo\u2019s 2026 football season will open at home against St. Augustine at 7:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21 in the RBHS stadium, 13010 Paseo Lucido.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When you have a football player who is considered the best in the section, state and maybe the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":431780,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[171542,171540,171541,171539,74,76,75],"class_list":["post-431779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-diego","tag-broncos-football","tag-eric-weddle","tag-gaige-weddle","tag-rancho-bernardo-high-football","tag-san-diego","tag-san-diego-headlines","tag-san-diego-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=431779"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431779\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/431780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=431779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=431779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=431779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}