A litany of allegations of misconduct against a successful California football program includes one with a local twist: A Taft High assistant coach is accused of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs on Sept. 24 when the Toreadors lost 56-0 against Alta at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Of course, that alone wouldn't explain away the lopsided shutout.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the charge against the assistant coach is just one of many implicating the program. Head coach Chris Rizzo is also accused of employing a felon as an assistant coach.

School administrators and Rizzo both rebuke the charges. An administrator said the accusations came from a jilted applicant, whom Rizzo beat out for the head coaching job last offseason.

"It's just crazy," Rizzo told the Daily News. "They say one of the coaches is a convicted felon, and that's not true. They're out to get me."

Taft is one of the most successful programs in the Los Angeles area, and its September loss to Alta was but a blip in a rebuilding season. The Toreadors finished 4-7.

— Bill Oram