Years ago, in an era better known as BT (Before Tisdel), Sierra College wasn't much of a football program.

At one early 1990s practice, a spectator could catch sight of at least one player whose gear included nothing more than sneakers and jean cut-off shorts. Vince Lombardi would have growled in his grave at such a visual. The Wolverines accepted all comers. The talent was suspect, the wins few.

Just down from the coaching offices, there used to be a sun-faded sign in blood-red letters that read, "Disaster Control Point," which pretty much summed up the state of the program.

Then in 2000, Jeff Tisdel came aboard as coach, booming of good cheer and armed with a tireless zest to compete and a master plan for recovery. Sierra is at its football peak these days, ranked No. 5 in the state and No. 9 nationally as it prepares to host City College of San Francisco, the national standard bearer for community college football, Saturday.

Decades of despair have given way to one of promise.

"I remember that old Disaster Control sign," Tisdel said. "They finally took it down. I looked at that sign before and thought it was apropos. We didn't have a field. We didn't have a stadium. The coaching offices used to be an equipment room. There wasn't much here."

There's a lot there today on a pristine campus that includes a state-of-the-art football stadium and a roster as talented and explosive as any in the state. When Tisdel assumed command, he assured supporters that not only would there be better days ahead, there would be championship days ahead. National championship days. A victory Saturday would help that cause.

"People laughed at me then," Tisdel said. "No one's chuckling now. All we had in the beginning was a bunch of guys who bought into what we were trying to do – a lot of hard work and enthusiasm."

Sierra was in the C-level of community college competition when Tisdel took over (California has three levels, with A representing the best). The program had gone 3-27 over the previous three seasons. On the strength of tireless recruiting and a wide-open offensive attack, Sierra's climb was swift after it went 5-5 in Tisdel's first season.

A four-year run with a 41-3 record, a 37-game winning streak – third best in national community college history – and five bowl games landed Sierra in the A level last season. The Wolverines went 9-2 in 2007, falling to San Francisco 24-10 in the Hawaiian Punch Bowl with state and national bragging rights in the balance.

"Whoever would have thought we'd get this far?" Tisdel said.

Sierra discovered it could compete with the best during that setback to CCSF last season, Tisdel said. San Francisco went on to win its fifth JC Grid-Wire National Championship in nine seasons under coach George Rush. Sierra and San Francisco were tied 10-10 in the fourth quarter before the Rams pieced together two long, time-consuming drives to ice it.

"We showed that we could play with anyone," said Sierra linebacker Bryson Littlejohn, a returning starter and one of the team's top recruits. "We're definitely excited about this opportunity."

Said Tisdel: "I don't like losing in anything, but being tied 10-10 to them, and we were in unchartered territory. … We showed something. (San Francisco) has embarrassed a lot of teams over the years."

The Rams (1-1 after losing to current state No. 2 Fresno 24-17 Saturday) have a talent base that extends well beyond the Bay Area. Just before this season started, for example, Rush landed kicker Jenz Alvernik. The coach had watched Alvernik kick a 63-yard field goal on tape while playing in Sweden.

The program also has plenty of "bounce-back" players, including USC transfer Josh Tatum of Oakland. Rush said his roster is as "fast as it's ever been," and he viewed Sierra as a program on the rise.

"There's some great football there now," he said.

Call The Bee's Joe Davidson, (916) 321-1280.