Caleb Troop

An Inside Look: Cal Poly (Sept. 19)

-  Josh Scroggins covers Cal Poly for the San Luis Obispo Tribune.  Read his blog here.

-  After a banner 8-3 year last fall (one game cancelled because of Hurricane Ike in September), the slate has been wiped completely clean in California, which could end six straight winning seasons in San Luis Obispo.  Cal Poly is probably best remembered for taking Wisconsin to overtime in November before falling, 36-35.  The Mustangs enter another year in the FCS (formerly D-IAA) and the Great West Conference, a young league that is just a half-decade old.

-  Gone is head coach Rich Ellerson, who heads to Army after eight years in California.  In a twist of irony, former Army offensive coordinator Tim Walsh takes over as head coach for the Mustangs after serving for two years at West Point.  He was also the head coach at Sonoma State (4 years) and Portland State (14 years).

-  Cal Poly is one of eight FCS teams to play two FBS teams this year (Ohio and San Jose State).  The Mustangs’ contest versus Ohio on Sept. 19 will be their second game of the season, but it will be the third for the Bobcats.

-  On paper it appears to be a rebuilding year for the Mustangs.  Standout wide receiver Ramses Barden (85th overall to Giants) is in the NFL, quarterback Jonathan Dally threw 23 TDs to just five interceptions in his 2008 senior season, and the talented running back duo of James Noble and Ryan Mole have moved on after combining for 19 scores in 2008.

-  Barden’s position-mate, wide out Tre’Dale Toliver, will need to be replaced not only in the passing game, but also in the return department on special teams.  Mole and Noble also were vital in the return game.  The skills positions for Cal Poly are essentially completely new in 2009.

-  The triple option offensive attack for the Mustangs that Ohio struggled with against VMI last season needs seven new starters, but Cal Poly does return three of five offensive linemen.  Center Jason Cox missed spring ball recovering from a knee injury.  Cal Poly allowed just nine sacks last fall.  Like VMI, the line is undersized and quick.  For example, projected left tackle Scott Winnewisser is 6-5, 235 pounds.  The heaviest lineman is projected starting left guard Will Mitchell (6-1, 285).

-  There are three quarterbacks vying for the starting spot.  There are nine receivers looking to break the mold—not one has caught a college pass.  In the triple option running game, nine tailbacks are fighting for two starting spots.  To say the offense is unsettled is an understatement.

-  Meanwhile, in just another breath of newness for the Mustangs, the defense goes from a 3-4 under Ellerson to a 4-3 under coach Walsh.

-  The entire secondary returns and is the strong point of the team with two seniors and a pair of sophomores.  Strong safety David Fullerton enters his final season after picking off a team-best four passes last year (36 tackles) and is joined by sophomore Greg Francis at free safety.  Francis was second on the team with 65 tackles last year.  Both Fullerton and sophomore cornerback Asa Jackson were first team All-Great West Conference selections in ’08, Jackson did so in his true freshman campaign.

-  Two starters in the linebacking corps are gone.  Marty Mohamed is up the middle at MIKE and will be backed up by his younger brother, Kyle.  Carlton Gillespie enters year number two at linebacker after spending two seasons at defensive end.

-  Defensive end Sean Lawler was the threat on defense last year, leading the team with nine sacks on his way to First Team All-Great West Conference recognition.  But he has graduated, leaving tackle James Chen and end Ryan Shotwell behind to lead the front four.

-  At kicker, Andrew Gardner has graduated, but the Mustangs won’t miss much from his leg.  He converted just seven of 14 field goal tries last year with a long of 36.  Jake West handled kickoffs last year and could add to his duties between the uprights, though transfer Chris Pinto is in the mix as well.

-  Consensus:  VMI scored on four of its first five possessions last season before the ‘Cats limited the Keydets to seven second half points.  That experience against the seldom-used offensive scheme should prove to be beneficial against Ohio.  Good teams and who want to be bowl eligible win these types of games at home—and do so in convincing fashion.

-  The Cal-Poly-Ohio football preview is on its way on to the blog later today, but first some news and notes.

-  Former Ohio slugger Marc Krauss is done for the season after 32 games with Class A South Bend.  Krauss will undergo an evaluation in Arizona on a nagging ankle injury.

-  More Ohio baseball, here’s an interesting article on former ‘Cats pitcher Chris Rigo.

-  Former Temple wide receiver Travis Shelton signed a contract yesterday with the Denver Broncos.  Shelton had 20 catches for 230 yards last year in his senior campaign for the Owls.

-  A few thoughts on the pre-season MAC football picks.  There were two no brainers: Miami seventh in the East and Central Michigan tops in the West.  But Eastern Michigan is not the worst team in the West.  As for Ohio, the discrepancy between picks one and five is a total of 54 points, so fans should take it with a grain of salt.  It’s such a toss up in the East.

-  Speaking on “The Sears Sports Fan” Thursday, Elton Alexander of The Cleveland Plain Dealer said he thought Bowling Green may be the team to beat in the East.  Alexander had some interesting things to say, including league reaction to the change of the MAC Hoops tournament and a follow-up discussion on his March criticism of Ohio A.D. Jim Schaus and head football coach Frank Solich on the weakness non-conference football schedule through 2015.  Click here to listen.

-  More to come.

Filed under: 2009 Bobcat Blog, July '09 Blog Notes |