It was 70-plus degrees at Alex G. Spanos Stadium on NLI day.

On National Letter of Intent Day, Cal Poly and head coach Tim Walsh announced the signing of 17 incoming freshmen and a single junior college transfer.

At the news conference in the President’s Suite at Alex G. Spanos Stadium, the focus was on players who want to be at Cal Poly, versatility, and defense. You can find all the names and particulars in Cal Poly’s news release here.

Adapting to personnel

While most people think first of offense when coaches talk about adjusting schemes to personnel, Walsh and the Mustangs may be focused on applying the concept to the defense. In the 4-3 scheme they’ve employed recently, Cal Poly’s defensive line — especially on the interior — is often undersized.

It looks like the Mustangs will be moving to a 3-4 defense and at least considering getting a little more creative on that side of the ball. Part of that will be some of the concepts and ideas that Payam Saadat will bring. Walsh mentioned that, while they might not implement ALL of the ideas Saadat has, having fresh concepts and thinking is a good thing.

Saadat was a coach at Cal Poly for two stints, including under Rich Ellerson and got his master’s degree from the university. Walsh also mentioned that Saadat’s experience with Cal Poly and what it requires on and off the field was a factor that played in his favor in the hiring process.

Five of the 18 new recruits are defensive backs, including Bakersfield College’s Dominic Frasch, who will be expected to compete for playing time right away.

Versatility

While it’s no big news that great high school players often play two ways, there are a number of recruits who could end up playing multiple positions at Cal Poly.

Kelepi Lataimua, Bradley Mickey, and Cameron Crump all played two-ways in high school and figure to be defensive backs in San Luis Obispo.

A new quarterback

With Khaleel Jenkins getting some playing time as a true freshman last year, another San Diego quarterback is on his way to San Luis Obispo. Michael Austin comes from Helix High School (Reggie Bush’s alma mater) and he can freaking fly. He and Jenkins will almost certainly be battling for a starting role in 2017.

Faces

Here are some of the faces of the future for Cal Poly football, via Twitter. There are lots more out there, but here are a few.

In the cold of the winter (when it’s like 60 degrees in SLO), fans can sit and dream about what impact some of these guys will have in Cal Poly’s future. Spring practice is like two months away. The beat goes on.

Junior Gaitan
Cal Poly SLO (football) pic.twitter.com/CvDJMTApAL

— Foothill Sports (@SportsFoothill) February 4, 2016

Welcome the next lockdown CB to Cal Poly football family! @calpolyfootball @timwalshcp @Daniel_Fox_ @tonyhenney pic.twitter.com/fdaNhmlepY

— Dorian Keller (@CoachDKeller) February 3, 2016

Newest Cal Poly Mustang. RB Chuby Dunu – Buchanan @timwalshcp @C_Kem_ pic.twitter.com/LF7CkOCKeD

— Josh Brown (@Joshbrown66) February 3, 2016

Newest #CalPoly QB Michael Austin, Helix HS #RideHigh #SlingIt representing #619 pic.twitter.com/kBtR4V3x6C

— Juston Wood (@CoachJWood2) February 3, 2016

Newest Cal Poly Mustang. CB Cameron Crump – Lincoln pic.twitter.com/800T6z8gOM

— Josh Brown (@Joshbrown66) February 3, 2016

Newest Cal Poly Mustang. DE Ben Parker – Buchanan pic.twitter.com/7C3Bag2uaU

— Josh Brown (@Joshbrown66) February 3, 2016

Congrats Lance Vecchio on signing with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for football @ocvarsity @OCSidelines pic.twitter.com/9sVpoICDLf

— Villa Park Athletics (@VPHSathletics) February 3, 2016

National Signing Day: Westlake’s Daniel Fox will be a motivated cornerback for Cal Poly SLO https://t.co/hOh55YTklU pic.twitter.com/cdhYOO6XVm

— VCS Preps (@vcspreps) February 3, 2016

Cal Poly soccer fans have been waiting. Since Steve Sampson was announced as the team’s new head coach, there hasn’t been a ton of fanfare or news during the offseason.

On Tuesday, the team announced four new players they’ll add to the squad that only lost a single senior last season.

For the past few seasons, attacking players have had to fill roles in the central or defensive midfield. Some, like Matt LaGrassa last season, have even had to fill-in at positions like center back. This year’s recruiting class is all midfielders and defensive players who are sure to shore-up a depleted defense that gave up eight goals and went 0-3-1 in their final four games of 2014.

The Mustangs actually ended the season with a winning 8-7-4 record last year, but missed the Big West Tournament by finishing in fourth (last) place in the conference’s North Division.

George Grote (MF)

Grote is from Huntington Beach, but has gained overseas experience over the past three? years withFC Banik Ostrava’s U-19 academy in the Czech Republic.

Because of his experience, Grote might be the most interesting/off the map recruit on the list. With his experience and connections, Sampson’s ability to bring in players from “off the map” is one reason Cal Poly fans are optimistic about the start of Sampson’s tenure in San Luis Obispo. Grote is a wild card. Wild cards are part of what are going to make Sampson’s tenure fun. Grote is the first one.

 Noah Chapleski

Chapleski is a recruit who was committed to Cal Poly before Paul Holocher left. Through two other coaches, Chapleski maintained his commitment and inked on the dotted line this week. There isn’t a ton of information about Chapleski out there and he doesn’t come from California. Having lived in Colorado and watched a lot of prep soccer, I can say that the level can be high in the area.

Lots of players I watched who were from Colorado were technically very strong due to having to play indoor soccer during the winter. I’m thinking Chapleski also is left-footed, which should give other players like Sean Dhillon the ability to move around a little more off the left wing if necessary. If Chapleski is ready to play, he could really give this team additional flexibility with who plays where. With depth an issue last season, providing more of it might be the biggest impact the freshman could have next year.

Peter Delkeskamp

I absolutely love this one. To have local prep stars sign with Cal Poly is a huge deal in all sports. There aren’t a lot of Division-1 athletes in the area. From a fan’s perspective, I believe that the ones who are out there — or are even borderline — should be at Cal Poly.

Delkeskamp is a holding/defensive midfielder, which is also a need the current roster has. Players like LaGrassa have played these positions, but if the Mustangs can get talented scorers playing positions where they can more consistently get opportunities (without having to stay back), they could be more effective. I don’t know whether Delkeskamp will be ready for big minutes next season, but his recruitment and signing doesn’t have much downside that I see.

Louis Heinzer

Heinzer comes from the Sacramento area and was one of the only players I could find who has tweets of himself signing on NLI day last week.

Sampson said in the press release that Heinzer will compete for center back playing time. Cal Poly already has Brett Foreman and Nick Carroll who got significant playing time before missing the later part of last year.

The attacking 5-7 positions on the team have at least 8-10 returning players, so depth at those positions next season is already assured on some level. With the addition on Heinzer and Chapleski (and really this entire recruiting class), the Mustangs are setting themselves up to have a much more balanced roster.

What do you think about this year’s class? Are you pumped for next year’s Big West Soccer season?

Chris Brown showed up on a Cal Poly message board in 2010. For most of last year, he was the team’s starting quarterback. By Owen Main

Tomorrow is Wednesday. It’s also the first Wednesday in February and happens to be national signing day for high school athletes who will play a fall sport in college next season.

Like lots of fans, signing day always piques my interest. It’s like the first day of a Major League Baseball season, when everything seems fresh and all fan-bases might have a good argument about how good they might be in the future.

Signing day is probably the most important day in college sports. Unlike the sports themselves though, fans have to wait sometimes years before finding out how great any signing day actually was. If I was less lazy or had less than one six month-old, I’d probably do some kind of analysis about a signing day from three years ago at a given university — perhaps like the Cal Poly football team.

At Cal Poly, fans should also be on the look-out for a list of volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer signees, along with football. I’ll try to post some videos tomorrow of the players who decide to sign in all of these sports.

No matter who signs where, tomorrow is one of the few days in sports that is really about all my favorite cliches. College sports fans will begin, in the best cases, a four-year journey watching an 18 year-old develop in whatever sport they play. For a day at least, all you see is upside.