Sullivan Grosz (#94) was the Big Sky Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year. By Owen Main

In 2013, Sullivan Grosz was the co-defensive player of the year in the Big Sky Conference — not an easy feat for an interior lineman.

Now, Grosz is training in hopes of being drafted by an NFL team in May. I caught up with him at a local deli during lunch and found out what a day in the life of an NFL hopeful looks like. We also found out what happens when you call a 300-pound defensive lineman “Sally.”

Sullivan Grosz earns his first sack of the season on Saturday afternoon. Cal Poly’s defensive front-seven will have to be really good to compete with Fresno State this weekend. By Owen Main

Sullivan Grosz is on his way home. For one week at least.

The San Juaquin Memorial High School prep star is a senior at Cal Poly and headed to his home town to play against the team he grew up rooting for.

“We had season tickets [at Bulldog Stadium] in our special spot,” said Grosz. “I’m just blessed and thankful for the opportunity. I’m so glad that we’re able to play them and they want us to come into their house.”

Grosz and company won’t be going into the game unprepared. Three years ago, the Mustangs played the Bulldogs in Fresno, losing 38 to 17. In that game in 2010, Cal Poly was losing only 21-17 at the half, but was outscored 17-0 in the second half. Grosz was a redshirt freshman at the time, who had been converted from linebacker to defensive tackle.

“We played them 3 years ago and I was a redshirt freshman. It was a little nerve racking that week: I wanted everything to be perfect. But then when you get out on the field it’s kind of funny, I could be here. It’s tunnel vision… . I’m excited for my players, for the opportunity. They’re a great team. I’d love to see what I can do against a pro-style offense.”

This time, Fresno State is the first of two consecutive games against FBS schools and three straight on the road.

Last season, Grosz earned second-team All-Big Sky Conference honors and led the team with six sacks. He got to the San Diego quarterback twice on Saturday and is a third of the way to his 2012 total already.

“Sacks are turning points of games and that’s what we need,” said Grosz. “We need momentum-stoppers for them and we need to start some momentum for us.”

According to Grosz’ father, Stan, the Grosz family expects 150-200 friends and family to tailgate and attend the game. For one day at least, a portion of the Bulldog faithful may be donning the green and gold.

One of them will be on the field — number 94 for Cal Poly.

Opening Day. The excitement. The pageantry.

The unknown.

After Saturday, the Cal Poly football team and their triple option offense could either be rolling downhill with momentum toward a second consecutive FCS playoff birth, or have their playoff train careening off the tracks just as they leave the station.

Their opening game opponent, San Diego, may be an improved team compared with the team they fielded in last year’s opener, when they hung with Cal Poly for about three quarters. Because of that, Cal Poly may be in for a closer game than the blowout that last year’s opener turned out to be. Here are five things to watch for if you’re a Cal Poly fan:

Junior Vince Moraga (15) will be leading Cal Poly’s triple option on Saturday. By Owen Main

Quarterback Play

OK, the quarterback situation is settled – for now. Junior Vince Moraga is starting, and it was probably the right move. Still, after multiple years of solid play from last year’s senior, Andre Broadous, Moraga has big shoes to fill. If Mustang fans expect Moraga to come out and run the offense with the same targeted efficiency as Broadous right away, they’ll be left wanting.

Moraga will develop his own style and play his own game — and it might take a few series, or a few quarters, for fans to get used to the pace of the Vince Moraga-led triple option.

Expect Moraga to make the safe call most of the time, not turn the ball over, and keep the offense moving progressively. Unlike Broadous, who was a dynamic load to tackle, Moraga will be more like a point guard in basketball — working to get the ball to his other skill players in space. A scrum-half in rugby might be another apt comparison, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Moraga is experienced and head coach Tim Walsh is depending on him to make the right read every time in order to keep Cal Poly’s triple-option offensive machinery running smoothly.

Defensive Secondary

The defensive secondary lost only Nico Molino from last season’s group. Molino led FCS in interceptions at one point early last season, so his loss will definitely be felt. That being said, cornerback might be the Mustangs’ deepest position. Vante Smith-Johnson joins Bijon Simoodi to make a pair of cornerbacks with starting experience. The cornerback position is so deep, in fact, that New Mexico State transfer Dominique Love (brother of Cal Poly basketball player Maliik Love) wasn’t even listed on the depth chart as of Thursday night.

Last year, safeties Dave Douglas and Alex Hubbard impressed me a lot in how well they were able to tackle and support the linebackers in the run game. They’ll have to do just as well in pass coverage this year in the pass-happy Big Sky.

The Big Sky Conference is known for teams that can throw the ball successfully. To control the ball, the clock, and the game, Cal Poly will have to defend the pass more than anything. Big plays (or lack thereof) in the defensive secondary are something a team trying to make the playoffs may desperately need.

SagaTuitele (left) is now the sole offensive coordinator for the Mustangs. Tuitele returns for his fifth season. Cal Poly has three new coaches on their staff in 2013. By Owen Main

Who’s toting the rock?

Between Deonte Williams, Kristaan Ivory, Andre Broadous and Akaninyene Umoh, Cal Poly had a generally balanced rushing attack a year ago.

Ivory and Umoh return this season, but it will be of interest to see if Moraga can put up big rushing numbers a’la Broadous. Broadous didn’t pile up ridiculously huge rushing numbers, but was always a threat at the goal line. With a much smaller build, look for Moraga to be much more willing to hand the ball off inside the opponents’ five yard-line.

I would expect Ivory and Umoh to probably carry the ball at least 40 times between the two of them. Cole Stanford, who rushed the ball only 38 times all of last year, may see additional carries as well. The really interesting thing to see will be who else steps-in. Will Moraga gain solid yards? Will Brandon Howe, Kori Garcia, Kenny Mitchell, or Kevin Porsche get a few carries and an opportunity to impress?

By the time the season is over, I can’t see how Ivory doesn’t average at least 100 yards-plus per game, but if Cal Poly is going to be anything close to the offense they were a year ago, at least a few other guys have to step up and carry the ball well on a consistent basis, or teams will start to key on Ivory, who is best when he can get to an edge.

Injuries

Word is that up to seven starters might be out for Cal Poly on Saturday. If I were creating a perfect upset recipe for an upset game, that would probably be the first and most abundant ingredient. Pay attention to who is playing and, maybe more importantly, who isn’t.

Defensive Front-7

The biggest strength of Cal Poly this year is probably the defensive front-7. Defensive tackle Sullivan Grosz has NFL aspirations and will be the leader of this group that will be tough up the middle. In their playoff loss to Sam Houston State last season, Cal Poly’s defense held the Bearkats to 241 yards of total offense, including only 153 yards rushing. SHSU averaged 268 yards rushing and 358 total yards per game on offense throughout the year. Their defense will again be a strength.

Along with Grosz, the defensive line has some horses in Jake Irwin, Andrew Alcaraz, Chris Judge, Chris Lawrence, and Wesley Flowers. New starter Cameron Ontko joins returning starting linebackers Nick Dzubnar and Johnny Millard to round-out a solid group. Grosz was the only Mustang selected first-team all Big-Sky in the preseason, but this group may turn out to be one of the deepest and best front-7’s in the conference.

Cal Poly vs. San Diego

Alex G. Spanos Stadium at Cal Poly

Kickoff – 4:05 PM

Radio – ESPN Radio 1280

Internet Video – WatchBigSky.com

A Cal Poly receiver goes horizontal to catch an Andre Broadous pass on Saturday night. Photo by David Livingston

Quarterback Andre Broadous combined for 263 total yards, 68 on the ground and 195 through the air. Broadous efficiently racked up his 195 yards passing with 9 completions on only 12 attempts. Broadous threw for 2 touchdowns, one for 45 yards to Willie Tucker and another for 30 yards to Brandon Michalkiewicz.

Cal Poly’s offense was an amazingly clutch 11 for 13 on third down.

Junior defensive captain Sullivan Grosz led the Mustangs’ defense, sacking Bears quarterback Seth Lobato three times.

The Mustangs scored with incredible balance, posting 14 points in each in all four quarters. Northern Colorado matched the Mustangs in the first quarter with 14 points of their own, but Cal Poly’s defense stiffened in the 2nd quarter and didn’t relent until the 4th quarter, when the second team defense starting getting mixed into the game. The Bears then scored their other two touchdowns in garbage-time.

Early in the contest Cal Poly was impressively crisp on offense, as Broadous played mistake-free and Williams was getting downhill and falling forward with ease. The Northern Colorado defense honestly looked over-matched from the get-go.

Halfway through the first quarter with Poly up 7-0 after a 8-yard Kristaan Ivory touchdown run, Broadous’ only major mistake of the game occurred. While keeping over the right side, Andre fumbled and Northern Colorado recovered inside the Cal Poly 20. Bears running back Tremaine Dennis then found his way towards the goal line over his next three carries, finding the end zone to tie the game at 7.

The Mustangs then got back on track with their bread and butter, as Williams fought for first downs on option pitches and inside trap plays. Once Poly crossed midfield into Bear territory, Broadous hit Willie Tucker streaking deep across the field on a 45-yard touchdown. Broadous commented in a post-game radio interview with Tom Barket on ESPN Radio 1280 that a couple of years ago he would have never been able to make that throw or even would have thought of trying it. He admitted he would have just tucked it away and got what he could have with his legs. The growth and maturity of a player is a great thing to see unfold.

As the first quarter came to a close, Northern Colorado answered Poly’s big play with another score of their own, as Lobato found tight end Darin McDonald in the end zone from 22 yards away to tie the score at 14. At this point it looked as if the game was shaping up to be a track meet.

Poly answered back early in the 2nd quarter with a Kristaan Ivory 37-yard scamper on the pitch to make the score 21-14. Then, the Mustang defense stiffened.

Cal Poly cornerback Nico Molino battles for the ball with Norther Colorado receiver Dominic Gunn. Photo by David Livingston

Defensive ends Andrew Alcaraz and Jake Irwin started getting better up-field penetration, putting a post in the defense against Northern Colorado’s off-tackle play. This change forced Bears running back Tromaine Dennis back inside to the teeth of Poly’s defense, instead of allowing him to have the choice to bounce to the outside and extend cutback opportunities in the open field.

The Mustangs added another score after a Northern Colorado punt, as Deonte Williams took a trap play back inside away from option action, a staple of the Poly offense, for a 5-yard plunge, bringing the score to 28-14, where it stayed until halftime.

Cal Poly did not come out with any sense of complacency to start the second half. After a stellar special teams tackle on the kickoff, the Mustangs recovered a fumble by Northern Colorado inside the Bears 25.

Deonte Williams then cashed in that turnover for Poly, taking in his 2nd score of the game, this one from 11 yards out. The Mustangs held a commanding 21-point lead, 35-14, with only 2:24 elapsed in the 3rd quarter. Credit Poly’s coaching staff for keeping their team fired up, and the players for having the killer instinct to put someone away when you have them down. This is the sign of not just a good team, but potentially a great one.

On their next posession, the Mustangs strung together back to back big plays. Broadous hit Cole Stanford down the left seam for 38 yards, and then took it himself on an option keeper for another 25. Deonte Williams smelled the paint along the right side he juked, spun and then lunged his way into the end zone for his 3rd and final score of the night, this one a 15-yard work of art, bringing the score to 42-14 Cal Poly.

Broadus capped off the final first-team drive of the game with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Michalkiewicz, in which the receiver navigated two defenders both during and after the catch, crossing the goal line as the defenders ran into each other. It was a play indicative of the overall Mustang dominance on this night. Poly lead 49-14 with 12 minutes left to play.

After a Northern Colorado touchdown, the Mustangs second-team offense, led by Vince Moraga, countered with a touchdown drive of their own, capped off by a short Ryan Soloman plunge with 3:47 remaining, making the score 56-21. It was Soloman’s first career touchdown.

Cal Poly improves to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Big Sky. Northern Colorado falls to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Big Sky.

The game was televised on KSBY and was broadcast by recent Fansmanship Podcast guest Bill Halter along with Andrew Masuda. KSBY will again televise next week’s game as head coach Tim Walsh and his Mustangs will take on his former team, the Portland State Vikings (2-4, 1-3 Big Sky) at Spanos Stadium. The Vikings are coming off a bye week, and the week before the bye they demolished Idaho State 77-10. The Mustangs are an even 9-9 all-time against Portland State.

If you haven’t had a chance to see this Mustang offensive machine yet this season, I highly recommend you check them out. You won’t be disappointed. Game time is 6:05pm Saturday night. Get there.

Photos by David Livingston

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