Sports

Sunday, Nov. 09, 2008

Stout Mustangs defense shuts down North Carolina Central

North Carolina Central’s three points are fewest for a Cal Poly opponent in 2008

Comments (0) |

Cal Poly head football coach Rich Ellerson went to mass substitutions pretty early in Saturday’s 49-3 win over visiting North Carolina Central.

With more than five minutes left in the second quarter, the starters were coming out, the reserves were going in.

But before Alex G. Spanos Stadium public address announcer Mike Moreno began calling out the new names, the regulars had some pointers to convey, especially on defense where the Mustangs were going for their first shutout of the season.

In the first half, cornerback Xavier Gardner and rover Mark Restelli had their first interceptions of the season, Carlton Gillespie had his sixth sack of the year and the group was setting a tone of defensive dominance.

A shutout just two games after Cal Poly (7-1) gave up 41 points to Southern Utah two weeks ago would have been a nice carrot going into this week’s crucial game with UC Davis.

“That’s pushed throughout the game,” Gillespie said, “ ‘Preserve that shutout.’ And when those other guys go out, they’re expected, just like the starters, to go out and play like it’s a close game no matter what.”

With 5:28 left in the game, the Mustangs gave up three points to Eagles kicker Brandon Gilbert, who tied a North Carolina Central career record for most field goals on the 39-yarder.

The points were definitely hard earned. On a drive that started at the Eagles’ own 5-yard line, they went 73 yards in 13 plays and sapped 5:12 off the clock.

North Carolina Central advanced to the Cal Poly 21-yard line before former Atascadero High standout Brandon Roberts recorded his second quarterback hurry of the drive and the Mustangs got the Eagles’ offense off the field with an incomplete pass on third and-11. Gilbert, North Carolina Central’s career leading scorer, had no trouble with the kick.

“Yeah, there’s a push for that shutout,” Gillespie said, “but I mean, the truth is we held them to a field goal, and they went out and did their job.” Gillespie and the defense still felt proud about the defensive effort by the end of the game.

Since giving up 34 points to Southern Utah in the first half alone two weeks ago, Cal Poly has given up just 20 points in the past ten quarters. The three points were the lowest allowed all season.

The Mustangs didn’t allow North Carolina Central to gain a first down on the first six drives. It wasn’t until Justin Campbell rushed for seven yards on second-and-five nearly four minutes into the second quarter that the Eagles didn’t go three-and-out or turn the ball over.

By halftime, the Cal Poly defense had given up just 1 yard passing and 44 rushing. The Mustangs limited North Carolina Central to just 123 yards the entire game and outgained the Eagles by 385 yards.

Much of that had to do with Cal Poly quarterback Jonathan Dally, who was named Great West Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after passing for 101 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 44 yards and two more scores.

Restelli was a runner up for the conference’s defensive player of the week award after recording seven tackles in addition to his interception.

Asked to name the more impressive feat — the four straight scoring drives to open the game or the defense denying a first down for the first six possessions — Dally did not hesitate.

“Definitely the defense,” he said. “Scoring on the first four drives with the field position that we had is not uncommon for our offense because when we get the ball in their territory, we’re going to get a couple first downs and next thing you know, we’re inside the 5-yard line with four chances to score.

“The defense not giving up a first down, that really helps. It pumps up the offense and we just feed off each other.” It was no surprise that the Mustangs were able to score points. They lead the FCS in total offense (490.13 yards per game) and scoring offense (45.88 points per game).

Dally leads all of Division I in passing efficiency with a 205.5 rating throwing to Tre’dale Tolver and Ramses Barden (No. 2 in FCS with 124.5 receiving yards per game).

The defense, which ranks 101st in the FCS against the pass, has been the team’s perceived weakness all season, even after Cal Poly set a school record with 10 sacks at South Dakota State on Oct. 4.

With just three senior starters on defense and only three juniors starting as well, the Mustangs have experienced some growing pains but appear to be congealing at a good time.

“I’m relieved frankly that it’s starting to happen,” Ellerson said. “I think there’s a lot of really talented guys in that defensive huddle that can really make plays. I was frustrated that we weren’t further along a couple of weeks ago, but we’re starting to feel it a little bit now.”