Sports

Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008

Cal Poly football notebook: Pass defense rallies after early struggles

And Mustang receiver Ramses Barden breaks Jerry Rice’s

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After running on the first two plays of its first possession, UC Davis went right after Cal Poly’s pass defense in Saturday’s 51-28 Mustangs win.

The Aggies passed for 127 yards in the first quarter as UC Davis quarterback Greg Denham started out completing eight of his first nine passes, including two touchdowns.

By the end of the first half, seven different Aggies had receptions, but on the same night Mustangs senior receiver Ramses Barden broke Jerry Rice’s FCS record for consecutive games with a touchdown catch, UC Davis’ Brandon Rice did the most damage.

Rice — no relation to Jerry — caught five passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, including one with 12 seconds left in the second quarter that sent the teams in halftime tied 21-21.

No other Aggies receiver caught more than two passes for 35 yards before halftime. Though Denham cooled off in the second quarter as the Mustangs sacked him twice and hurried him eight times, the sophomore was 14 of 24 for 234 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.

Kickoff change Cal Poly redshirt freshman Anthony Leonardi made his debut as a kickoff specialist, filling in for former Atascadero High kicker Jake West.

West injured his hip kicking off against North Carolina Central last week and was replaced by placekicker Andrew Gardner for the rest of that game.

To open the game, Leonardi pinned the Aggies deep.

UC Davis kick returner Corbin Cutshaw bobbled the kickoff near the 10-yard line, and the Mustangs kick coverage team was able to take him down at the 19.

The field position made little difference as UC Davis needed just six plays and 3:02 to go 81 yards and take a 7-0 lead.

Rice caught a 5-yard pass to put the Aggies ahead.

Faletoese makes a difference UC Davis defensive tackle John Faletoese, who missed last year’s game with an ankle sprain, made an immediate impact.

By the end of Cal Poly’s third drive, the 6-foot-3, 292-pound senior NFL prospect had already batted down a pass and made three tackles, including a short-yardage stop to force a punt.

On the third play of the Mustangs’ first drive, Cal Poly quarterback Jonathan Dally took an option keeper on third-and-three. Faletoese stuffed the run for a 1-yard gain and forced the Mustangs to punt with a 7-0 deficit.

Faletoese has been projected as a late-round NFL Draft pick or free-agent signee.

An early scare After UC Davis scored with ease and Cal Poly struggled on its opening possession, it seemed the Mustangs were in danger of falling behind by two touchdowns for the first time all season.

But before the Aggies could get going, they gave the ball right back.

UC Davis receiver Chris Miller caught a ball for a first down near the right sideline on first-and-10 from the Aggies’ 24-yard line and it appeared UC Davis would continue its offensive roll.

But Cal Poly cornerback Asa Jackson stripped the ball while making the tackle and Mustangs safety Greg Francis recovered the fumble and returned it to the UC Davis 25-yard line.

Three plays later, Dally scored on a 14-yard run up the middle to tie the score at 7-7.

Reach Joshua D. Scroggin at 781-7993.