2012 Big Sky Conference Countdown: Cal Poly

The countdown continues with the Cal Poly Mustangs, the fourth and final newcomer to the Big Sky. The Mustangs have played almost every conference team on the gridiron over the years, and now they're officially a football-only member of the conference, beginning with this season.  They are coming off a 6-5 season in 2011 and hope for plenty of success in their first season.

They are the only team in the league that runs the triple option offense (much like their FBS counterparts at Georgia Tech and Navy), which makes it difficult for defenses to stop, because you never know who the ball carrier is going to be.  Head coach Tim Walsh (formerly head coach at Portland State) kept the system in place after former head coach Rich Ellerson accepted the head job at Army in 2009, while he ran a different system with the Vikings during his 14-year tenure in Portland.  Walsh is currently 17-16 as the Mustangs head coach, entering his fourth season in charge.

When a team runs an option attack, throwing the football doesn't happen very often.  No wonder starting quarterback Andre Broadous (#3 in above photo) only has ONE career interception to his credit (thrown in a 24-17 loss at UC Davis last November 5th).  He's back for his senior season, and while he led the team in passing (1235 yards and 9 touchdown passes), he's also the top returning rusher (797 yards on 204 carries) as leading rusher from 2011 Jake Romanelli graduated.  The team's leaders in receiving yards in 2011 are only sophomores in Lance Castaneda (26 catches for 283 yards and a touchdown) and Willie Tucker (14 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns).

Defensively, the Mustangs struggled as they gave up almost 30 points a game, and that is something they'll have to improve on this year.  Their top three tacklers from last season are back: linebackers Johnny Millard (a junior) and Kennith Jackson (a senior), and senior cornerback Bijon Samoodi.  A co-leader in quarterback sacks is also back with junior defensive tackle Sullivan Grosz, who had 6.5 sacks last season.

MY TAKE: The Mustangs have always fielded a competitive team, and with Tim Walsh patrolling the sidelines, that isn't expected to change.  But if they want to contend for a conference title in their first season, it's important their defense lower their points against this season, because giving up 30 points a game won't help you win the conference, much less make the FCS Playoffs.

NEXT UP: Northern Colorado

Image credit: Brad Puckett/San Luis Obispo Tribune