20 2013 Season Preview: Defending Big Sky Conference Title Wide Receiver Though Cal Poly is primarily a rushing team in the Triple Option package, the Mustangs do possess a talented array of receivers, led by Willie Tucker, the team's top receiver in 2012 with 28 catches for 517 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with his 14 catches two seasons ago. Tucker is now a junior and will be backed up by junior Chris Nicholls, who caught a pass in 2012. The other wide receiver position is headed by sophWide Receivers omore Jordan Hines, who Willie Tucker (6-3, 200, Junior) caught a pair of passes a 28 Catches, 517 Yards, 7 TD in 2012 year ago. He will be backed All-Big Sky Honorable Mention 2012 up by sophomore Roland 14 Catches, 265 Yards, 2 TDs in 2011 Jackson Jr. and redshirt Jordan Hines (6-2, 195, So.) freshman Carson McMur2 Catches, 25 Yards, 0 TDs in 2012 trey, who caught passes Chris Nicholls (5-8, 170, Jr.) from both Trosin and Graves at Folsom High 1 Catch, 5 Yards, 0 TDs in 2012 School. Other wide receiver candidates include senior Nathanael Petrey, juniors Brendan Quinn and Austin Albison, sophomore Sam Holguin and redshirt freshmen Keishawn Rowe and Jordan Satterwhite. Expect Stanford to run passing routes out of the slotback position as well. He averaged 28.6 yards on his 17 receptions a year ago. “This is a good, solid group,” said Walsh. “We need Hines to emerge and take some pressure off Tucker. Tucker is one of the better wide receivers in the conference and Hines has the ability to be that kind of guy as well.” Defensive Line All four starters on the 2012 defensive line return, a group that helped the Mustangs finish third in the 13-team Big Sky Conference in total defense and 34th in the nation in rushing defense. The quartet is led by senior Sullivan Grosz, who notched 57 tackles a year ago and led the Mustangs in tackles for lost yardage (13.5) and sacks (6.0). Grosz, a second-team All-Big Sky selection, now has 117 career tackles, 26.5 career tackles for lost yardage and 13.5 career sacks. Grosz will start at defensive tackle while junior Chris Lawrence (33 tackles in 2012) returns at nose tackle. The returning starting ends are junior Jake Irwin (40 tackles, 3.5 TFL, four quarterback hurries in first season at Cal Poly after transferring from Wisconsin) and senior Andrew Alcaraz (28 tackles, five
Bobby Zalud was perfect on 55 PAT kicks and also made 12 of 16 field goals while averaging 40.6 yards per punt. pass breakups in 2012). Both ends, however, are in tough fights for the starting nods. Irwin will be challenged by senior Chris Judge (17 tackles, three hurries in 2012) while Alcaraz will be pushed by junior Wesley Flowers (27 tackles, 2.5 TFL in 2012). Judge originally attended Air Force while Flowers was at UCLA. Other candidates at end are senior Grant Goebel, junior Omar Omilabu, senior Kyle Maddux and redshirt freshmen Colin Dzubnar, Josh Letuligasenoa and Kelly Shepard. Backing up Grosz and Lawrence at tackle are seniors Barrett Wangara and Nick Leyden, sophomore Joe Coleman and redshirt freshmen Jason Patterson, Dylan Gutierrez and Marcus Paige-Allen. “We are as deep Defensive Line on the defensive Sullivan Grosz (6-4, 295, Sr.) 57 Tackles, 13.5 TFL, 6.0 Sacks in 2012 All-Big Sky Second Team in 2012 45 Tackles, 6.5 Sacks, 11 Hurries in 2011 All-Great West Honorable Mention 2011 14 Tackles, 2 Hurries in 2010 Chris Lawrence (6-2, 260, Jr.) 33 Tackles, 1.5 TFL, 2 Pass Breakups in 2012 11 Games Played, 4 Tackles in 2011 Jake Irwin (6-4, 240, Jr.) 40 Tackles, 3.5 TFL, 4 QB Hurries in 2012 Andrew Alcaraz (6-3, 250, Sr.) 28 Tackles, 5 Pass Breakups, 2 Hurries in 2012
Akaninyene Umoh (left) netted 439 yards rushing, scoring twice, last fall while Chris Nicholls averaged 24.0 yards per kickoff return and 8.5 yards per punt return in 2012.
front as we’ve ever been here, five or six deep on the end and five deep at tackle,” said Walsh. “Grosz is the lead player in the group and we have a lot of good guys next to him. The defensive line is the strength of who we are this year.”