Cal Poly Mustangs football
| Cal Poly Mustangs football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1915 | ||
| Athletic director | Don Oberhelman | ||
| Head coach |
Tim Walsh 10th season, 51–52 (.495) | ||
| Stadium |
Alex G. Spanos Stadium (Capacity: 11,075) | ||
| Field surface | Natural Grass | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, California | ||
| Conference | Big Sky Conference | ||
| All-time record | 467–365–20 (.560) | ||
| Bowl record | 0–1 (.000) | ||
| Claimed nat'l titles | Division II: 1 (1980) | ||
| Conference titles | 5 | ||
| Rivalries | UC Davis Aggies | ||
| Colors |
Forest Green, Vegas Gold, and Copper[1] | ||
| Fight song | Ride High You Mustangs | ||
| Mascot | Musty the Mustang | ||
| Marching band | Cal Poly Mustang Band | ||
The Cal Poly Mustangs are the football team representing California Polytechnic State University located in San Luis Obispo, California. The team plays its home games in Alex G. Spanos Stadium. The current head coach is Tim Walsh, who began his tenure in 2009.
Contents
History[edit]
Football was first played on the Cal Poly campus in 1916. At that time, Cal Poly was a vocational school as it did not become a four-year college until 1941.
1915 Through the 1940s[edit]
The California Polytechnic School played mostly high school teams and college freshmen teams for its first 16 seasons. In 1933, Mustangs enjoyed their first undefeated season under coach Howie O'Daniels. During the 1933 campaign, The Mustangs did not allow a single point during that season. Cal Poly officially became a four-year school in 1941 and posted a 5–3–1 record under Coach O'Daniels. Football was put to a halt during World War II ('43 and '44) and resumed in 1945.
1950s[edit]
Under coach Roy Hughes, Cal Poly experienced its second undefeated season in 1953. In the decade of the 1950s, the Mustangs posted a record of 67–29–1. During this decade, future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, John Madden played for the Green and Gold and was known as a bruising tackle. Upon graduation, Madden was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. Joining Madden on the Cal Poly squad was quarterback and defensive back Bobby Beathard, who would later gain NFL fame as the architect and general manager responsible for building the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers respectively into Super Bowl-winning and contending teams.
1960s[edit]
Tragedy struck in 1960 following a game at Bowling Green State University on Saturday, October 29, 1960 when a plane leaving Toledo Airport crashed killing 22 people. This included 16 Mustang football players and the team manager. The next seven seasons produced a 22–45 record. Joe Harper was hired in 1968 and produced a 7–3 and 6–4 season to end the decade.
1970s[edit]
Under head coach Joe Harper, Cal Poly produced an 8–0–1 record in 1972 and received a trip to the Camellia Bowl to play in the western regional championship game of the NCAA's College Division. They would end up losing to the University of North Dakota. In 1978, The Mustangs would make it to the NCAA Division II playoffs but lost to Winston-Salem State. Each of the ten Mustang football teams in the 1970s posted a winning season.
1980s[edit]
1980 would be one of the most memorable seasons for the Cal Poly Mustangs as they went on to win the NCAA Division II National Football Championship under coach Joe Harper. Cal Poly defeated Eastern Illinois in the championship game and would finish the season with a 10–3 record that included a win over D-IAA national champion, Boise State. Never before or since has a D-II team defeated the eventual D-IAA national champion and won a D-II national title in the same year.
1990s[edit]
The winning continued in the 90s and in 1990, coach Lyle Setencich would lead the Mustangs to another playoff appearance before losing in the second round to North Dakota State. In 1994, Cal Poly would make the jump to Division I-AA (now FCS) football with coach Andre Patterson at the helm. The Mustangs would see instant success posting a 7–4 record. In 1997, Larry Welsh took over the program and led the Mustangs to a 10–1 record and a national ranking of 16. However, the team was not extended an invitation to the national playoffs. Larry Welsh would follow that season with 3 3–8 seasons.
The Rich Ellerson era[edit]
In 2001, first-year coach Rich Ellerson led the Mustangs to a 6–5 season. Coach Ellerson would emphasize defense and in 2004, linebacker Jordan Beck won the Buck Buchanan Award for best defensive player of the year in the NCAA Division I Football Championship. During the next two years, Cal Poly would experience another NCAA first as two more players would win the award: Chris Gocong in 2005 and Kyle Shotwell in 2006. In 2005, the Mustangs saw their first FCS playoff berth and a 35–21 win over Montana. 2008 would prove to be another exciting season for the Mustangs as they had one of the most productive offenses in the country. They went on to beat FBS San Diego State as well as experience a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison 36–35. The 2008 Mustangs made the playoffs and but lost a shootout in the first round against Weber State. Wide receiver Ramses Barden was drafted by the New York Giants. After the season, coach Rich Ellerson accepted a coaching offer to become the head coach of the Army Black Knights.
Affiliation history[edit]
Classifications[edit]
- 1937–1972: NCAA College Division
- 1973–1993: NCAA Division II
- 1994–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference memberships[edit]
- 1915–1921: Independent
- 1922–1924: California Coast Conference
- 1925–1945: Independent
- 1946–1981: California Collegiate Athletic Association
- 1982–1992: Western Football Conference
- 1993–1995: American West Conference
- 1996–2003: NCAA Division I–AA Independent
- 2004–2011: Great West Conference
- 2012–present: Big Sky Conference
Season-by-season records[edit]
| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D.W. Schlosser (1915–1917) | |||||||||
| 1915 | D.W. Schlosser | 1–0–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1916 | D.W. Schlosser | 1–2–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1917 | D.W. Schlosser | 2–1–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| D.W. Schlosser: | 4–2–1 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Flu Epidemic (1918) | |||||||||
| 1918 | No Games | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| H. Hess (1919–1920) | |||||||||
| 1919 | H. Hess | 3–0–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1920 | H. Hess | 1–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| H. Hess: | 4–4–0 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Al Agosti (1921–1932) | |||||||||
| 1921 | Al Agosti | 3–1–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1922 | Al Agosti | 1–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1923 | Al Agosti | 3–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1924 | Al Agosti | 1–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1925 | Al Agosti | 4–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1926 | Al Agosti | 5–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1927 | Al Agosti | 2–4–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1928 | Al Agosti | 3–4–2 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1929 | Al Agosti | 3–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1930 | No Games | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1931 | Al Agosti | 3–5–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1932 | Al Agosti | 4–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Al Agosti: | 32–44–5 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Howie O'Daniels (1933–1941) | |||||||||
| 1933 | Howie O'Daniels | 7–0–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1934 | Howie O'Daniels | 6–2–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1935 | Howie O'Daniels | 5–2–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1936 | Howie O'Daniels | 5–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1937 | Howie O'Daniels | 4–2–2 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1938 | Howie O'Daniels | 7–2–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1939 | Howie O'Daniels | 4–4–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1940 | Howie O'Daniels | 6–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1941 | Howie O'Daniels | 5–3–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Howie O'Daniels: | 45–22–5 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Bob Dakan (1942) | |||||||||
| 1942 | Bob Dakan | 4–2–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Bob Dakan: | 4–2–1 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| World War II (1943–1944) | |||||||||
| 1943 | No Games | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1944 | No Games | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Ronnie Henderson (1945) | |||||||||
| 1945 | Ronnie Henderson | 1–5–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Ronnie Henderson: | 1–5–1 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Howie O'Daniels (1946–1947) | |||||||||
| 1946 | Howie O'Daniels | 6–2–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1947 | Howie O'Daniels | 1–9–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Howie O'Daniels: | 56–33–6 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Chuck Pavelko (1948–1949) | |||||||||
| 1948 | Chuck Pavelko | 3–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1949 | Chuck Pavelko | 4–6–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Chuck Pavelko: | 7–11–0 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| LeRoy Hughes (1950–1961) | |||||||||
| 1950 | LeRoy Hughes | 3–7–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1951 | LeRoy Hughes | 5–4–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1952 | LeRoy Hughes | 7–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1953 | LeRoy Hughes | 9–0–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1954 | LeRoy Hughes | 6–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1955 | LeRoy Hughes | 7–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1956 | LeRoy Hughes | 7–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1957 | LeRoy Hughes | 8–1–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1958 | LeRoy Hughes | 9–1–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1959 | LeRoy Hughes | 6–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1960 | LeRoy Hughes | 1–5–0* | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1961 | LeRoy Hughes | 5–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| LeRoy Hughes: | 73–37–1 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Sheldon Harden (1962–1967) | |||||||||
| 1962 | Sheldon Harden | 4–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1963 | Sheldon Harden | 2–8–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1964 | Sheldon Harden | 0–10–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1965 | Sheldon Harden | 2–8–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1966 | Sheldon Harden | 6–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1967 | Sheldon Harden | 3–7–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Sheldon Harden: | 17–42–0 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Joe Harper (1968–1981) | |||||||||
| 1968 | Joe Harper | 7–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1969 | Joe Harper | 6–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1970 | Joe Harper | 8–2–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1971 | Joe Harper | 6–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1972 | Joe Harper | 8–1–1 | 0-0-0 | L Camellia Bowl | |||||
| 1973 | Joe Harper | 9–1–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1974 | Joe Harper | 5–4–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1975 | Joe Harper | 6–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1976 | Joe Harper | 7–1–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1977 | Joe Harper | 6–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1978 | Joe Harper | 7–3–0 | 0-0-0 | 0–1 L NCAA Division II First Round | |||||
| 1979 | Joe Harper | 7–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1980 | Joe Harper | 10–3–0 | 0-0-0 | 3–0 Div. II national champions | |||||
| 1981 | Joe Harper | 4–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Joe Harper: | 96–43–4 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Jim Sanderson (1982–1986) | |||||||||
| 1982 | Jim Sanderson | 6–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1983 | Jim Sanderson | 5–6–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1984 | Jim Sanderson | 6–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1985 | Jim Sanderson | 4–7–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1986 | Jim Sanderson | 5–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Jim Sanderson: | 26–27–0 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Lyle Setencich (1987–1993) | |||||||||
| 1987 | Lyle Setencich | 7–3–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1988 | Lyle Setencich | 5–4–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1989 | Lyle Setencich | 5–5–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1990 | Lyle Setencich | 10–2–0 | 0-0-0 | 1–1 NCAA Division II quarterfinals | |||||
| 1991 | Lyle Setencich | 4–6–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1992 | Lyle Setencich | 4–5–1 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| 1993 | Lyle Setencich | 6–4–0 | 0-0-0 | ||||||
| Lyle Setencich: | 41–29–2 | 0-0-0 | |||||||
| Andre Patterson (1994–1996) | |||||||||
| 1994 | Andre Patterson | 7–4 | 3–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1995 | Andre Patterson | 5–6 | 2–1 | ||||||
| 1996 | Andre Patterson | 5–6 | 0–0 | ||||||
| Andre Patterson: | 17–16 | 5–1 | |||||||
| Larry Welsh (1997–2000) | |||||||||
| 1997 | Larry Welsh | 10–1 | 0–0 | ||||||
| 1998 | Larry Welsh | 3–8 | 0–0 | ||||||
| 1999 | Larry Welsh | 3–8 | 0–0 | ||||||
| 2000 | Larry Welsh | 3–8 | 0–0 | ||||||
| Larry Welsh: | 19–25 | 0–0 | |||||||
| Rich Ellerson (2001–2008) | |||||||||
| 2001 | Rich Ellerson | 6–5 | 0–0 | ||||||
| 2002 | Rich Ellerson | 3–8 | 0–0 | ||||||
| 2003 | Rich Ellerson | 7–4 | 0–0 | ||||||
| 2004 | Rich Ellerson | 9–2 | 4–1 | 1st | |||||
| 2005 | Rich Ellerson | 9–4 | 4–1 | T-1st | NCAA Division I Second Round | ||||
| 2006 | Rich Ellerson | 7–4 | 2–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2007 | Rich Ellerson | 7–4 | 2–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2008 | Rich Ellerson | 8–3 | 4–0 | 1st | NCAA Division I First Round | ||||
| Rich Ellerson: | 56–34 | 16–6 | |||||||
| Tim Walsh (2009–present) | |||||||||
| 2009 | Tim Walsh | 4–7 | 1–3 | 5th | |||||
| 2010 | Tim Walsh | 7–4 | 2–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2011 | Tim Walsh | 6–5 | 3–1 | T-1st | |||||
| 2012 | Tim Walsh | 9–3 | 7–1 | T-1st | NCAA Division I Second Round | ||||
| 2013 | Tim Walsh | 6–6 | 5–3 | T-4th | |||||
| 2014 | Tim Walsh | 7–5 | 5–3 | T-4th | |||||
| 2015 | Tim Walsh | 4–7 | 3–5 | T-8th | |||||
| 2016 | Tim Walsh | 7–5 | 5–3 | T-4th | NCAA Division I First Round | ||||
| 2017 | Tim Walsh | 1–10 | 1–7 | T-11th | |||||
| Tim Walsh: | 51–52 | 33–31 | |||||||
| Total: | 503–398–20 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Coaching history[edit]
| No. | Coach | Tenure | Seasons | Win | Loss | Tie | Pct. | Bowls/Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D.W. Schlosser | 1915–17 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | .563 | 0 |
| 2 | H. Hess | 1919–20 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 0 |
| 3 | Al Agosti | 1921–32 | 11 | 32 | 44 | 5 | .425 | 0 |
| 4 | Howie O'Daniels | 1933–41, 46–47 | 11 | 56 | 33 | 6 | .621 | 0 |
| 5 | Bob Dakan | 1942 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .571 | 0 |
| 6 | Ron Henderson | 1945 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | .167 | 0 |
| 7 | Chuck Pavelko | 1948–49 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 0 | .389 | 0 |
| 8 | Roy Hughes | 1950–61 | 12 | 73 | 37 | 1 | .662 | 0 |
| 9 | Sheldon Harden | 1962–67 | 6 | 17 | 42 | 0 | .288 | 0 |
| 10 | Joe Harper | 1968–81 | 14 | 96 | 43 | 4 | .662 | 2 |
| 11 | Jim Sanderson | 1982–86 | 5 | 26 | 27 | 0 | .491 | 0 |
| 12 | Lyle Setencich | 1987–93 | 7 | 41 | 29 | 2 | .583 | 1 |
| 13 | Andre Patterson | 1994–96 | 3 | 17 | 16 | 0 | .515 | 0 |
| 14 | Larry Welsh | 1997-00 | 4 | 19 | 25 | 0 | .432 | 0 |
| 15 | Rich Ellerson | 2001–08 | 8 | 56 | 34 | 0 | .622 | 2 |
| 16 | Tim Walsh | 2009–Present | 8 | 50 | 42 | 0 | .543 | 2 |
| Totals | 1915–present | 98 | 503 | 398 | 20 | .546 | 7 |
Bowl history[edit]
| Bowl and Date | Winning team | Losing team | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camellia Bowl Dec 9, 1972 | North Dakota | 38 | Cal Poly | 21 | Lost | |
Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results[edit]
The Mustangs have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs four times with an overall record of 1–4.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | First Round Quarterfinals |
Montana Texas State |
W 35–31 L 7–14 |
| 2008 | First Round | Weber State | L 35–49 |
| 2012 | Second Round | Sam Houston State | L 16–18 |
| 2016 | First Round | San Diego | L 21–35 |
Division II Playoffs results[edit]
The Mustangs have appeared in the Division II playoffs three times with an overall record of 4–2. They were National Champions in 1980.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Quarterfinals | Winston–Salem State | L 10–17 |
| 1980 | Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game |
Jacksonville State Santa Clara Eastern Illinois |
W 15–0 W 38–14 W 21–13 |
| 1990 | First Round Quarterfinals |
Cal State Northridge North Dakota State |
W 14–7 L 0–47 |
Notable alumni[edit]
Current NFL Players[edit]
Current CFL Players[edit]
- Mark Restelli – Linebacker – Free Agent
- Cameron Ontko – Linebacker – Free Agent
- Burton DeKoning – Linebacker – Free Agent
Other Notable Players[edit]
- Marijon Ancich – Fullback, Defensive Back and Linebacker, second winningest high school football coach in California history behind Bob Ladouceur (De La Salle High School, Concord, CA).
- Mel Kaufman – Linebacker, winner of two Super Bowl rings and Captain of the Washington Redskins
- John Madden – Oakland Raiders Head Coach, Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Jeff Smith – Wide receiver
Alumni in the NFL Draft[edit]
Key[edit]
| B | Back | K | Kicker | NT | Nose tackle |
| C | Center | LB | Linebacker | FB | Fullback |
| DB | Defensive back | P | Punter | HB | Halfback |
| DE | Defensive end | QB | Quarterback | WR | Wide receiver |
| DT | Defensive tackle | RB | Running back | G | Guard |
| E | End | T | Offensive tackle | TE | Tight end |
| Year | Round | Pick in round | Overall pick | Player | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 5 | 33 | 169 | Asa Jackson | Ravens | DB |
| 2009 | 3 | 20 | 85 | Ramses Barden | Giants | WR |
| 2007 | 7 | 2 | 212 | Courtney Brown | Cowboys | DB |
| 2006 | 3 | 7 | 71 | Chris Gocong | Eagles | LB |
| 2005 | 3 | 25 | 90 | Jordan Beck | Falcons | LB |
| 2002 | 7 | 5 | 216 | Seth Burford | Chargers | QB |
| 1989 | 7 | 49 | 238 | Kamil Loud | Bills | WR |
| 1989 | 9 | 6 | 229 | Chris Dunn | Falcons | LB |
| 1989 | 11 | 18 | 297 | Joe Nelms | Bears | DT |
| 1986 | 12 | 23 | 328 | Sal Cesario | Jets | T |
| 1985 | 6 | 22 | 162 | Damone Johnson | Rams | TE |
| 1985 | 9 | 21 | 245 | Gary Swanson | Rams | LB |
| 1984 | 8 | 12 | 208 | Paul Sverchek | Vikings | DT |
| 1982 | 6 | 26 | 165 | Charles Daum | Cowboys | DT |
| 1981 | 4 | 17 | 100 | Robbie Martin | Steelers | WR |
| 1981 | 7 | 2 | 168 | Louis Jackson | Giants | RB |
| 1981 | 7 | 13 | 179 | Mike Daum | Dolphins | T |
| 1978 | 4 | 13 | 97 | Jim Childs | Cardinals | WR |
| 1978 | 8 | 20 | 214 | Andre Keys | Steelers | WR |
| 1976 | 6 | 18 | 174 | Gary Davis | Dolphins | RB |
| 1976 | 14 | 11 | 386 | John Henson | Packers | RB |
| 1976 | 17 | 8 | 467 | Ray Hall | Packers | TE |
| 1972 | 12 | 3 | 289 | Frederick Wegis | Bengals | DB |
| 1970 | 12 | 19 | 305 | Emanuel Murrell | Lions | DB |
| 1968 | 5 | 16 | 127 | Cecil Turner | Bears | WR |
| 1958 | 21 | 3 | 244 | John Madden | Eagles | T |
| 1956 | 9 | 2 | 99 | Jim Cox | 49ers | E |
| 1955 | 24 | 8 | 285 | Bob Heaston | 49ers | G |
| 1955 | 26 | 10 | 311 | Perry Jeter | Bears | B |
| 1954 | 9 | 9 | 106 | Alex Bravo | Rams | B |
| 1954 | 9 | 12 | 109 | Bob Lawson | Lions | B |
| 1954 | 18 | 9 | 214 | Stan Sheriff | Rams | C[2] |
References[edit]
- ^ "Cal Poly Athletics Brand and Graphics Guidelines" (PDF). Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ^ DraftHistory.com
Externally links[edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cal Poly Mustangs football. |
