Bobcat Blasts
9/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Cal Poly linebacker Jordan Beck won last year's Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the top defensive player in Division I-AA. He didn't single-handedly win it with his 11-tackle performance against the Bobcats, a game in which he also picked off a pass, broke up two others, and registered three tackles-for-a-loss, but it seems like it to Bobcat fans.
Most people don't remember the runner-up to last year's Buchanan winner. Mike Kramer does.
"Chris Gocong," Kramer says with a smile. "How about that, they had the winner and the runner-up. Rich Ellerson has built a great, great defense."
Gocong logged 71 tackles last year, an amazing 22 of them coming behind the line of scrimmage. He sacked the quarterback 17.5 times, caused two fumbles, recovered on, and picked off a pass.
"Chris Gocong is a man-child," Kramer says. "He is a great player. He's strong and gets great leverage. He is a force."
Bobcat offensive lineman Jeff Bolton, like Gocong a returning All-America, remembers Gocong, as well. "He's a really good player," Bolton says. "He's hard to block."
* * * * *
The construction at Cal Poly's Mustang Stadium -- the west bleachers were torn down late this summer, and a new grandstand is being built to be ready for the '06 season -- brings to mind the end of the 1997 season and the last games in MSU's stadium when it was named after Reno H. Sales. The second-to-last game in that stadium was a heartbreaking loss by the Bobcats to Cal Poly, who won the game on a 50-yard walk-off field goal by Alan Bielke. Bielke opened the fourth quarter with a 42-yard field goal, as well. MSU had grabbed a 19-14 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 42-yard pass from Rob Compson to Tony Vallez. Vallez was at last weekend's game in Bozeman, and plans on attending this week's game in San Luis Obispo.
* * * * *
In five of the last six meetings between Cal Poly and the Bobcats an assistant coach working for the losing school had previously worked for the winner. In 1996, George Booker coached at Cal Poly when the Bobcats earned a 37-20 win, and the next year Booker returned to MSU for a 20-19 Bobcat loss. Since 2001, Bobcat offensive coordinator Don Bailey, a former Mustang assistant, has suffered through four straight Cal Poly wins.
* * * * *
Cal Poly is ranked 18th in the nation this week. The Bobcats have lost their last four meetings with a nationally-ranked I-AA squad.
* * * * *
Great West schools posted an impressive 8-6 mark against the Big Sky Conference last year, and Cal Poly was 3-1. Big Sky schools are 2-1 against the Great West this year, with four such contests on tap this weekend.
Most people don't remember the runner-up to last year's Buchanan winner. Mike Kramer does.
"Chris Gocong," Kramer says with a smile. "How about that, they had the winner and the runner-up. Rich Ellerson has built a great, great defense."
Gocong logged 71 tackles last year, an amazing 22 of them coming behind the line of scrimmage. He sacked the quarterback 17.5 times, caused two fumbles, recovered on, and picked off a pass.
"Chris Gocong is a man-child," Kramer says. "He is a great player. He's strong and gets great leverage. He is a force."
Bobcat offensive lineman Jeff Bolton, like Gocong a returning All-America, remembers Gocong, as well. "He's a really good player," Bolton says. "He's hard to block."
* * * * *
The construction at Cal Poly's Mustang Stadium -- the west bleachers were torn down late this summer, and a new grandstand is being built to be ready for the '06 season -- brings to mind the end of the 1997 season and the last games in MSU's stadium when it was named after Reno H. Sales. The second-to-last game in that stadium was a heartbreaking loss by the Bobcats to Cal Poly, who won the game on a 50-yard walk-off field goal by Alan Bielke. Bielke opened the fourth quarter with a 42-yard field goal, as well. MSU had grabbed a 19-14 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 42-yard pass from Rob Compson to Tony Vallez. Vallez was at last weekend's game in Bozeman, and plans on attending this week's game in San Luis Obispo.
* * * * *
In five of the last six meetings between Cal Poly and the Bobcats an assistant coach working for the losing school had previously worked for the winner. In 1996, George Booker coached at Cal Poly when the Bobcats earned a 37-20 win, and the next year Booker returned to MSU for a 20-19 Bobcat loss. Since 2001, Bobcat offensive coordinator Don Bailey, a former Mustang assistant, has suffered through four straight Cal Poly wins.
* * * * *
Cal Poly is ranked 18th in the nation this week. The Bobcats have lost their last four meetings with a nationally-ranked I-AA squad.
* * * * *
Great West schools posted an impressive 8-6 mark against the Big Sky Conference last year, and Cal Poly was 3-1. Big Sky schools are 2-1 against the Great West this year, with four such contests on tap this weekend.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
