Eastern tackles Cal Poly
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Paul Wulff doesn’t have to hard-sell Eastern Washington University’s football game at Cal Poly.
Circumstances – meaning a pair of I-AA losses apiece – took care of that.
The 11th-ranked Eagles and 18th-ranked Mustangs enter today’s non-conference game at Mustang Stadium with identical 8-3 records and the knowledge that another loss takes them out of consideration for an at-large berth in the I-AA playoffs.
“It is a playoff game from that standpoint,” the Eastern head coach said. “It’s a playoff-caliber team we’re playing. It’s going to be that atmosphere. It’s going to be a hell of a game. If (the players) can’t figure that out, they’re probably in the wrong sport.”
The Eagles have it figured out as they embark on a season-ending string of three straight ranked opponents.
“Every game from here on out feels like a playoff game,” EWU safety Nick Denbeigh said. “One game at a time, they’re all big games against good teams.”
Tight end Tim Calhoun echoed that.
“We are in the playoffs now,” he said. “We have to win games, one game at a time. There is no room for error.”
The Mustangs are dangerous opponents because they’ve lost two straight, have a superstar in defensive end Chris Gocong, and have a different look with a flex defense and option offense. Plus, it’s Eastern’s second straight trip to California after winning at Sacramento State.
“I think we’ll be ready to play,” Wulff said. “It’s just a matter of getting down here and making plays against a great team.”
Cal Poly’s strength starts with Gocong, who was second to teammate Jordan Beck, a linebacker drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, in the Buchanan Award voting last season as I-AA’s best defensive player.
“I think he is the best player in all of college football on defense. I think he’s a first-round draft pick, without question,” Wulff said. “I haven’t seen more of a dominating player in I-AA football in all my years at Eastern Washington.
“He’s a defensive end, he’s relentless, he has phenomenal quickness, he’s as fast as running backs and receivers, he’s 265 pounds, he’s very intelligent, he plays smart, he plays hard, he got all the moves. He’s as talented as I’ve ever seen.”
Gocong is second in the nation with 11½ sacks among his 56 tackles and Eastern is a team that has allowed 33 sacks, the most among Big Sky teams.
“It’s going to be tough. He’s going to make his plays,” Wulff said. “The question is can we neutralize him enough to allow us to continue to function? That’s going to be a huge challenge for our offensive linemen.”
A week after catching six passes for a career-high 123 yards, EWU tight end Tim Calhoun expects to spend more time blocking.
“It will be a challenge to block the defensive ends. That’s just a different challenge from catching the ball,” he said. “We have to get on blocks and stay on blocks. He’s not going to stop. He goes hard every play, so we have to go out there with the same intensity he has.”
Even with Gocong, Cal Poly coach Rich Ellerson is worried about slowing down Eastern’s high-powered offense led by quarterback Erik Meyer, wide receiver Eric Kimble and running back Ryan Cole.
“They’re really comfortable running their offense,” Ellerson said. “They don’t do a ton of stuff, but they do it so well, they’re so efficient, they can fix things. That’s the sign of a mature system with veteran players.”
On offense, the Mustangs are banged up and that concerns Ellerson as well.
“Defensively they are still aggressive,” he said. “As young as we’ve become on offense at quarterback … that will be a challenge.”
Quarterback Anthony Garrett is out for the season and redshirt freshman Matt Brennan struggled in a 20-13 loss at UC Davis last week, connecting on 9 of 20 passes for 63 yards.
”(Brennan) is athletic and he has played before,” Wulff said. “I just know they have a good offense and whoever is calling the signals is part of the offense. Doesn’t change anything, we still have to stop 11 guys.”
Wulff expects defensive linemen Johnny Hanson and Keith Grennan, who missed last week, and Harrison Nikolao, who played sparingly, to be back. Cornerback Isaiah Trufant, who has been out with a sprained ankle since the second game, should see some action.
Two key backups on offense, quarterback Chris Peerboom and running back Dale Morris, could also play.