I only got to be at Cal Poly football practice for a little more than an hour on Monday. It’s great to see new players in uniform, who has bulked-up or improved, and who is still knocking off the rust.

Without talking to anybody about anything, here are a few things I saw on the offensive side of the ball on Monday.

Chris Brown looked comfortable in the first day of camp at Cal Poly. By Owen Main

Chris Brown is comfortable

Last season, Brown was still not the de-facto starter during camp. This season, Brown is coming off a great season and there shouldn’t be any question about who the starter is.

Brown’s status leaves fellow senior Dano Graves in a little bit of a pinch. Will Graves redshirt in order to save a year of eligibility? This would mean that Andrew Barna becomes the likely backup at quarterback.

Will he play another position like slotback at times and also be the backup quarterback? (Seriously, how fun would that be to have him and Brown on the field at the same time???) This is clearly Chris Brown’s team, but keep an eye on what develops with Graves as well.

Kori Garcia seems to be running well

After hurting himself in spring practice, Garcia looks like he’s running pretty well. The preseason All-Big Sky selection is one of Cal Poly’s only running backs who has had significant carries. If they’re going to have success this year, Cal Poly needs Garcia healthy as a stabilizing force in their running attack.

Khaleel Jenkins looks sturdy

It’s a random observation, but Khaleel Jenkins looks nice and sturdy for a freshman. Maybe I’m used to watching a young quarterback like Kai Ross (who is no longer with the team), but Jenkins’ size and movements looked pretty good for a Tim Walsh freshman.

Kevin Porsche is back at slotback

Porsche, who has played on both sides of the ball through his first two seasons, is back to his original position of slotback. It’s also worth noting that he looks a lot bigger and stronger this season. Beyone Kori Garcia and Joe Protheroe, the Mustangs are going to need at least 3-4 other guys who can get regular carries in order to stay fresh. Can Porsche break-through on the offensive side of the ball in his junior season?

DJ Peluso looks like he could really be a load to bring down. By Owen Main

DJ Peluso looks like a beast

You guys, this guy seems like some kind of physical specimen. I don’t think it’s just the tattoos either. If the Mustangs were looking for a running back who can take some of Garcia’s workload.

Cal Poly has always been best when they have 4-5 backs who can take the majority of carries with 2-3 others who can get some in spot duty. If everyone stays healthy, maybe they can have that again this year.

Alex Suchesk could be Chris Nicholls 2.0

He’s little and fast. The redshirt freshman impressed in a preseason scrimmage prior to the 2014 season. If things fall his way, he could be a big-play threat that Tim Walsh is always looking for. Nicholls was listed as a wide receiver in his senior year, but rushed the ball on sweeps throughout his career.

Photos by Owen Main

On Thursday, with my one year old baby strapped to my chest, I went and took some photos at Cal Poly football practice. It was the first practice I had been to since news broke about players alledgedly being involved in an armed robbery, and I wanted to see for myself how practice was going a few weeks later.

Pace of practice seemed sharp. For what it’s worth, Dano Graves seemed to be getting the first-team snaps, but I haven’t talked to anyone about who the opening game starter will be. A diaper-changing emergency forced me to leave earlier than I wanted to, so I didn’t get to really do any interviews, but there were a few other notable things.

Jake Irwin’s hair is… amazing. By Owen Main

Jake Irwin’s hair

In preparation for his senior season, defensive end, Jake Irwin has been battling injuries and trying to get healthy for the start of the season. On Friday, Irwin was sporting a… unique haircut. He basically shaved the back of his head and let his beard completely circle his face. Imagine sideburns that connect in a band all the way across the top of the head. I’ll let you judge for yourself.

Dano Graves’ passing

In just a few practices I’ve been to, Graves looks 1000 percent more comfortable throwing the ball than I think he ever did last year. Whether he can throw it over/around/past a big defensive line remains to be seen, but the touch on his passes, especially down the field, looks really, really good.

Chris Brown’s explosiveness

Tim Walsh talked about big plays being a goal at the beginning of the season. If you’re looking for that out of your quarterback, Brown is probably the guy. His breakaway speed to go along with a little muscle he picked-up over the offseason makes him a popular player in the eyes of a lot of fans.