What we learned in Fresno

Chris Brown was kind of a revelation for Cal Poly on Saturday night. By Owen Main

Cal Poly went into Fresno on Saturday night with high hopes. By the end of the first half, those hopes were as far away as the cool Central Coast ocean breeze.

After giving up two punt returns for touchdowns and netting only 44 total yards in the first half, things seemed pretty bleak for the Mustangs, who were down 34-0.

Mostly against Fresno State’s backup players, the second half was a different story for the Mustangs. Along with being reminded that I have weak coastal blood (it was REALLY hot), here’s what I learned on Saturday night.

Fresno State is good this year

Derek Carr got all kinds of media attention all week leading up to the game, and on Saturday he proved why. The run/pass option that Fresno State presents on nearly every play will hold defenses in-check enough for the Bulldogs to put up big numbers all season.

The one thing I didn’t have a lot of information about going into the game was how good their receivers actually are. We found out pretty quickly as Carr carved-up the secondary. Just as impressive is the big-play ability of kick returner Isaiah Burse, who ran back two punts for touchdowns and caught a third from Carr.

Fresno State has a hugely entertaining offense for fans to watch. Because of Carr and receivers like Burse, they are basically never completely out of games.

Cal Poly probably isn’t as bad as they played in the first half

On the surface, it seemed like the classic stereotype of an FBS vs. FCS team. The FCS team (Cal Poly) comes into the FBS team’s stadium, gets blown-out, and the home team’s quarterback doesn’t play the last quarter-and-a-half. Fans call it a “body bag” game.

For the first half, this game fit the stereotype completely.

Cal Poly showed a little something in the second half. They didn’t continue to roll-over. They competed. In fact, they played so well that Carr was brought back into the game at the end of the fourth quarter as were some of the Bulldogs’ first-team defenders.

I’m not saying that Cal Poly is in the same class as Fresno State. But they aren’t as bad as they played in the first half on Saturday, and they proved it as a team in the second half.

Vince Moraga was developing

The Cal Poly quarterback and his group were making headway. Kristaan Ivory had finally got the edge on an option pitch and Moraga’s offense had finally got on the board.

On the next drive, Moraga’s offense once again got the Mustangs into field goal range, where Bobby Zalud missed a 41-yard attempt. The Cal Poly defense finally got a 3-and-out, and Moraga’s unit was poised to move again.

In a flash the game, and probably the season, was over for the junior starting quarterback. Moraga suffered a knee injury on the Mustangs’ second drive of the half. Initial reports are that it might be an ACL tear, a would-be season-ending injury. The narrative that might be told at the end of the year is that “Moraga’s was an ineffective offensive leader” or that “finally someone other that Moraga came in and the Mustangs started to move the ball.”

Both of these would be false.

Moraga’s team was moving the ball. The offense had begun to turn things around. The coaches had made some adjustments. The team finally had their collective head on straight, and things were starting to go the Mustangs’ way already. Chris Brown’s backup numbers look great and will create a lot of fan excitement, but Moraga had already started to turn things around. Whatever comes of this season or the remainder of his career, let’s remember that.

Chris Brown is exciting

After the Moraga injury, Brown came in and the momentum continued to shift toward the Mustangs. After Kristaan Ivory forced a fumble on special teams, Brown threw a confident pass to Tucker over the middle for a touchdown.

If they want all the explosiveness that Chris Brown brings, Cal Poly fans will have to be patient. By Owen Main

In the fourth quarter, Brown led the team on two drives down the field, scoring on a 22-yard scramble and on a one-yard dive, sending Cal Poly fans into an excited fervor about what “could-be.”

Of all Cal Poly’s quarterbacks, and there were four of them to start the season, Brown is the biggest, tallest, fastest guy with probably the best arm. Presumably, Vince Moraga won the job originally because of his decision-making and experience within the triple-option offense, but after seeing the tools Brown brings to the game, it’s hard to argue with having him in the game.

I’m a Dodgers fan and I have to liken what fans will go through with to the Yasiel Puig situation in Dodgertown. There are times when you wonder, “What is that guy doing!?” and other times when you know that no other athlete available to you at that position could make that play.

If you want the possibility of the exciting 22-yard touchdown run on a broken play, you’ll also have to be patient with the time that Brown and Brandon Howe ran into one another twice on the same play and were lucky not to have fumbled. If you want the arm that can throw a 12-yard comeback route off of one leg in the fourth quarter, you’ll also have to deal with a guy who doesn’t always hand-off to the right guy or pitch the ball at the right time or who runs backwards trying to make something happen.

Tim Walsh understands that the kind of risk incurred by giving the offense’s keys to Brown could cost Cal Poly games. But the threat of Brown’s strong arm and FBS-class running ability are too great to dismiss. Fans, and for now Walsh, will have to take the good with the bad.

Another interesting subplot of this week will be how/whether the offense and play-calling are adjusted this week to account for Brown’s skillset as opposed to Moraga. More on that for another post.

How can you watch this video and not get a little excited if you’re a Cal Poly fan?

Willie Tucker and Chris Brown celebrate after Tucker’s touchdown on Saturday night. By Owen Main

Cal Poly has weapons

Even without Brown on the field, Cal Poly has weapons. Willie Tucker already has two 100-yard games and Cole Stanford can be counted-on for at least one or two big plays per game. At slot back, Ivory remains the key, but players like Kori Garcia have also looked promising during the first few games.

Moraga was lauded for his ability to get the ball to the right playmakers at the right time, but Chris Brown did a very good job of that during the second half Saturday. Brown’s ability to read the triple option and get consistent yardage will make the difference between a competitive team this Saturday and one that sees some kind of deja vu.

Plans sometimes don’t go how you want them to

Like Cal Poly, Fansmanship had a little bit of a rough first half. We are usually able to get some first-half photos up on the website by halftime. It’s Monday and they still aren’t up. They should actually be up by tonight both here and on our facebook page.

The reason is a new camera that required a software update. We will be in Fort Collins this Saturday and WILL HAVE PICTURES UP during the game.

Photos by Andy Stevens and Owen Main