For some, a .500 record, a 30-point one-sided victory would be impressive. But Cal Poly football head coach Tim Walsh still sees room for improvement in his team.
The Mustangs (4-3, Great West Conference) were able to lay Dixie State (4-5) to rest 44-14 Saturday night, but Walsh wasn’t focused on the 297 total yards and four touchdowns that the offense pieced together in its highest-scoring showcase this season.
“Offensively (there were) too many bumps in the road.We (have to) play a lot better down the stretch if we’re going to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves,” he said.
The opposition may have been questionable; Dixie State has been a Division II school for two years, making the jump from a community college in 2006.
But with the passing game struggling thus far, the team was happy to see quarterback Tony Smith connect on more than half his throws and amass four touchdowns, two through the air and on the ground.
Smith, however, said there was much to be desired in how the team played Saturday.
“Honestly I think we played OK; I don’t think we played breakout at all,” Smith said.
The defensive and special teams play that Cal Poly’s other sides of the ball put forth, once again.
In front of 9,231 fans in Alex G. Spanos Stadium, the Mustang defense caused four turnovers and held its opponent scoreless until 3:13 was left in the third quarter.
“(On defense and special teams) I thought we were dominant,” Walsh said.
In 3:07 Cal Poly was able to mount 21 points at the start of the second half. Smith’s one-yard touchdown run, set up by a 59-yard punt return by cornerback Asa Jackson, a punt block returned for a touchdown and a fumble return for a touchdown sent the game from a close-sided affair into a blowout.
“It was a good defensive effort today … lots of times I was looking (behind me) and I was seeing one of our guys get the ball,” linebacker Carlton Gillespie said.
Gillespie was just one of many Mustang defenders who pitched tents in the Red Storm backfield. He finished with four tackles, three for losses, and a forced fumble.
“The guys on the (defensive line) did a great job on making those lanes huge, and I was able to run through them,” he said.
However, in the midst of victory came some bad news. The injury bug that has plagued the Mustangs all season struck again.
“We lost another offensive lineman. We’re not playing with what we started (the season) with,” Walsh said. “Guys are going to have to realize that when they prepare in practice, they better be prepared to play, because anybody might play,” he said.
Slot back Jaymes Thierry did not suit for Saturday’s game and slot back Jon Hall was sidelined with a knee injury. Fullback Jordan Yocum, who was ruled out last week with a hip bruise, saw limited playing time, splitting carries with Jake Romanelli.
Romanelli led the Mustangs in rushing with 62 yards and Yocum fell behind him with 30. The Mustangs rushed for 103 net yards — their lowest rushing total all season.
That number could be a bit misleading, because for one of the few times this year, the passing offense established a rhythm.
Five different Mustangs finished the game with a catch: Jarred Houston and Dominique Johnson both recorded multiple. Johnson reeled in a 73-yard bomb from Smith for a touchdown in the first half, the longest toss and catch recorded this season.
With the Mustangs’ win Saturday, Cal Poly inched one step closer to a playoff berth. Only one team made the FCS playoffs last year yielding four losses, so each game is a must-win.
“We know what’s at stake. Our goal is obviously to win conference and go to the playoffs, and in order to do that, we need to win out,” Smith said.
Cal Poly will have a conference battle against North Dakota in the Alerus Center this Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.