PREVIEW: Sac State football prepares for Cal Poly’s rushing attack

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Francisco Medina - The State Hornet

Sacramento State defensive lineman Josiah Erickson attempts to bring down Cal Poly fullback Joe Protheroe Oct. 29, 2016 at Hornet Stadium.

Angel Guerrero

After missing the last three games with an undisclosed injury, Sacramento State junior quarterback Kevin Thomson’s return seems to be on the horizon against Cal Poly on Saturday.

Thomson, who declined to comment on the nature of his injury, has fully participated in practice for the last three days and said he’s feeling “right around 90 to 100 percent.” Thomson also added he anticipates being “fully good by Saturday” for the Hornets.

Despite this, Sac State (5-4, 4-2 Big Sky Conference) head coach Jody Sears said Thomson will remain a game-time decision, and the chances of seeing him on the field against Cal Poly (1-8, 1-5 Big Sky) are 50-50.

Whether it’s Thomson or freshman quarterback Roman Ale — who finished 13-of-21 for 137 yards and two touchdowns in a 50-21 win over Northern Colorado Nov. 4 at Hornet Stadium — at the helm, two things are certain: the Mustangs enter the game with the No. 1 rushing defense (125.9 yards allowed per contest) in the Big Sky, but are also the worst team in the conference at defending against the pass.

Liam Braddy – The State Hornet
Sacramento State junior quarterback Kevin Thomson races down the field for a 59-yard rushing touchdown against Southern Utah Sept. 23 at Hornet Stadium.

“We’ve recognized that, but (we) think we can stick to the same game plan we’ve kind of been going with all year,” Thomson said, referring to Cal Poly’s 297.7 passing yards allowed per game average. “We know their rush defense is good — they’ve got guys that trigger, and they’re fast, and they can hit, so we’ll just adjust as the game goes if we need to.”

While Cal Poly dominates against the run, it also excels with its triple-option rushing attack that is first in the Big Sky with 249.6 yards a game on the ground. However, the Mustangs are without 230-pound senior bruiser Joe Protheroe — who has rushed for 2,461 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career — and will have to rely on senior fullback Jared Mohamed.

“Everything is centered around him,” Sears said, referring to Mohamed who is tied seventh in the Football Championship Subdivision with 940 rushing yards. “He’s their leading rusher, he’s their heart and soul, and when you play the triple option, that’s the No. 1 thing you have to defend is the fullback and the dive.”

Sac State junior safety Immanuel Anderson, who set a career high of 16 tackles against the Mustangs last year, is no stranger to Cal Poly fullbacks, as his encounter with one still sticks with him today. Then-senior fullback Kori Garcia gained a first down with a 35-yard run, and instead of stepping out of bounds once he was cornered, he barreled over Anderson with a “Madden NFL”-style truck stick during a 59-47 win on Oct. 29, 2016.

RELATED: No. 14 Cal Poly runs over Hornet football team 59-47

“Yeah, I remember that play vividly,” Anderson said. “It gets me everytime and irks me because he was a senior, and I can’t get back at him. So, hats off to that guy, but we definitely took note of that, and we’re coming out there with a purpose.”

The Hornets’ focus will primarily be on the Mustangs’ rushing attack, as they’re without their starting junior quarterback Khaleel Jenkins and have had to rely on freshman Jake Jeffrey for the previous four games. Anderson said the game plan will be simple against a Cal Poly offense that has three different rushing options on any given play.

“They come out with a triple-option offense, that’s a run offense, but you’ve got to make sure you’re eyes are right,” Anderson said. “If you don’t know who has the ball or (aren’t) paying attention to your keys, it’s going for (a touchdown) every time. We’ve got to make sure to keep our eyes right and stay focused.”

Despite Cal Poly’s lack of postseason hopes, Sears expects the Mustangs to enter the game focused after playing Southern Utah (20-14), Weber State (17-3) and UC Davis (31-28) close in its last three losses before a 35-28 win over Portland State on Nov. 4.

“The one thing about Cal Poly and a Tim Walsh coached football team is that you don’t look at records, you don’t look at statistics,” Sears said, referring to Cal Poly’s one-win record. “They are very well coached, they are a very well-disciplined team, (and) they are in every game, so you just throw that out the window.”

Sac State, which is 1-3 away from Hornet Stadium this season, will travel to play Cal Poly at 6:05 p.m. Saturday at the Alex G. Spanos Stadium in San Luis Obispo.