Although Cal Poly Football has no game this week, as it is their bye week, it is a pivotal time for the team to focus on its weaknesses and improve.
The Mustangs recently finished non-conference play with a 31-14 victory against Division II opponent Western Oregon last Saturday.
Cal Poly’s first three games of the season were tune-up games, during which they will determine their weaknesses and strengths before heading into Big Sky Conference play.
Head coach Paul Wulff said after Tuesday’s practice that their tackling last week was not up to par with the previous weeks and that they would ensure it gets cleaned up.
They practiced in full pads on Tuesday to keep the high intensity.
“Whether it’s fundamentals or the actual play itself, we’ve just got to continue to tighten down our level of execution, so it’s an important week to go full speed,” Wulff said.
Although the offense took better care of the ball last week, the execution on quarterback reads has been an issue.
Mistakes in quarterback reads lead to interceptions that can change the momentum of a game.
In the season opener against the University of San Diego, redshirt sophomore quarterback Bo Kelly threw two pick-sixes, ultimately costing the game for the Mustangs, who lost by one touchdown.
Against Stanford, Kelly only threw one interception, but it came in the third quarter when Cal Poly was already trailing 24-7.
Stanford scored a touchdown on their drive following the interception, securing Cal Poly’s loss.
However, Kelly has been continuously improving, throwing zero interceptions and three touchdowns against Western Oregon.
Kelly said on Tuesday that his goal for himself and the offense is to get better with each step, day by day, and handle the little things.
“I need to get back to my basic reads and not try to do too much, with the understanding that I have all the weapons I need around me,” Kelly said.
Redshirt freshman running back Aiden Ramos has been a solid contributor to the offense so far this season. Last season, he sat out due to injury after the first four games.
Ramos leads the team with 49 net rushing yards and garnered a 17-yard carry against FBS opponent Stanford University. He also ran for a touchdown against Western Oregon.
According to Wulff, Ramos has a “style about him that’s gonna potentially wear down defenses.”
Ramos’s style consists of physicality and getting downhill to get as much push as possible.
Ramos can also stretch the field on the passing game and tends to hurdle once he gets into the open field. He’s received the ball six times so far, and his longest reception has been 16 yards.
“He’s just getting started, and I’m excited to see what he does for the rest of this season,” Kelly said.
After the bye, the Mustangs will be on the road against Northern Colorado for their first Big Sky Conference game on Sept. 28 at 12 p.m. at Nottingham Field.