To cap off the team’s final practice in San Luis Obispo this season, the Cal Poly football team had its first practice session of the season in Alex G. Spanos Stadium on Thursday morning.
Mustangs head coach Tim Walsh said it was something he wanted to make a tradition by having the last Thursday practice of the season take place in the stadium.
In anticipation of Saturday’s game at Weber State and considering the travel to Ogden, Utah, the practice was in jerseys and shorts only for the regulars, but after they were done, the scout teams faced off in full contact.
It was really the first time all season that the scout teams got to a.) go full-speed and b.) run Cal Poly’s actual schemes.
Usually, the scout teams are running whatever the Mustangs’ opponents are expected to do, and one of the scout teams’ main goals is not to hurt the starters.
Those two restrictions went out the window Thursday, and there was some pretty hard-hitting action from guys you might not know now but that you will probably get to know in the future.
The defense came out as the definite victor during the three drives with Doug Shumway, Duke de Lancellotti and Ken Johnston at quarterback.
In particular, Joe Brum was a disruptive force at defensive end. The redshirting junior college transfer blew up back-to-back triple option plays in the backfield to kill the first offensive drive in the red zone.
Brum, a 6-3, 240-pounder who played linebacker at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, tackled Shumway behind the line twice in a row, the second time forcing a fumble that the defense recovered.
After that, the offense couldn’t get much going.
Someone asked on the message board who might be able to bring some pass rush next season, and Brum could be the answer.
The only other play that made me take notice as an observer was a hit by freshman safety Xavier Ramos. Ramos, the former St. Bonaventure High star who was spurned badly on a scholarship rescind from Oregon, charged the line of scrimmage to make a huge hit on a short gain.
I just remember hearing the sound of the smack and thought, “Who the heck was that.” Thinking, that I had to get the number of that linebacker, I looked around until I saw Ramos (6-0, 177) pop up.
Next year’s returning safeties — guys like Greg Francis, Logan Budd, Angel Morales and Brandon Williamson — might have to do a whole lot to keep Ramos off the field.
