Cal Poly quarterback Craig Johnston interacts with offensive coordinator Dave Grosz during Cal Poly's 21-13 win over Eastern Illinois in the 1980 NCAA Division II National Championship.
To the right is a photo of Cal Poly quarterback Craig Johnston and offensive coordinator Dave Grosz from Cal Poly’s 21-13 win over Eastern Illinois in the 1980 Division II championship game in Albequerque, N.M.
I don’t know what’s being discussed but it looks like Craig is saying, “I call my own plays!” and Dave is thinking, “As long as you call the ones that I signal in.”
Actually, the first thing that jumps to mind when I see this photo, which was provided by Dave’s son Mark, is how little padding Johnston appears to be wearing. Are those shoulder pads under that jersey or a hooded sweatshirt with rolled up sleeves?
Johnston, who now has two sons playing for the Mustangs, must be a tough guy.
He’ll be back in town this week to make a speech at a reunion for the 1980 championship team at a pregame barbecue at Cal Poly prior to the season finale against UC Davis.
It will be the second reunion held at the stadium this season. Just two weeks ago, most of the living survivors of the Mustangs’ 1960 plane crash were back for the 50th anniversary of the tragedy.
The season will end with a look back at a happier memory, the 30th anniversary of the Division II title.
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10 comments
No Kidding
November 13, 2010 at 11:31 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
This season ended with a look back at a happier memory, the 30th anniversary of the Division II title. Well, after tonights choke job, you can bet Cal Poly won’t be doing anything but putting the pads away for 2010. Great job boys, coach. So much for wanting to play with the big boys. TaTa!!
Da Kid
November 16, 2010 at 9:53 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Don’t you just love the Cal Poly fan? When they lose, the Cal Poly fan disapears into the moon light. Just a few weeks ago you were all talking smack at how Cal Poly was going to go to the playoffs. No kidding said it right, Cal Poly does not belong in the same league as UC Davis, Sac State and the rest of those potato heads. Go back to Div II where you can reminence about your 1980 days.
Stanger
November 20, 2010 at 8:05 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Don’t you just love uninformed and just plain wrong Cal Poly critics like Da Kid. Cal Poly does not belong in the sam league as UC Davis and Sac State? This statement just shows how clueless you are. Let’s look at each schools football records since 2003:
Cal Poly:
2003: 7-4
2004: 9-2
2005: 9-4
2006: 7-4
2007: 7-4
2008: 8-3
2009: 4-7
2010: 7-4
UC Davis:
2003: 6-4
2004: 6-4
2005: 6-5
2006: 6-5
2007: 5-6
2008: 5-7
2009: 6-5
2010: 5-6 or 6-5
Sac State:
2003: 2-9
2004: 3-8
2005: 2-9
2006: 4-7
2007: 3-8
2008: 6-6
2009: 5-6
2010: 6-5 or 7-4
Cal Poly has only one season with under 7 wins in the last 8 years. Davis has zero seasons with 7 wins and Sac State at best will have only one season with 7 wins.
No Kidding
November 20, 2010 at 10:40 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hey Bonehead, Take a read at the SACBEE.com sometime. After going 3-8, 6-6 and 5-6 in his first three seasons, Sperbeck has guided the Hornets to a 6-4 record and an outside chance for a postseason bid if his team prevails today.
Sacramento State’s 5-3 record in the Big Sky Conference is its best league mark since a 5-3 mark in 2000 under John Volek, whose team’s 7-4 overall finish was the program’s last winning season.
All your stats mean jack! Cal Poly obviously has some sort of curse on it. Next thing you know, the City Council will be banning witch doctors in San Luis Obispo. HaHaHa!
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/20/3199793/winner-will-take-big-step-forward.html#ixzz15qTQhGH7
Stanger
November 20, 2010 at 3:13 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yeah Sperbeck is great. He lost last year 38-19 to a 4-7 Cal Poly team. Once again you show how misinformed and just ignorant you are.
Next.
No Kidding
November 20, 2010 at 7:03 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Regardless of what you say pinhead, Cal Poly SUCKS in all sports. Not just football. Even Joshie was wining and crying how bad a week it was in Cal Poly sports. Face it, they are cursed. If Sac State makes the playoffs, it will be a major blow to Cal Poly cause Sac State will be considered better. They already are because of the teams they beat this year alone.
Stanger
November 20, 2010 at 8:47 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
The more some people talk/type the more the show how little they know. This is never more true than reading what No Kidding types. Sac State lost tonight to Davis and still have not made the IAA/FCS playoffs in their history. In fact Cal Poly is the only of the three (Poly, Davis and Sac) that have. In fact we have been twice and may still be in the hunt this year and watching scores around the FCS.
Sac State is consider better than Cal Poly this year????? Cal Poly is 7-4 and Sac State is 6-5. The only two conmon opponents where Montana and Davis. We both lost to Davis. We beat Montana and they lost to the Griz. Your logic is flawed.
Keep typing !diot, it is fun watching you eating your words.
No Kidding
November 21, 2010 at 1:21 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Eating what words dip!. Cal Poly doesn’t even have a chance at the playoffs. Sac State and UC Davis were playing for a possible berth. Yes Sac lost but it wasn’t as embarrassing as Cal Poly’s. Oh, by the way, what makes you think you so smart? You keep posting idiot stuff yourself, so HAHAHA!! to you. Next Poly loss?
Say is so Shorty!
November 21, 2010 at 9:55 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hey Stronger! You must be either this blogs son or the editors boyfriend. Such wonderful posts (NOT!) You obviously must be related to Cal Poly some how cause you have this little brain that keeps pointing out thinking you ar somebody. You are nobody! And this year is a good example. No kidding has it right when they say Cal Poly sucks! No question.
Keep dreaming little man.
Stanger
November 21, 2010 at 9:59 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
You type statements with no support and I support mine with facts. You are nothing more than a blow hard trying to get a response on a newspaper blog. That what happens when you get banned from the Mustang board. What a sad life you lead.
Here are the facts. In the last 8 years Cal Poly has had 7 seven or more win seasons and Davis and Sac have none. In Cal Poly’s worst season in the last 8 years we beat Sac 38-19. Cal Poly has ended the season ranked 7 of the last 8 years and Sac and Davis have not been ranked in the IAA/FCS. To say that Cal Poly is worse than Sac or Davis in football is ignorant. To say that Cal Poly is a bad football program shows how stupid you are. Bad programs are not ranked 7 of the last 8 years. To say that Davis and Sac have better football programs than Poly and Poly has a bad program just shows what an idiot you are.