Stronger, Bulkier Players Keeping Opposing Defenses in Line

When Cal State Northridge ran the ball on three consecutive plays--picking up only five yards and punting--during the second quarter of a 35-28 victory at Weber State last Saturday, one had to wonder if Coach Dave Baldwin had temporarily lost his mind.

Wasn’t this the team with the top passing attack in Division I-AA?

But it was actually Bob Bostad, the offensive line coach, who was responsible.

“That was the series where I almost lost my job,” Bostad joked.

Bostad had convinced Baldwin that his line could create holes in Weber State’s three-man front and Northridge should try to exploit them. But on that series Norman Clarke was stuffed on three carries.

Bostad saved his job in the second half, when he switched the line from zone to man-to-man blocking and the Matadors actually did start creating huge holes. Northridge rushed for a season-high 208 yards, 141 in the second half.

The Matadors’ offensive line has been one of the key improvements this season. While it hasn’t been called on to run-block very much, the line has been effective in pass-protection, allowing only eight sacks in six games. Last season, the Matadors gave up 24 sacks in 10 games.

The difference is simple: bigger and stronger players. Besides adding bulk through weightlifting to the players the Matadors already had, they added junior college transfers like guard Toma Popescu (6-foot-3, 300 pounds), center David Joralemon (6-1, 300) and tackle James Romero (6-6, 340).

“They are not guys who just fell in our lap,” Bostad said. “We hand-picked them for what we wanted to do.”

All five starters on the line will be back next season.

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The Matadors are 28th in the latest Division I-AA poll.

Go ahead, read that again.

That’s what winning four of five games, including an upset last week of then-21st-ranked Weber State, will do for a ranking. In Jeff Sagarin’s computer ranking of all 228 Division I-A and I-AA teams, Northridge is 112th, ahead of 16 I-A teams.

The Matadors (4-2, 1-1 in the Big Sky Conference) probably will crack the top 25 in the next two weeks. Northridge’s upcoming opponents--Montana State followed by Cal State Sacramento--are teams Northridge should beat. Both have losing records and can’t compare statistically to the Matadors.

That means the Matadors may experience something new: pressure.

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Northridge actually has an outside shot at making the 16-team I-AA playoffs. The Matadors could virtually guarantee themselves a spot by winning their remaining five games, which would make them 9-2 and no worse than second in the Big Sky.

More feasible, however, is Northridge winning all of its remaining games except the game against Montana, the second-ranked defending national champion. That would give Northridge an 8-3 record and likely third place in the Big Sky--behind Montana and Northern Arizona. In that scenario the Matadors would be on the playoff bubble.

If Northridge beats Montana, but loses another game, Northridge could get into the playoffs with an 8-3 record because of the strength of a victory over the Grizzlies. Last year Idaho made the playoffs with a 6-4 regular-season record because the Vandals beat Montana.

Two more losses probably would eliminate Northridge from playoff contention.

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The Matadors did not suffer any serious injuries against Weber State, and two players who were out could be back for the Montana State game at North Campus Stadium on Saturday.

Linebackers James Woods (right ankle sprain) and Robby Proffer (right ankle sprain) are listed as questionable. Running back Chad Marsalek (fractured right foot) remains doubtful.

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Cornerback Bennie Herron became the first Northridge player to win a Big Sky weekly award, taking the defensive-player-of-the-week award after returning an interception for a touchdown Saturday. It was Herron’s fourth interception and the second he returned for a touchdown. . . . Jerry Rice can relax. With David Romines having his worst game of the season (six catches, 66 yards), the Northridge receiver is no longer on pace to break Rice’s Division I-AA record for receiving yardage in one season. Romines broke Northridge’s receiving yardage record with 1,794, surpassing Alvin Hooks, who gained 1,766 yards from 1976-80. Romines, who has caught 60 passes for 835 yards, still leads Division I-AA players in catches per game (10) and yards per game (139.17). He needs five catches to break Tim Hilton’s school record for receptions in a season. . . . Quarterback Aaron Flowers is third in Division I-AA in total offense, averaging 291.33 yards. . . . Northridge’s passing offense has dropped from first to fourth in I-AA, averaging 292.8 yards. . . . The Matadors’ rushing defense has moved up to second in I-AA, allowing 71.3 yards. . . . Marc Lubick, the younger brother of Northridge secondary coach Matt Lubick, plays for Montana State, the Matadors’ homecoming opponent Saturday. . . . The Matadors have scored on their first possession in all of their victories.