MJC used four quarterbacks last week. Here’s why that won’t happen Saturday
Modesto Junior College’s football team will be looking to bounce back from last week’s blowout loss to College of San Mateo when they host American RiverCollege on Saturday in the 2017 home opener.
But the Pirates most likely have to do it without starting quarterback Shawn Munoz, a 2015 graduate of Enochs High.
Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.
Rusty Stivers has been part of the MJC football staff for 20 years – the last three as head coach – and during that time he’s never seen the Pirates use four quarterbacks in a single game.
Until last week.
During a 47-7 loss to the Bulldogs, Munoz injured his knee and was replaced by 2015 Modesto High graduate Tiki Tonga, who then hyperextended his knee. Tonga was replaced by 2016 Orestimba graduate Joe Sheldon, who is coming back from wrist surgery to his non-throwing hand. He was replaced by true freshman Danny Velasquez, a Turlock High product, who played quarterback last season but has been working at wide receiver for the Pirates.
It’s not been decided who will start this week, though Munoz has been declared “highly unlikely” by Stivers.
“We haven’t had a true freshman start at quarterback since 2003 when Ryan Thorson, from Beyer, started for us,” said Stivers. “Tiki, Joe and Danny have all been taking snaps at quarterback. We’re still working on it.”
The Pirates entered last week’s game ranked No. 13 in the nation by College Football America 2017 Yearbook, while San Mateo was ranked 21st in the preseason poll. The teams were tied 7-7 after one quarter but the Bulldogs ripped off 40 unanswered points, including 21 in the second quarter.
American River was ranked No. 9 in the CFA preseason poll and is coming off a 66-0 drubbing of Diablo Valley College.
“Last year, when we played San Mateo, we had zero turnovers and executed at a really high level,” said Stivers, whose team beat the Bulldogs 37-27 in 2016. “Last week, we had a lot of self-inflicted errors. We’re working hard on making certain we have guys in the right place and taking care of ourselves.
“And it doesn’t help that American River looks like an NFL team.”
Defensive tackle Caleb Tremblay, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound sophomore defensive tackle out of Vintage High School in Napa, has committed to play at Alabamanext season.
The game will be streamed live on NorCalSportsTV.com beginning at 6 p.m.
This story was originally published September 7, 2017 at 2:31 PM with the headline "MJC used four quarterbacks last week. Here’s why that won’t happen Saturday."