From 0-3 to hosting a bowl game; the MJC Pirates’ season concludes Saturday

There might have been a point during the 2017 football season when Modesto Junior college coach Rust Stivers wondered if his team was ever going to win a game, let alone earn a postseason bowl bid.

But the Pirates overcame an 0-3 start and late-season losses to Fresno City and Laney College to get an invitation to the Gridiron Classic against Diablo Valley College

Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. Saturday at MJC stadium. It’s the first time since 2011 that Modesto is hosting a bowl game.

“I usually don’t think that far ahead,” said Stivers, “But I was concerned how things were playing out.”

For the third time in the last four years, MJC’s strength of schedule ranked No. 1 in Northern California, according to Stivers. And two of MJC’s early losses were to San Mateo and American River, two teams that are back in the state playoffs and are favored to meet in the final.

The Pirates were in last year’s state playoff after winning the Valley Conference title, but had to rally from 21 points down last week for a 63-45 victory over San Joaquin Delta just to get the bowl bid.

And Stivers points out this his first true recruiting class —he was hired late in the game three seasons ago and didn’t have time for a true recruiting push —has won a league title, played in the state playoffs and will host a bowl game.

“That’s a good body of work for these sophomores,” said Stivers. “They should be real proud of their overall process here at MJC.”

Of those 17 sophomores, Stivers believes all will earn scholarships to four-year universities, with four landing in Division I. They’ll close their junior college careers against a DVC team that offers a unique set of challenges with its Cover Zero offense.

The Vikings line in man coverage the vast majority of the time and play their safeties 5 yards off the line of scrimmage.

“They are one of the most difficult schemes to prepare for,” said Stivers. “The last three times we’ve played them we’ve had some tough, close games.”

The Cover Zero set is a high risk, high reward defense.

“They blitz a lot and they move guys around,” said Stivers. “They’re basically daring you to throw the fade route, and that’s a low percentage play, but that’s what they’re banking on.”

This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 4:57 PM with the headline "From 0-3 to hosting a bowl game; the MJC Pirates’ season concludes Saturday."