The Shotwell Era at Cal Poly Comes to an End -- at Least for Now

Matt Shotwell with a Pick Six against Idaho State. — Matt Shotwell with a Pick Six
against Idaho State in 2021.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- The last of four Shotwell brothers played his final game as a Cal Poly football player on Saturday, ending a string of 16 seasons in the last 20 years with at least one Shotwell on the Mustangs roster.

But who knows, there might be more.

After all, Kyle Shotwell, the 2006 Buck Buchanan Award winner, has a son. So does Troy.

All four Shotwells played on defense for Cal Poly, stretching from 2002 through 2021. There was a four-year gap from 2012-15 without a Shotwell on the roster. Together, the quartet from Goleta combined for 916 tackles, 40 sacks, 103 tackles for lost yardage, 35 pass breakups and nine interceptions as Mustangs.

Also toss in 45 quarterback hurries, 12 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries and a pair of touchdowns.

On Saturday, Matt followed in the footsteps of his three older brothers, making that final walk down the middle of the field at Alex G. Spanos Stadium on Senior Night. He was to play in his 44th and final game at Cal Poly and Matt was joined by his three brothers, his girlfriend Cali, his parents Steve and Cindy and a host of other lifelong friends and family members.

The four brothers carried with them a little surprise.

Kyle, Ryan, Troy and Matt decided to make a donation for two plaques to be placed on the seats their parents have called home at Spanos Stadium for nearly 20 years. Dad's plaque will carry the phrase "Our first coach and number one fan." Mom's plaque will say "The Ultimate Football Mom."

Ryan Shotwell in 2009 — **Ryan Shotwell fends off a Sacramento State defender in 2009.**

Steve, himself a former football player at Cal in the early 1980s, and Cindy have attended almost every game, home and away, ever since Kyle began his college career at Cal Poly in 2002. It is believed that mom and dad missed just a handful of games -- the Akron and Northern Arizona contests on the road in 2003 when Kyle was a redshirt freshman and a couple more when Matt was working his way into the starting lineup -- during the 16 of 20 seasons in which a Shotwell played football for the Mustangs from 2002-21.

"My parents are the best. They really have supported me and this program through the ups and downs of my college career," said Matt. "They love it here and they always say that Cal Poly Football is one of their lives' biggest blessings.

"As they have done for all of my brothers, they have come to every single game of my senior year," Matt added. "Luckily for me, I didn't have any siblings playing sports while I've been in college like my brothers, so I have been lucky to have all of the attention during my college career. I think that they have missed two games of my college career, but none since I have been a starter."

Added Kyle, "We love you and are so thankful for all that you have given and sacrificed for us over the years. We hope we honored you with the way that we played this game, and we hope to continue honoring you by being the husbands that we are to our wives, and the fathers that we are to our kids."

Kyle Shotwell celebrates 2006 victory over San Diego State. — **Kyle Shotwell celebrates 2006 win over San Diego State at Qualcomm Stadium.**

Matt wrapped up his career with his 17th game of double-digit tackles Saturday, notching 12 in a 45-21 loss to Northern Arizona. He finished the season with 127 tackles, the fifth-most for a single season in Cal Poly history, and 345 stops for his career, No. 4 in the record book.

Shotwell also recorded 19 tackles for lost yardage, 2.5 sacks, four interceptions, 12 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in his Mustang career.

"The two things that I am most proud of after looking at my time here at Cal Poly is that I was voted team captain for two years, and that I leave ranked fourth in the all-time tackle records," said Matt. "Some of the best memories I have are my interception to end the game against Northern Colorado in 2019, upsetting No. 19 Idaho State in 2018 and of course my Pick Six.

"But the memories that I have made with my teammates will be the ones that I remember for the rest of my life!" Matt added.

Following in the footsteps of three brothers, including one who was the No. 3 Mustang for career tackles, No. 2 in single-season tackles, the nation's best defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision in 2006, and another brother with 37.5 career tackles for lost yardage, 19 sacks and 35 quarterback hurries, can be a bit daunting for many.

"I never felt any pressure about having brothers that played here before," said Matt, Cal Poly's leading tackler each of the last four seasons, including 2021. "I felt that I had made my own way to get to where I was and that I had earned my spot as a starter.

Ryan helping the Mustangs celebrate a victory in 2005. — **Matt Shotwell.(blond hair) helping the Mustangs celebrate a victory in 2005.**

"I think that my brothers have helped me in different ways," Matt added. "Watching Kyle as a kid, I learned about work ethic. Troy taught me how to long snap which added another tool into my skill set. Ryan was in a similar spot as me when he was a senior. He was a senior when Tim Walsh came in as the head coach. Understanding what he went through really helped me with how to approach a coaching change and to be a leader through it all."

In 2009, there were three Shotwells on Cal Poly's football field. Ryan and Troy were players and Kyle was an assistant coach. Never were all four playing or coaching in the same year with the Mustangs.

Troy Shotwell plays against San Jose State. — **Troy Shotwell scoots around a South Dakota State lineman in 2011.**

The four Shotwells played in a total of 175 football games over 17 seasons for Cal Poly -- Kyle as a linebacker from 2003-06, Ryan as a defensive end from 2006-09, Troy as a defensive lineman and long snapper from 2008-11 and Matt as a linebacker from 2017-21. Redshirts were not allowed to play until 2018 and Matt received an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite all that playing time, the foursome combined for just two touchdowns.

Kyle was the first to reach the end zone for the Shotwell family and he got a little help from a 2006 teammate. Kenny Chicoine intercepted a Savannah State pass late in the season finale and, near his own 40-yard line, pitched the ball back to Kyle, playing his 46th and final game as a Mustang. Kyle rambled the final 65 yards for the score, crossing the field from left to right and reaching the end zone down the right sideline.

Matt scored the second and final touchdown of the Shotwell quartet last week, returning an interception 22 yards for a Pick Six in the win against Idaho State.

Today, Kyle is Sales Director for a Software Company called DataRobot and resides in Austin, Texas. Ryan is Regional Sales Manager for InfuTronix Solutions, a medical device company, and lives in Santa Barbara, while Troy is Farm Manager for JEM Ranches and resides in Patterson, Calif.

Matt will graduate in December, earning a bachelor's degree in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice. Opting out of any pro days or free agent opportunities, Matt currently is seeking a position with the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office as a sheriff deputy.

Photo courtesies: Matt Brown | Matt Brown Photography, Aaron Lambert, Nathan Nybakke | Photography 805 and Owen Main | www.fansmanship.com

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The Shotwell Era at Cal Poly Comes to an End -- at Least for Now

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The Shotwell Era at Cal Poly Comes to an End -- at Least for Now

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