Defensive Spotlight: Ethan Rodriguez
10/2/2024 5:58:00 PM | Football
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Through the first four games of the season, one of the best defensive players for Cal Poly has been redshirt senior defensive tackle Ethan Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has been getting into opposing teams’ backfields at will as he leads the team and is tied for 12th in all of FCS with seven tackles for loss so far this season. He has had three tackles for loss twice this season, once against Stanford and once against Western Oregon.
Although this is Rodriguez’s senior year, it is only his second season seeing game action. Rodriguez had a medical redshirt his freshman year, a true redshirt his second year on campus before getting his first action in 2022. That year, he had 20 tackles in seven games. He then sat out last season for personal reasons.
In his return this season, Rodriguez has 11 total tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and those seven tackles for loss previously mentioned. He’s part of a defensive line that has accounted for seven sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss.
Rodriguez has a special bond with Mustang defensive end Elijah Ponder, a 2023 FCS All-American and First Team All-Big Sky honoree. He and Ponder were teammates at Bishop Amat High School. In high school, it was Rodriguez who was named his league’s MVP and earned several other honors.
Rodriguez and the rest of the Mustangs will look to win their third straight game Saturday when they host Idaho State at 5 p.m. at Mustang Memorial Field as part of Homecoming that features a special drone show.
