2021 Football Roster
Ponder, Elijah
Jersey Number 14
Elijah Ponder
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 200
- Class:
- Redshirt Freshman
- Hometown:
- Pomona, CA
- High School:
- Bishop Amat HS
Bio
2023-- Played in all 11 games and was second on the team with 52 total tackles, 33 were solo and 19 assisted... led the team and Big Sky in sacks with 10... had 13 tackles for loss ... had 17 quarter back hurries, tied for program record... forced one fumble... season high nine tackles against San Diego on Sep. 2... season high three sacks against San Diego on Sep.2, tied for second most in a game in Big Sky... first Mustang with 10 plus sacks since 2005... earned All-Conference first team defense... FCS All-American Third Team defense... 2023 Walter Camp FCS All-American Team...
2022 -- Played all 11 games with 10 starts at defensive end in third season at Cal Poly ... fifth on the team with 37 total tackles (24 solo stops) ... career-high nine tackles (seven solo) against Eastern Washington ... 6.0 tackles for lost yardage, including sacks against Northern Arizona and UC Davis ... earned a pass breakup at South Dakota and led team in quarterback hurries with eight, including two against San Diego, Montana State and Portland State ... earned All-Big Sky honorable mention praise for second straight year.
2021 -- Started all 11 games as a redshirt freshman at defensive end ... led team in sacks with eight, including three versus UC Davis and two more against South Dakota ... recorded 35 total tackles, including 28 solo stops ... team leader in tackles for lost yardage with 11, including four against UC Davis and three versus South Dakota ... season-high eight tackles in UC Davis contest ... forced pair of fumbles for the season, both in season finale against Northern Arizona ... returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown in season opener at San Diego ... earned five quarterback hurries, including two against South Dakota ... broke up four pass plays ... named to Phil Steele's All-Big Sky Conference fourth team and was an All-Big Sky honorable mention.
2020 (Spring 2021) -- Played in all three games as a true freshman as a backup linebacker ... made three total tackles (two solo) ... earned two tackles, including one for lost yardage, in season opener versus Southern Utah ... one more tackle at UC Davis.
High School -- As a senior under head coach Steve Hagerty at Bishop Amat High School, Ponder was named most valuable lineman of the Mission League after recording 57 tackles, including 12 sacks, and recovered a fumble and broke up a pass ... also blocked one punt versus Chino Hills, recovered another blocked punt for a touchdown against Chaminade and helped the Lancers to a 9-2 overall mark, first-place finish in the Mission League and a berth in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs ... postseason honors include first-team All-Mission League, second-team All-Los Angeles County and his team's most valuable lineman scholar-athlete awards ... Ponder made 41 tackles (34 solo) as a junior with 15 tackles for lost yardage, nine sacks, one pass breakup and one forced fumble on his way to second-team All-Mission League honors ... also recruited by Dixie State, Colorado State and Yale, Ponder chose Cal Poly because "I love the location and I like how I will be able to study what I want. The overall vibe I felt on the trip was great."
Personal
Majoring in Architectural Engineering
2022 -- Played all 11 games with 10 starts at defensive end in third season at Cal Poly ... fifth on the team with 37 total tackles (24 solo stops) ... career-high nine tackles (seven solo) against Eastern Washington ... 6.0 tackles for lost yardage, including sacks against Northern Arizona and UC Davis ... earned a pass breakup at South Dakota and led team in quarterback hurries with eight, including two against San Diego, Montana State and Portland State ... earned All-Big Sky honorable mention praise for second straight year.
2021 -- Started all 11 games as a redshirt freshman at defensive end ... led team in sacks with eight, including three versus UC Davis and two more against South Dakota ... recorded 35 total tackles, including 28 solo stops ... team leader in tackles for lost yardage with 11, including four against UC Davis and three versus South Dakota ... season-high eight tackles in UC Davis contest ... forced pair of fumbles for the season, both in season finale against Northern Arizona ... returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown in season opener at San Diego ... earned five quarterback hurries, including two against South Dakota ... broke up four pass plays ... named to Phil Steele's All-Big Sky Conference fourth team and was an All-Big Sky honorable mention.
2020 (Spring 2021) -- Played in all three games as a true freshman as a backup linebacker ... made three total tackles (two solo) ... earned two tackles, including one for lost yardage, in season opener versus Southern Utah ... one more tackle at UC Davis.
High School -- As a senior under head coach Steve Hagerty at Bishop Amat High School, Ponder was named most valuable lineman of the Mission League after recording 57 tackles, including 12 sacks, and recovered a fumble and broke up a pass ... also blocked one punt versus Chino Hills, recovered another blocked punt for a touchdown against Chaminade and helped the Lancers to a 9-2 overall mark, first-place finish in the Mission League and a berth in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs ... postseason honors include first-team All-Mission League, second-team All-Los Angeles County and his team's most valuable lineman scholar-athlete awards ... Ponder made 41 tackles (34 solo) as a junior with 15 tackles for lost yardage, nine sacks, one pass breakup and one forced fumble on his way to second-team All-Mission League honors ... also recruited by Dixie State, Colorado State and Yale, Ponder chose Cal Poly because "I love the location and I like how I will be able to study what I want. The overall vibe I felt on the trip was great."
Personal
Majoring in Architectural Engineering
Cal Poly football players get a sneak peek at the construction of the John Madden Football Center
Friday, July 11
Cal Poly vs. Sacramento St, Football Highlights -- Nov. 16th, 2024
Sunday, November 17
John Madden Football Center Construction Timelapse
Thursday, October 31
Cal Poly vs. Western Oregon, Football Highlights -- Sep. 15th, 2024
Sunday, September 15
