Cal Poly senior fullback Joe Protheroe ran his way into the Mustangs’ record books on Saturday night, passing James Noble for most rushing yards in a single season with 1,627 yards.
Joe Pro gashed Idaho State for a career-high 260 yards on 41 carries and one touchdown. It’s Protheroe’s third straight 200-yard game and 22nd career 100-yard game, which also sets a program record.
Tim Walsh, Cal Poly’s head football coach, discussed Protheroe’s big night after the Mustangs’ 37-14 victory over the 24th ranked Bengals.
“Joe’s best yards are the ones that nobody likes when it’s 4th-and-1, or 3rd-and-2, or 3rd-and-3,” Walsh said. “He bangs in there and finds a way to get first downs or touchdowns. He’s an incredible guy to be around. He’s humble, and our players want him to go out as the leading rusher in FCS this year.”
Protheroe needs just 118 yards to pass Craig Young’s all-time record of 4,205 career rushing yards. He’ll get an opportunity to break the record next Saturday night when Cal Poly hosts Southern Utah in its regular season finale. Kickoff is set for 4:05 P.M.
