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California Golden Bears Preview
Overview
The California Golden Bears are coming off a 9-4 campaign that ended with them ranked as the #11 team in the country after a blowout bowl victory over Oklahoma. Cal fell short of a north division crown in the Pac-12 after suffering losses to USC, UCLA, and Oregon State in conference play. The offense carried the team for much of last year as the defense consistently allowed too many big plays, some that would eventually cost them the game at crucial moments. This year, much of last season’s defensive starters return and are looking to improve upon their bowl game performance; while, the offense must overcome the loss of their top two running backs and starting quarterback, as well as a couple of the offensive linemen.
Offense
Quarterback – The 2013 season will kick off with a new signal caller under center. Spring practice kicked off with a heated battle between redshirt senior Allan Bridgford and redshirt sophomore Kyle Boehm. The coaches have opted to go with Boehm as their starter but don’t be surprised if Bridgford takes the field at any time during the first game so the coaches can get a glimpse of both players in game action. Either way, these players have big shoes to fill as Zach Maynard threw for 2,800 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Quarterback is definitely a position of interest to start the year, and how quickly one of these two take control of the offense and run it efficiently could set the tone for the season.
Running Back – Just like the quarterback position, running back will see a new man in charge as both Isi Sofele and Covaughn DebskieJhnson graduated after last season. The Bears will turn to redshirt senior Dasarte Yarnway to pick up where last season left off. His production could have a significant impact on the offense as the team relied heavily on the run game during times of need last season on their way to rushing for 1,900 yards. Yarnway comes in though having spent years in the program and should prove effective almost immediately.
Wide Receiver – One of the few positions on offense that will experience no attrition will be the receiving corps, and should quickly prove to be a strong point for the Cal offense. Wideouts Keenan Allen, Kaelin Clay, and Terrance Montgomery all return and will provide a stable foundation while the offense adjusts to a new quarterback. Allen and Montgomery proved especially difficult to stop at times last season, and with this being Allen’s senior season expect him to be a gamebreaker for the Golden Bear offense.
Tight End – This is a position that Coach Quinlan placed some emphasis on in the offseason as he is hoping to use his tight ends as lead blockers out of the backfield and to get them into one on one coverage against linebackers by doing so. Cal picked up two tight end recruits last season, so look to see them on the field early as the transition to the spread offense moves further along. Richard Rodgers will lead the pack as a junior and look for him to provide a big target for the quarterbacks to find in times of need.
Offensive Line – The offensive line will definitely be the backbone of the team and features a heavy dose of upperclassmen led by senior center Mark Brazinski. The line in total will have three senior starters and two juniors, so the coaches expect big things from a group with so much experience and time within the program. The line’s ability to keep defenders out of the backfield will prove instrumental in the development of the new starting quarterback, and their success in doing so will be the deciding factor in the direction the season travels.
Defense
Defensive Line – The defensive line is much like their counterparts on offense and are fortunate enough to return plenty of guys with playing experience. The Bears are led by standout defensive tackle Ricky Heimuli, a redshirt junior. With the defensive line being a position of strength for this squad expect a heavy emphasis to be placed on gap responsibility and getting pressure on the quarterback. Heimuli will be joined by defensive ends Deandre Coleman and Gabe King as the starting front three for the Golden Bears 3-4 base defense.
Linebackers – Another position that saw very little turnover from last season will be the linebacking corps. Coach Quinlan’s 3-4 scheme relies heavily on linebackers who can read and react quickly to plays. Fortunately for him, he has four upperclassmen to fill his starting spots and only look to improve on last season. The man in charge on the field will be senior Nick Forbes, and he will be joined by fellow seniors JP Hurrell and Steven Fanua, and junior Cecil Whiteside. Going into the season, this group definitely appears to be the strongest overall unit the Bears will be fielding this season.
Defensive Backs – The defensive backs experienced some losses from their unit in the offseason, but Coach Quinlan’s quick thinking was able to convince Steve Williams to return for his senior season as he leads a group on the field hoping to show they have what it takes after allowing some big plays last season. He will be joined on the field by fellow cornerback Adrian Lee and safeties Michael Coley, and Patrick Robinson. Look for Isaac Lapite and Avery Walls to take the field in the five and six defensive back packages.