TGS 2007 Football Preview Bonus: Cal Golden Bears

CALIFORNIA—Let’s cut right to the chase at Cal. First, is this the year the Golden Bears finally break through, unseat USC as the kingpin of the Pac-10, and seriously contend for national honors? And second, how long is HC Jeff Tedford (left) really going to remain in Berkeley?

As for the latter, despite constant rumors, Tedford seems remarkably content, having stirred heretofore somnambulant boosters into chipping in for the sort of big-bucks contract once deemed unfathomable at this outpost, not to mention getting commitments for the type of facility upgrades no one dare used to imagine at Cal. Sources believe that if Tedford ever bolts, it will be to the NFL, although the rumor mill will likely continue to whirr.

And is this going to be the real breakthrough year at Cal? That will probably depend upon the ability of jr. QB Nate Longshore (right) to deliver when the chips are down. Longshore’s stats were impressive enough last season (60% completions and 24 TD passes). But he disappeared in the two defining games of Cal’s ‘06 season at Tennessee and USC, and was similarly rattled in a bitter mid-November loss at Arizona—meltdowns which lent a bit more credence to the lone Tedford complaint that his QBs are so rigidly programmed that they lack the improvisational nous to compensate when the original plans go awry. As for Longshore, Tedford believes a loss of weight ("He was pushing 240 late last season, and I want him around 225,” said the coach) and resultant better mobility will add the extra dimensions needed to further refine Nate’s game. We’ll see. The supporting cast remains omnipotent despite the early departure of flashy RB Marshawn Lynch to the NFL. Capable sr. Justin Forsett (left) finally inherits the feature RB job after gaining a hefty 1625 YR since ‘05, while the return of a trio of playmaking wideouts (DeSean Jackson, Lavelle Hawkins, & Robert Jordan combined for 151 catches and 18 TDs last year), plus rugged TE Craig Stevens, provides Longshore with arguably the best receiving corps in the land. Overall, 8 starters (plus Forsett) return from the ‘06 strike force that again produced more prodigious numbers (32.8 ppg & 415.6 ypg). Don’t be alarmed about the departure of last year’s o.c. Mike Dunbar, who took a similar job on Tim Brewster’s new staff at Minnesota, because the “O” has been and continues to be a Tedford production.

The Bears have also played good enough defense the past few years that d.c. Bob Gregory has been tabbed as probable head coach in waiting. Gregory’s blitz-oriented 4-3 figures to be as aggressive as usual, but the loss of 6 starters from LY’s stop unit included most of the platoon’s playmakers. The front 7, in particular, will have to fill the gaps left by impact DT Brandon Mebane & LB Desmond Bishop, although Gregory expects several performers (such as jr. DE Rulon Davis) are capable of breakthrough performances. Three starters return in the 2ndary, although replacing A-A CB Daymeion Hughes (who often shut down his half of the field) won’t be easy.

Summary...The Tedford blueprint (creative offense, aggressive defense) again has Cal on the cusp of something special, and we suspect the direction of the season will once more come down to the same two games as ‘06—the opener vs. Tennessee, and a mid-November showdown vs. USC, this year both at Berkeley. And win or lose those showdowns, don’t be surprised if, like clockwork, the Tedford departure rumors rev up once more.

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