Cal Football Depth Chart: Running Back Carousel

by Avinash Kunnath on Jul 26, 2011 8:32 PM PDT in California Golden Bears Football

Cal running backs 2011: Isi and TBA. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Berkelium97 will have a full report tomorrow (and it's going to be epic), but here's some tidbits for the football junkies via Tedford (through Jon Wilner and Ryan Gorcey). It's clear running back is the biggest position of uncertainty going into fall camp, which starts August 6th. Here are the bullet points, focused on the offense.

Zach Maynard is the starter right now. Unclear who the backup is--the two deep says Brock Mansion, other reports indicate Allan Bridgford.
Isi Sofele is the starter right now, which appears to make everyone uncomfortable but me. What would make me uncomfortable is Sofele garnering the type of snaps Justin Forsett and Shane Vereen took their senior season.
Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson has a nice looking blog. He also claims on his Twitter feed to have lost a bit of weight that was causing him to slow down this spring. It'd be nice if this was true, because he's the second most experienced runner we have. If not, we'll probably be seeing another contender get their opportunity.

Let's take a look at these contenders after the jump.

Brendan Bigelow is ready to practice, but I doubt he's played much football in two years or in summer bridge. Bigelow is too valuable to the long-term plans of Cal football to jeopardize him doing much more than scout work practice at this point; despite his talent, I doubt he's up to speed on reading blocking schemes at the next level. This feels like blueshirt, even with the uncertainty at running back.

Dasarte Yarnway is healed from the ACL injury that kept him out of spring practice. Yarnway struggled with the brief playing time he received his RS frosh year, but he was never healthy. Hopefully these injury concerns do not impact his ability to perform at a high level.

All the Cal frosh are on campus except C.J. Anderson, who still has minor issues to work out. Given that he should've been here by January, it might take a little longer for him to acclimate with the team climate since he probably didn't participate for the majority of summer bridge.

Just a hunch, but with Bigelow and Yarnway healing and Anderson lagging, Darren Ervin might very well get a chance to make the two-deep (or at least the three deep). He enrolled early and has been practicing with the team since the spring, so he'll have a leg up on all the other runners in this freshman class.

Tedford is comfortable with WR, TE, and OL. There should be no real change from the spring depth chart.

Sam DeMartinis has wrapped it up. DeMartinis started spring camp and would have likely been in the rotation in the fall at tackle, but Mitchell Schwartz and Matt Summers-Gavin are the incumbent starters outside, and DeMartinis decided to take his degree and move on. On the other hand, DeMartinis was not on the two-deep--Bill Tyndall and Tyler Rigsbee are listed as the backups--so perhaps he figured he wouldn't play at all. It's been a pretty quiet career at Cal for one of the top tackles from the 2007 recruiting class, but it's nice to see he earned his degree in legal studies and should have plenty of options going forward outside of school.

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Comments

What about Briggs?…..is he still having problems?….I was so wanting both he and Yarnway to be able to go this year and they both bring a lot to the table…and then Lasco who is the next Marcus Allen with his height can blue shirt and gain some muscle….still rooting for CDJ……Anderson will be a great addition ..

by Cal_Fan2 on Jul 26, 2011 8:44 PM PDT reply actions

Don’t think Briggs is quite ready yet. Haven’t heard anything about him lately, so he’s probably still taking third team reps in summer bridge.

by Avinash Kunnath on Jul 26, 2011 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree, Briggs seems to be the vanished soul in all of the talk. I seem to recall Tedford was overly effusive in his praise for Briggs when he was a recruit, but since then, there’s been ugatz.

Here’s hoping it’s just a timing and experience issue, and not something more.

"Thanks. Go Bears!" - Ernest Owusu: the next great Cal DE

by SoCal Oski on Jul 27, 2011 7:25 AM PDT up reply actions

Serious ankle injury which started causing issues with his knee and back, iirc.

Still rehabbing.

Old Toothwrangler

by Kodiak on Jul 27, 2011 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions

ugatz?

California Golden Bears: 2nd place is nothing to sneeze at!

by atomsareenough on Jul 27, 2011 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions

oh….haven’t heard much from walk on Jr. Mike Manuel…he was tearing it up in the Spring…I"m sure Berkelium97 will answer all those questions in his epic….

by Cal_Fan2 on Jul 26, 2011 8:46 PM PDT reply actions

He might have a shot too. Would be a great story if he could do it.

Literally throwing darts here when it comes to running backs.

by Avinash Kunnath on Jul 26, 2011 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Tedford did not mention him today. In fact, he may have been the only RB Tedford did not mention at Media Day. From what Tedford was saying, he and his staff have no idea who is going to be the starting RB. Sure, Isi will start camp with the first team, but everything after that is uncertain. It’s a huge hole in the offense, and the implications of that are far-reaching (more on that in my post tomorrow).

"Some people watch adult videos on their computer - I go to YouTube and watch Jahvid Best highlight clips. That’s what gets me going."- Jim Schwartz, Detroit Lions head coach

by Berkelium97 on Jul 26, 2011 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions

That’s interesting, b/c I thought Tedford really talked him up after one of the practices (Merritt College maybe?)

n.b. -- This comment does not constitute official chemical advice.

by sec119 on Jul 26, 2011 9:09 PM PDT up reply actions

He definitely talked him up, though we were hit a little hard by injuries at RB during that stretch IIRC. Would’ve been surprising for a walk-on (albeit recruited) to get snaps given the sheer number of backs we have

Deposed (and recently graduated!) #1 Indian

by boomtho on Jul 27, 2011 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Personally, I feel like the loss of DeMartinis may be the biggest story in this article. Our OL was one of our biggest problems last year, we have Coach M back, but I don’t see any reason to expect a glorious turnaround this year. Plus, OT seems to be our weakest position on the line. Hope we have enough depth there, especially considering the injuries we seem to incur every year.

by patzcalski on Jul 26, 2011 9:01 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs

I'm not used to running back uncertainty

Yet, I’m strangely confident that someone will emerge as the go-to back. Work your magic, Coach Gould!

Keeping January 2 open. You know, just in case.
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by Ohio Bear on Jul 26, 2011 9:28 PM PDT reply actions

In Gould We Trust !

by JustBear on Jul 26, 2011 10:16 PM PDT reply actions

First, QB is most crucial and most uncertain position until Maynard shows otherwise.

RB is the position most likely to fluctuate throughout camp and early in the season. One thing is seems pretty certain: If Sofele is starting in week 4 (or getting the majority of carries) nobody has established themselves, which I anticipate happening— not because Sofele is establishing himself as heads above the rest. I think Tedford want — and expects — someone else to establish themselves. If Bigelow were healthy and ready to go full bore, Tedford would not be afraid to give him a prominent role. The season will play out who gets carries. We may see a full blown half-back-by-committee.

by salary_cap on Jul 26, 2011 10:32 PM PDT reply actions

If Sofele is starting in week 4 (or getting the majority of carries) nobody has established themselves

Unless Sofele is the one who establishes himself. :)

by slaphancock on Jul 26, 2011 11:02 PM PDT up reply actions

do you see that happening? I don't.

by salary_cap on Jul 27, 2011 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions

For the record

I feel comfortable with Sofele as the starter, though I would like a 2nd back to emerge as I don’t want Isi carrying a Forsett (07) type load.

I support the NBA player's union.

by chowder on Jul 26, 2011 10:36 PM PDT reply actions

Isi is our best blocker right now, so until someone can be on par with him in that aspect of the game, I wouldn’t expect to see a new starting running back.

http://www.youtube.com/user/HANDSOMElifeOFswing - Cal Football Highlights+ More Bay area sports

by 4Ever Golden on Jul 26, 2011 10:40 PM PDT reply actions

Isi Sofele is the starter right now, which appears to make everyone uncomfortable but me. What would make me uncomfortable is Sofele garnering the type of snaps Justin Forsett and Shane Vereen took their senior season.

Disagree because I sincerely doubt Gould would give any back the 20-carry workload unless they were going to be successful with those carries. If Isi is getting the rock 15-20 times a game then it’s probably because he’s far outstripped expectations and is performing a legitimate Cal running back.

"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.

It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0

by AERose on Jul 27, 2011 12:42 AM PDT reply actions

Re: the perceived discomfort about Sofele

I don’t know if rational Cal fans are overly concerned about Sofele’s ability as much as they are about the fact that he never really had any “special” moments last year.

Under Tedford, it seems the Cal RB-in-waiting has always made a considerable impact in his role as backup. We saw it with Vereen, Best, Lynch, etc. But not really last year with Sofele.

I’m of the mind that has more to do with how the offense was Marshalled last year, rather than any failing on Sofele’s part. Though there are no more excuses.

"Thanks. Go Bears!" - Ernest Owusu: the next great Cal DE

by SoCal Oski on Jul 27, 2011 7:28 AM PDT reply actions

I know this isn’t what counts, but I thought isi’s special teams hit on punt coverage was pretty special (was it Minnesota?). He got flagged for it, and he probably should have been a little more careful, but boy was he fast getting down there.

Anyone got a clip?

by slaphancock on Jul 27, 2011 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions

Sofele would have had a prominent back up role last year, ala Arrington, Lynch, Best, and Forsett

but the fact that he didn’t shows the profound gap in talent and ability between Vereen and Sofele. That is what makes Cal fans uncomfortable. Vereen HAD to be a workhorse last year because there was such a drop off that Cal, given all their weaknesses, couldn’t afford.

by salary_cap on Jul 27, 2011 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions

Could it be that Sofele’s style wasn’t suited to be effective given the horrid OL play?

My meaning is, Vereen was a very strong runner, and could charge into the line and make yards even when his blockers were more like obstacles than assistants. Sofele, given his size, doesn’t (or, at least wasn’t last season) seem like he would have the brute strength to do that. However, assuming the OL gets better, they will be able to provide the sort of protection that a slasher back like Sofele could exploit.

I suppose, I just asked whether the problem is not Sofele’s talent, but his style of running, and whether it fits the OL abilities.

"Thanks. Go Bears!" - Ernest Owusu: the next great Cal DE

by SoCal Oski on Jul 27, 2011 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions

If the O-Line opens up holes like they did for Arrington, Lynch and Best,

than I won’t be that concerned over who is getting carries.

by salary_cap on Jul 27, 2011 11:24 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't worry about Sofele at all

I think most of our worries stem from the fact that Sofele is small. But I don’t worry about that, just like Oregon St. didn’t worry about Quizz. Sofele has speed and toughness, and that’ll get him about 1,000 yards with a Coach MZVASDFADSF o-line.

I still don’t understand why C-D-J seems to have fallen out of favor. Every time I saw him run, he was getting chunks of five to seven yards. A birdie told me that coaches aren’t sure he’s tough enough.

Also, I disagree with Bigelow blueshirting. A coach doesn’t keep mentioning a kid coming off two knee surgeries as having a shot at getting reps without seriously thinking about putting him in. And if Bigelow is healthy, watch as he gets 8-10 reps per game, ala Lynch and Best.

Lawrence Ross

by alpha1906 on Jul 27, 2011 11:19 AM PDT reply actions

I still don’t understand why C-D-J seems to have fallen out of favor. Every time I saw him run, he was getting chunks of five to seven yards.

You have to remember that most, if not all, of those came against second and third string defenses

by JustBear on Jul 27, 2011 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions

The reason I’m uncomfortable with Sofele isn’t due to size, but just because he didn’t get the back up carries like all the guys who came before him did (Lynch, Forsett, Best, Vereen) – even though Vereen looked like he could’ve used a few plays off. If the coaching staff didn’t trust him . . . well.

I hope he proves me way wrong and can post all the “U MAD?” gifs on my DBDs that he wants next year.

by LeonPowe on Jul 27, 2011 6:46 PM PDT up reply actions

even though Vereen looked like he could’ve used a few plays off. If the coaching staff didn’t trust him . . . well.

This is why a betting man will put his money on other RBs moving up the depth chart and becoming the featured back, or at the very least take carries away from him. It may not be because Tedford didn’t trust him, but rather the talent/ability gap was so wide between him and Vereen that he couldn’t justify giving Sofele the kind of role he was comfortable giving Arrington, Lynch, Best, Forsett and Vereen as backups.

by salary_cap on Jul 27, 2011 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions

I was kind of hoping we could cycle through those 6 backs again.

Adimchinobi Echemandu – you’re backing up Sofele this year!

by LeonPowe on Jul 28, 2011 1:30 AM PDT up reply actions

How did you spell his name correctly? That's amazing...or did you...

We’re spoiled, no doubt, when it comes to the RB position. All those guys are now playing on Sundays. That is impressive recruiting. If Bigelow is fully healthy and shakes off the rust, Tedford won’t hesitate to play him. Another back with more upside than Sofele will establish themselves. And you know Tedford wants — and perhaps expects — that to happen.

by salary_cap on Jul 28, 2011 2:14 AM PDT up reply actions

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