clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Cal football fans, Jared Goff excites you the most about fall camp, but what else?

It's a year where there's a lot to feel excited about.

By Avinash Kunnath, boomtho, Kevin Wu, and Leland Wong

What are 2 or 3 things that excite you the most about fall camp?

Avinash Kunnath

Running back rotation. It's a really good one. Lasco, Enwere, Watson, Muhammad, and Powell give us five guys we could legitimately trot out and give them quality touches based on down and distance and situation.  Vic is huge and could really take the leap in his second season, and Watson is waiting in the wings.

Linebackers. At last, a position with some depth, and we'll need it all. With Jake Kearney stepping up, Hardy Nickerson and Michael Barton ready to anchor the middle, and youngsters and veterans waiting behind them, hopefully it will allow us to deploy Devante Downs somewhere in our front seven to help upgrade a defense that needs talent on the field all the time.

Secondary. In a nauseating sort of way. I have no idea who our four starters will be. I'm slightly confident in Darius White starting, but that's about it. There's a very good chance we will have four new faces who have played only minimal snaps for Cal lining up back there for Grambling. But there is plenty of talent coming in, so you have to figure there will be considerable improvement.

boomtho

1) Goff, hands down. I truly believe he's going to be a top 5-10 QB in the country this year... and it should be a ton of fun to watch.

2) The WR's: I'm curious to watch how the depth behind the top receivers fills in. Treggs, Lawler, Davis, and Anderson should rightfully see a ton of snaps. Who establishes themselves as the leader of the tier of WR's behind this top 4? Mo Harris has experience, Powe showed flashes last year, we've heard great things about Jack Austin and Matt Rockett...and that doesn't even count the freshman, Strickland, Brown, or Singleton. This is going to be fun to watch!!

3) The eternal optimism of Cal football: Again kind of a weird answer... but one of my favorite parts of fall camp is that anything feels possible. Rose Bowl? Hell yes! National Championship? Why not! Too often we get our season dreams dashed early, but fall camp really is an awesome period full of optimism (and, a cynic might say, delusions of grandeur).


KWBears

1) We're undefeated (0-0)!: Being a Cal football fan means you have to always search for something to feel good about (just like boomtho mentions).  Training camp time always reminds me that every team in the country is undefeated.  So, why the heck can't we win big this year?!  I think all Cal fans would agree that going to a bowl game would mean success for our team.

2) Dykes' 3rd year:  For new coaches, their third year in is almost make-or-break time.  They've pretty much gotten "their" guys into their own system.  I'm optimistic that we'll see improvement from the last two seasons on Dykes - he has to improve or he's on the hot seat.  How much progress?  There's no reason but to feel optimistic right now!

3) Goff & Co: All indications point to the Bear Raid to be in full attack this fall.  A local guy from Marin going on as the #1 QB pick next Spring?  Well, if that comes true, he'll have had an amazing last season for our Golden Bears.  I'll take that.  His WR corp is just bomb and should blow-up all defenses every Saturday.  If Lasco can continue to provide a threat in the trenches, expect Goff and his wideout buddies to create video game magic!  SportsCenter may have to reserve a permanent Top 10 spot for us all season long....


Leland Wong

IT'S FOOTBALL SEASONNNNNN. Boomtho is mega-right in that this time of year is always fun to believe in Cal again and to spend all my free time writing for CGB. WOOOOOO.

And--just for KayDubBears and one of the things he's dreading about camp--I'm gonna write that I'm excited for Sonny Dykes's third year because he does instill confidence in me and he does seem like a coach who can motivate our players. Losing Tedford--while the right decision--was an uncomfortable move for me as a young fan because I never knew Cal football without Tedford, so when Dykes came in, I did my best impersonation of a disapproving parent giving the death glare to your kid's new date. But, Dykes has done everything off-the-field to win me over, by seemingly instilling pride in Cal, teaching the importance of academics, and recruiting high-character kids. In terms of culture, Dykes seems like a great fit at Cal and I'm excited to see him continue to build his program. Of course, he has to keep winning if he wants to keep building here, but I'm still excited about the changes he's bringing about.

In This Stream

Cal football fall practice reports, previews, videos, news

View all 71 stories

More From California Golden Blogs