Golden Nuggets: How Cal Can Beat WSU

Football

• Washington State passes a lot, as you may know, so one of the “Five Things” Cal must do to beat Wazzu includes taking the ball away.

Gordon makes one of the two stiffest tests remaining for the Takers, who have played mostly pretty well, but not up to the world-beating quality many – including myself – would have hoped for entering the season. The drop in interceptions this season, you can figure is somewhat context dependent – but the drop in passes defensed, at nearly 1 a game down to 4.63, places the Bears as a fairly disruptive secondary (#44 in the country in passes defensed per game) compared to elite (#25) last year. For a team that needs to win all the margins and extras to have a chance, one less playmaking opportunity hurts.

• The football beat writers for The Daily Cal go over what Cal can do to upset Washington State.

Out of all the injured student-athletes on Cal football, who do you think would be the most valuable addition to return from the week-to-week injury report Saturday?

Emily Ohman: Can I say the entire offensive line? Save for Jake Curhan, who has started 32 consecutive games, there’s hardly a veteran on the line of scrimmage when the offense takes the field. The offensive line is in shambles and riddled with injuries, and both Modster and Spencer Brasch have suffered from less time in the pocket. Without a solid offensive line, producing any plays is difficult with quarterbacks who are just as new to Cal football as those lined up in front of them. If the man under center had just a bit more time in the pocket — Modster especially, who is privy to deep balls — plays with depth and variability could develop with more ease.

• Cal’s remaining schedule features four teams in similar situations to the Bears.
• Emily Ohman looks at the film of Utah’s 99 yard touchdown drive to see what exactly broke down on defense.
• Kuony Deng has had a pretty good season in his first year at Cal and has a very good relationship with his teammate Evan Weaver.
• Speaking of Evan Weaver, Ron Rivera recently spoke very fondly of Weaver after he was selected to the Senior Bowl.

Field Hockey

• In the coming weeks, senior Femke Delissen’s Cal career will come to an end, but she has brought a lot of good fortune from The Netherlands.

Beat the Cougars!