California Golden Blogs - California Golden Bears football 2015 opponent previewsThe OG CGB team moved to WriteForCalifornia.com. Cal Golden Bears coverage by SBNation.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48267/cgb-fave.png2015-09-24T03:00:02-07:00http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/rss/stream/88009582015-09-24T03:00:02-07:002015-09-24T03:00:02-07:00Know the Enemy: Previewing the Washington Offense
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<figcaption>Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Washington has an offense, and if last week is any indication, Cal's defense needs to pull a Danny Zuko and shape up.</p> <p>After escaping Austin with a win where <span>Jerrod Heard</span> went Super Saiyan, Cal sits at 3-0. The last time the Bears started 3-0, they lost their next game at Washington in 2011. As luck would have it, Cal heads up to Seattle to take on the Huskies on Saturday.</p>
<p>Washington hasn't had the greatest offense this year, breaking in a new quarterback in Jake Browning. Browning, a true freshman, threw a national record of 91 touchdowns in his senior season of high school, under the tutelage of former Cal QB Troy Taylor. <a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/9/23/9381157/california-golden-bears-daniel-lasco-damariay-drew-griffin-piatt-devante-wilson-injuries">Sonny Dykes compared him to Jared Goff in his early development</a>. Browning has started to find his stride as a quarterback, going 22-31 for 368 yards and 3 touchdowns against Utah State. Washington Coach Chris Petersen has found his guy after <span>Cyler Miles</span> retired and <span>Jeff Lindquist</span> failed to live up to expectations.</p>
<p>That being said, the Huskies have some work to do as they get into the meat of their schedule. They averaged 2.1 yards per carry against Utah State, which is beautifully horrendous. Their top two running backs, <span>Dwayne Washington</span> and Myles Gaskin, did even worse against Boise State, picking up 19 yards on 13 carries. Against Sacramento State, they dominated, but their production against FBS opponents hasn't come close to that yet.</p>
<h4>Scheme:</h4>
<p>Unlike what <a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2014/10/8/6944161/rest-of-the-pac-breakdown-washington-huskies-2014-Cal-Golden-Bears-football">LiffeyBear has written in the past</a>, Chris Petersen has strayed away from his philosophy of using a motion man. My best guess for this is Browning's inexperience. The motion man will tell you something about the defense when the defense adjusts. You learn whether they're playing zone or man, and you can take advantage of those adjustments. At this point in the season, Browning does not have the game experience that Petersen would like in order to make these adjustments. Therein, the reads in the offense should be simpler at this point, but more motions could be incorporated in this game.</p>
<p>The Huskies will run a little bit of motion or will shift from time to time to mess with the defensive personnel. It can change from a shotgun set with a receiver split off the tight end:</p>
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<p>Then they can move to shifting the tight end to the other side, putting the split receiver in the slot:</p>
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<p>Then the nearside receiver motions to a bone position so he can be a lead blocker for the running back.</p>
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<p>This play didn't work due to a blitz from the Mike linebacker and poor blocking from the left guard, but the play design takes advantage of a new numbers advantage on the left side.</p>
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<p>Other times, there will be no motion, and the Huskies will run a route combination. In the Boise State game, UW ran quite a few plays with trips receivers to one side. This is done for two reasons. First, it cuts down the reads for Browning to one side of the field. Secondly, combination routes that can clear out space for an open receiver help cut down the decision making process even more. For example, in the play below, Washington lines up with trips to the left.</p>
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<p>The outermost receiver goes on a streak and the innermost receiver goes on a curl. This clears out the defensive backs, and leaves <span>Jaydon Mickens</span> with a linebacker trying to press him. Mickens gives Browning an easy open safety valve who can pick up the first down. Browning doesn't have to go through too many progressions, and makes the right play for the first down. It also helps Browning to have this easy safety valve when the offensive line is struggling.</p>
<p>This line of thinking led to success against Cal's defense last year. Against Washington and UCLA especially, the defense had issues covering swing routes and passes underneath the linebackers like the one to Mickens. Due to poor open field tackling and lack of secondary depth, these plays gashed a susceptible defense. The defense of this year seems improved in that category, but they'll have to continually prove it until anyone believes it.</p>
<p>For more on specifics of the Washington offense, read<a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/9/23/9364799/washington-2015-cal-california-golden-bears-football-jake-browning-jared-goff"> LiffeyBear's post on Washington's </a>offense against Utah State.</p>
<h4>Personnel</h4>
<p>Jake Browning is going to be the offensive centerpiece for the Huskies. <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/91794/jake-browning-jared-goff-comparisons-are-premature-but-there-are-some-parallels">He's got tools to be excellent</a> at the college level. Much like Goff, he's a pocket passer who isn't going to run away from you, but has the ability to step up and make the right throws. You don't throw 229 touchdown passes in high school without being an excellent talent. Currently, Browning stands at 6'2" and 206 lbs. This is about the same size as yours truly, so if his offensive line is going to be as sieve-like as they were in the first two plays, he needs to pack on a bit more muscle if he doesn't want to die.</p>
<p>His stats for the season:</p>
<ul>
<li>66.3% completions</li>
<li>844 yards with 9.48 yards per attempt</li>
<li>5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.</li>
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<p>Those are some solid numbers, though the yards per attempt is inflated from a few long touchdown passes against Sacramento State and Utah State. That being said, the ability to make those long passes happen at this early of a stage in his college career is a good sign. His weapons around him are mostly freshmen and sophomores, so he should only get better as they improve around him. He is still a freshman, so if Josh Rosen's game last week is an indicator, Browning is still mortal and vulnerable.</p>
<p>Myles Gaskin and Dwayne Washington are the two running backs who will be threatening in this matchup. Gaskin will be the one who receives the bulk of the carries. He had over 10 yards per carry against Sacramento State, and received the majority of the carries against Utah State. He has the ability to be productive in the right situation and can be explosive. Washington will be a problem for our linebackers. He only had 2 rushing yards against Utah State, but burned them for 131 yards receiving and two long touchdowns. He got the first on a dump off and the second on a long seam route thrown right on the money. I'd worry about the assignments on play's like this</p>
<p>Jaydon Mickens is the wide receiver I'd worry about the most. He is similar to <span>Bryce Treggs</span> in many respects, and can make plays happen underneath. I'm fairly certain he can run a wheel route as well, which bodes problems for the Cal defense. All joking aside, he can make plays in zones where the defense is vulnerable and the open-field tackling is suspect.</p>
<h4>Conclusion:</h4>
<p>It's hard to say anything definitive at this time. The first two games seems to point toward the defense being above average. The Texas game led to beliefs that the defense may not be as great as the early returns say. The good thing about this matchup is that Browning does not have the same running ability as Jerrod Heard. If the Bears can get pressure on him like they did in the 3rd quarter against Texas, he could fold like a cheap card table. That may be an exaggeration, but he's a true freshman, so anything can happen. I'd expect a much better performance from the defense, leading to a much less heart-rending victory. Go Bears!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/9/24/9375311/know-your-enemy-previewing-the-washington-offenseTrace Travers2015-09-17T03:00:03-07:002015-09-17T03:00:03-07:00Know Your Enemy: Previewing the Texas Offense
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<figcaption>John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The new and seemingly improved Cal defense rolls into Austin to take on a much maligned Texas defense</p> <p>If you haven't heard, and for some reason you have clicked over to this site for the first time, Cal is heading to Austin for the first time since 1970 to take on the <a href="https://www.barkingcarnival.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Texas Longhorns</a>. Texas is 1-1, coming off a win against Rice that sort of righted the ship. Their athletic director got fired last week, so the ship is still a bit perforated so to speak. The Longhorns made a recent QB change from <span>Tyrone Swoopes</span> to <span>Jerrod Heard</span> after Swoopes got destroyed in a 38-3 evisceration against Notre Dame. Swoopes went 7-22 for 93 yards, which seemingly necessitated a move to Heard in the next week.</p>
<p>Texas coach Charlie Strong also stripped quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson of his playcalling duties after week one, handing them over to wide receivers coach Jay Norvell. Oddly enough Norvell ran a run heavy offense against Rice, mainly due to getting a lot of help from special teams and an opportunistic defense.</p>
<p>As a side note, I know I don't do a preview of the defense, but the offensive line needs to account for Malik Jefferson on every play. From watching Texas play Rice, he ends up in the right place at the right time on nearly every play. They will use him as a pass rusher often, so I hope Cal's offensive line is prepared for that.</p>
<h4>Personnel<br>
</h4>
<p>As noted before, Jerrod Heard has ascended to the starting quarterback position over Tyrone Swoopes. Heard, a redshirt freshman, won two state titles as a Texas high school quarterback. Heard posted some Tim Tebow-like numbers last week, throwing only seven passes, completing four with two touchdowns. Heard had 10 carries for 96 yards, with a 35 yarder that would have been a 53 yarder if it hadn't been shortened due to an illegal block in the back penalty. He's able to scramble well out of the pocket, so keeping him contained with a good pass rush will be critical.</p>
<p><span>Johnathan Gray</span> is one of his running mates in the backfield. Gray, a senior from Aledo, Texas, has not had the most prolific of seasons so far. He's been remarkably consistent, rushing for about 700 yards each of the past three years on about 4.5 yards per carry. He has a solid burst when hitting the hole, and will probably be next to Heard for the majority of their zone read plays. He hasn't produced too much so far, gaining 57 yards on 17 carries. Gray has had issues with fumbles in the past, so that's something to look out for. D'Onta Freeman is also a candidate to receive carries for the Longhorns.</p>
<p>From the receiver spots, there isn't much to talk about. John Burt appears to be the big play guy, as he has two receptions on the season for 117 yards. One was a 69 yard touchdown against Rice, the other was a 48 yarder that set up the sole field goal against Notre Dame. He's a four-star freshman out of a very impressive recruiting class. <span>Daje Johnson</span> and <span>Armanti Foreman</span> are the other two receivers to look out for. Johnson is a speedster who returned a punt for a touchdown against Rice, and Foreman had a big 32 yard TD reception in the same game. Texas has recruited well enough to give themselves weapons, but ingame circumstances haven't given them the chance to show what they can do.</p>
<h4>Scheme:</h4>
<p>It's difficult to say the kind of scheme that Texas will continue to run with Heard. They only ran 38 offensive plays against Rice, due to the Owls holding on to the ball or Texas continually having good field position due to turnovers and punt returns, or quick touchdowns.</p>
<p>Texas has decided seemingly to shift to an offense that suits Heard's dual-threat style at the quarterback spot. From the limited action the offense saw against Rice, here's what can be gleaned from it:</p>
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<p>In this formation, they have an unbalanced set, with two receivers on the line on the left side, essentially telegraphing a run in that direction. On this specific play, Heard ran a zone read and kept it, but got swallowed up by an aggressive defense. Considering the strength of Cal's run defense, they may not repeat this one.</p>
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<p>Here they run a formation more consistent with the spread offense we know and tolerate. They run an inside zone off of this where the tackle kicks out the end. Gray has a huge lane to run to, as the middle linebacker is frozen by Heard's running ability. The trick of stopping this is in filling gaps, getting off blocks, and staying disciplined in assignments.</p>
<p>On to the passing game. It's difficult to know what to expect, because again, Heard has only thrown the ball 8 times this season. Overall they've thrown the ball 33 times this season. For a comparison, Jared threw 32 passes in the first half against Grambling State. Both TD passes against Rice came on vertical routes, the first of which appeared to be a push-off. They'll run simple patterns, some swing routes, some curls, and verticals. No real timing routes. The four passes Heard completed were on those three types of routes. This can be a great moment for the Cal secondary. If the Bears get a good sized lead early, Texas will have to go to the air. Playing a young quarterback and tormenting him could build the confidence that the secondary needs to be successful as the season goes on.</p>
<h4>Conclusion:</h4>
<p>The one thing that Notre Dame did well to force a quarterback and a coordinator change was to pressure the quarterback and gang tackle. Every play seemed to bring swarms of blue jerseys on Swoopes in the backfield if he tried to scramble. Rice did a decent job in stopping all ballcarriers not named Jerrod Heard by swarming to the ball as well. The blueprint has been laid out for the Cal defense. Swarm to the ball, stay disciplined about the quarterback running, get a lot of pressure, and don't get beat deep. If they can follow those four tenets, then the rest of us are in for a lovely Saturday evening.</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/9/17/9338371/california-golden-bears-texas-longhorns-2015-defense-offense-previewTrace Travers2015-09-10T03:00:02-07:002015-09-10T03:00:02-07:00Know the Enemy: Previewing the SDSU Offense
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<figcaption>Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>And now for something completely different, the San Diego State offense.</p> <p> </p>
<p>After an excellent showing during the Grambling destruction, the Cal defense looks forward to dealing with a more traditional offense. The Aztecs come into Berkeley fresh off a 37-3 destruction of their crosstown rivals that they never play, the University of San Diego. The Aztecs were aided by five interceptions, two that linebacker <span>Calvin Munson</span> returned for touchdowns. Munson was the Walter Camp defensive player of the week for his efforts. Alas, we're here to talk about the offensive efforts of the Aztecs. SDSU only put up 305 yards of total offense against a non-scholarship FCS team. For a comparison, <span>Jared Goff</span> threw for 309 yards in the first half. SDSU didn't need their offense, as they added a kickoff return TD to their two interception returns. That being said, the offense can be threatening. It's a traditional "run to set up the pass" offense that you don't see all that often in the Pac-12.</p>
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<br> Personnel:</h4>
<p>In a run first offense, the star is going to be the man doing the work. <span>Donnel Pumphrey</span> is that man, and to be the man, you've got to beat the man. His stats from 2014 prove that he is the man.</p>
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<li>276 carries for 1867 yards</li>
<li>6.8 yards per carry</li>
<li>20 touchdowns</li>
</ul>
<p>At 5'9" and 180 lbs, Pumphrey is comparable to <span>Isi Sofele</span> in size and agility. He's going to get the ball early and often in this offense, as he got 20 carries in their first game. However, Pumphrey only gained 65 yards on those 20 carries. That's a 3.2 YPC average, and if the Cal defense can hold him to that, then they've almost sealed up the game.</p>
<p><span>Maxwell Smith</span>, a transfer from Kentucky, is their quarterback. After a brief and excellent showing as a freshman at Kentucky, Smith injured an ankle, then a shoulder, and never lived up to the promise. As a graduate transfer, he decided to come back to his home state and slide into an open QB position at SDSU. He didn't have the most productive first game, going 9-21 with 100 yards and one interception. That put him at a QBR of 12.8. While QBR is a silly, ESPN-made stat, Smith's QBR was four times higher than Christian Hackenberg's. Hackenberg was rated 12 spots above Goff in ESPN's top 100 players in the preseason (Goff had a QBR of 86.4 by the way).</p>
<p>The bigger question for the Aztecs is how the passing game is going to come together this season. They were ranked 113th in the FBS in passing efficiency a year ago. This should be a boon to a defense not known for its world-beating defensive backs.Top receivers <span>Lloyd Mills</span> and <span>Eric Judge</span> are back for San Diego State, along with former USC commit Desean Holmes joining the mix. Holmes and Mills didn't have a reception in game 1 as backup running back <span>Rashaad Penny</span> led the Aztecs in receptions and yards. Their production this for this matchup remains to be seen.</p>
<p>The most important piece of the Aztec offense is the offensive line. They give Pumphrey his running room and give Smith enough time so he can hand the ball off to Pumphrey. SDSU returns three offensive linemen from a season ago, but they have to replace an all-conference left tackle and two centers with starting experience. Their lineman didn't look too great in their spring scrimmage, but only allowed one sack against USD. Cal's pass rush showed signs of life on Saturday, and they're probably a bit bigger than the Torerro defense, so that may be a point of success. Plus, Cal can use three linebackers and play their base 4-3 for once.</p>
<h4>Scheme:</h4>
<p>As stated before, the Aztecs are a throwback to a time not too long ago in college football, where the I-formation reigned supreme. Out of this formation they'll run a plethora of running plays with a lead back. They'll run powers, power with pulling guard to lead, simple dive plays, lead counters, and so on. Pumphrey has the speed to make it work.</p>
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<p>They aren't one trick ponies that only run from the I-formation. On the above play, they start in a 31 formation (3 WR and 1 TE). They motion the slot guy to run an end around, which freezes the linebacker playing on the end. Pumphrey is a solid one cut running back, which works well with the Aztec zone blocking system. It's very straightforward, getting a body on every defender. That gives Pumphrey only one or two men to take on by himself. As seen above, he can make those cuts.</p>
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<p>Something that they're wont to do is to set up the defense with their run plays, much like any other team that plays on a field with yard markers and a pigskin. They had run a power on the play before, so they ran a similar motion in the backfield. That leaves plenty of room for Pumphrey to make a play. If the left guard hustles more to make a block, that's going for a few more yards. Screens will be something to look out for, as Cal's defense will be looking to sell out to make a noteworthy play. That can leave them vulnerable to plays like this.</p>
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<p>The last bit of scheme is the play action pass. The play above shows what happens if the corner or safety who's supposed to provide help gets frozen for only a few seconds. Number 3 on UNC bites hard, and recovers to the wrong receiver, which forces the other safety to try to clean up his mess. The receiver at the bottom of the screen has a go route, and he ends up wide open. The two Darius's who will be matched up on the outside receivers have to be careful to not freeze on the deep route.</p>
<h4>
<br> Conclusion:</h4>
<p>A run first team is nothing we've had to deal with in the past, since every team has passed all over us. That being said, it is hard to know how San Diego State will perform in a completely different situation than their first game. They didn't look too great offensively against a lower tier school, and with a defense that seems to have itself more together, Cal can stymie the Aztecs. The defense is something to worry about, but the offense can be taken care of.</p>
<p>(Also, I figured out how to resize the gifs so they won't break your screens. Go Bears!)</p>
<h4></h4>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/9/10/9298851/know-the-enemy-previewing-the-san-diego-state-offenseTrace Travers2015-09-02T07:31:02-07:002015-09-02T07:31:02-07:00Can Cal end their regular season right vs ASU?
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<p>On November 28, 2015, our California Golden Bears will play their season finale against the ASU Sun Devils. Will the Bears be able to prevail in a game that, according to many predictions, could be a pivotal game in determining whether our Golden Bears go bowling this year. </p> <p dir="ltr">The last time these two teams met was on a sunny, Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in the fall of 2012. <span>Keenan Allen</span> was still scoring touchdowns for Cal and JEFF TEDFORD was still manning the Cal sidelines. How things have changed since then. Cal underwent a regime change and ASU has posted back-to-back 10 win seasons. After 2 years under Coach Sonny Dykes, Cal fans hope that our Golden Bears can take the next step and return to bowl game relevance. However, this potent, experienced ASU team will prove a stern test for our <a href="https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/" target="_blank">Golden Bears</a> as they look to finish the season on a strong note.</p>
<p>Let's take a look at this year's <a href="https://www.houseofsparky.com/" target="_blank">Sun Devils</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Offense</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">Up-tempo. Efficient. Explosive. Unpredictable. Innovative. What do these 5 words have in common? They are all commonly used to describe the offense that offensive coordinator Mike Norvell has implemented at ASU. However, that last word may best describe this Sun Devils offense that employs a variety of approaches, as Norvell changes the offense to fit the strengths of his players. If the Sun Devils are able to find capable replacements for tackles <span>Jamil Douglas</span> and <span>Tyler Sulka</span>, we could see this year's offense surpass last season's average of 36.9 points per game. Without further ado, some important names to from this Sun Devils offense.</p>
<p dir="ltr">3-year starting quarterback graduates. Panic ensues. Not at ASU. They have redshirt senior <span>Mike Bercovici</span> ready to take the helm. Though Bercovici lacks extensive game experience, he has a mastery of the offensive playbook. ASU wide receivers have also noted his ability to spread the football all over the field. Furthermore, he enjoyed success in limited playing time last season, demonstrating a fearless attitude and a strong arm on his way to throwing for 1,445 yards. There are concerns, though. He threw 1 interception for every 3 touchdown passes, and only completed 62% of his passes. However, Norvell has noted improvement in his anticipation this spring. I expect Bercovici to thrive with all of the weapons at his disposal, allowing ASU to replicate the strong offensive showing of 2014.</p>
<p dir="ltr">With the loss of last year's leading wide receivers <span>Jaelen Strong</span> and <span>Cameron Smith</span>, ASU has a lot of production to replace. Luckily for them, they have a stable of talented running backs. <span>Demario Richard</span>, who averaged 5.7 yards per carry last year, <span>Kalen Ballage</span>, a 6-foot-3, 222 pound missile, and <span>De'Chavon 'Gump' Hayes</span>, a speedy JC transfer, will take over the load at running back, allowing last year's leading rusher <span>D.J. Foster</span> to line up at slot receiver, helping replace the production of Strong and Smith. They will also rely on a collective effort from the rest of their wide receivers who all provide different skill sets.</p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Defense</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">With the loss of safety Damarious Randall, who led the team in tackles, and defensive lineman <span>Marcus Hardison</span>, who led the team in sacks, one might expect this Sun Devils defense to regress. However, that does not look to be the case as they were the only two starters lost to graduation. This young defensive squad will look to build upon a strong showing during the 2014 season when they recorded 98 tackles for loss, 39 sacks and 27 takeaways. They utilize an aggressive, aggressive hybrid scheme that emphasizes attacking at all opportunities. This defense employs a Devilbacker, a hybrid defensive end and outside linebacker in order to create a speed advantage that allows them to pressure the quarterback and force turnovers. This aggressive Sun Devils defense, if they continue to show improvement, will prove difficult to play against come game day.</p>
<p><b>Pass Defense</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">The Sun Devils defense could not defend the pass, giving up 313.67 pass yards per game in the first three conference games. However, in the following three games we saw them allow only 136 yards through the air. Why did this happen? Well, we saw the same players established as starters, allowing the players to breed familiarity and develop chemistry with one another . Furthermore, they improved their technique, fundamentals, and confidence as Coach Graham stated. This is a group that should once more provide constant pressure to the quarterback, forcing turnovers even as they work to limit the big plays.</p>
<p><b>Run Defense</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">At the start the season, the Sun Devils were not only unable to defend the pass but they were also porous against the run, allowing 4.77 yards per carry on the season and 5.23 yards per carry in conference play. However, by the end of the season we saw that number drop to 4.0 yards per carry. That speaks to the dramatic improvement of the Sun Devils run defense over the course of the season as they gained experience, leading to improved tackling as well as fewer missed assignments and big plays allowed. I expect the run defense to continue their improvement and develop into a respectable, if not formidable, force as they blitz their way to a multitude of tackles for loss.</p>
<p><b>Special Teams</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">This offseason the Sun Devils hired Shawn Slocum, formerly special teams coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, in order to bolster a unit that Graham considered to be one of the weaknesses of his team. With the return of <span>Matt Haack</span> at punter and <span>Zane Gonzalez</span> at kicker, the Sun Devils have established legs on special teams that will look to build upon solid performances in the 2014 season. Furthermore, it is expected that Kalen Ballage and De'Chavon 'Gump' Hayes handle return duties. With these players providing a strong core, we could see a much-improved unit as Slocum works to improve consistency in coverage and punting, eliminating one of the few weaknesses of this Sun Devils team.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Conclusion</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">If Cal is able to utilize all of its weapons and keep the Sun Devils defense on its toes, I expect another high-scoring display for the Bear Raid offense. Of course, that depends whether our O-line can win the battle in the trenches and give <span>Jared Goff</span> enough time to run this offense. Regardless, I believe we will definitely see two things. The Sun Devils defense will make some big plays, but we will also see a well-oiled, experienced Cal offense get theirs.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Cal defense will have its hands full containing the explosive ASU offense. How our defense performs will depend on how much pressure our defensive line is able to generate and whether we can limit big plays in the air and on the ground. If Cal can limit big plays, generate some pressure and force some turnovers, this could turn out to be a good day for Cal fans. If not, then it could turn out be a very long day indeed.</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/9/2/9040689/california-golden-bears-arizona-state-sun-devils-2015-football-previewGoldenBearsBandwagon2015-08-27T03:01:03-07:002015-08-27T03:01:03-07:00The 2015 Big Game early preview
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JHcKYvAv2YZWlytxVwZmF4Tpt_s=/0x0:3250x2167/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46698528/usa-today-8221546.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>How are the Stanford Cardinal shaping up for this upcoming football season? How do the California Golden Bears matchup with their nemesis? Get the scoop on the Cardinal in this preview of The Big Game as the Bears look to reclaim the Stanford Axe.</p> <p><b></b>California vs. Stanford is always the most highly anticipated game on Cal's football schedule. USC and UCLA are big games, but this is THE Big Game and it means more than any other. This year in particular is a massive one for the Bears as it pertains to our biggest rival. Here's why: Five. Straight. Losses.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Recent history of The Big Game</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">Cal has lost five consecutive games to Stanford from 2010-2014, and it has been ugly for the Bears over that stretch.</p>
<ul>
<li>2010: Stanford 48-14 California</li>
<li>2011: California 28-31 Stanford</li>
<li>2012: Stanford 21-3 California</li>
<li>2013: California 13-63 Stanford</li>
<li>2014: Stanford 38-17 California</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">To put Stanford's current run in perspective let's take a look at other winning streaks during the storied history of The Big Game.</p>
<ul>
<li>Stanford: Seven, 1995-2001</li>
<li>Stanford: Six, 1961-1966</li>
<li>California: Five, 1919-1923 and 2002-2006 </li>
</ul>
<p>If the Bears do not find a way to defeat the<a href="https://www.ruleoftree.com/" class="sbn-auto-link"> Cardinal</a> this season, then Stanford will have surpassed our best winning streak once again and will have a legitimate chance at setting The Big Game record winning streak in the coming years.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Stanford Defense</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Jared Goff</span> and the Bear-Raid offense will have to figure out a way to put points on the board against Lance Anderson's always reliable Cardinal defense. The Cardinal defense (and some guy named Luck) is the pillar from which their recent success has been built, but it enters this season with more questions than usual.</p>
<p dir="ltr">No Cardinal position group is facing as much change as the defensive backfield, which has now lost all of its 2014 starters in the wake of safety Zach Hoffpauir's decision to sign a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The burden of replacing the departed starters will fall primarily on younger players.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sophomore Terrence Alexander saw playing time as a freshman last season and will be expected to start alongside senior cornerback <span>Ronnie Harris</span>, while redshirt freshman <span>Alijah Holder</span>, who caught head coach <span>David Shaw's</span> attention by forcing a fumble and breaking up a few passes during the Spring Game, will also be expected to contribute significantly at cornerback. Senior Kodi Whitfield will likely be joined by junior <span>Dallas Lloyd</span> as the starting safety duo for the Cardinal. Both Whitfield and Lloyd transitioned from offense to defense prior to the 2014 season.</p>
<p>The defensive line is also facing an overhaul with senior defensive tackle <span>Aziz Shittu</span> possessing the most experience of the group. At defensive end the Cardinal will look to sophomore <span>Harrison Phillips</span>, redshirt freshman <span>Solomon Thomas</span>, and juniors <span>Jordan Watkins</span> and <span>Nate Lohn</span> to fill out the rest of the starting lineup and provide depth. Cal transfer (yes, you read that correctly) <span>Brennan Scarlett</span> could provide some much needed experience and pass-rushing capabilities at defensive end if he can stay healthy.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The position group with the fewest question marks entering the season is the linebacking corps, led by last season's leading tackler <span>Blake Martinez</span> at inside-linebacker, while <span>Peter Kalambayi</span> and <span>Kevin Anderson</span> will play outside-linebacker. Sophomore linebacker <span>Joey Alfieri</span> is a player to watch as well after his impressive performance at Stanford's Spring Game.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Back to<a target="_blank" href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/3/10/8160777/brennan-scarlett-california-golden-bears-stanford-cardinal"> Scarlett transferring from Cal to Stanford</a> ... maybe he volunteered to be part of a field study on how those unfortunate souls on ‘The Farm' live? Or maybe he transferred to Furd for their rabid fanbase? With passion rivaled only by SEC fans, Furd fans frequently pack the stands like you would expect those of a successful football program to do. Wait, what? <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_26957176/reid-column-so-sad-stanford-football-many-fronts">They don't pack the stands?</a> Oh, ok. Well, any Cal fans looking to make the trip to Palo Alto probably won't face much of a fight for tickets, then.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Stanford Offense</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">Several Cardinal starters return on the offensive side of the ball, including four offensive lineman. There's an Andrus Peat-sized hole at left tackle since the behemoth was drafted in the first round of the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">2015 NFL Draft</a>, which is expected to be filled by senior <span>Kyle Murphy</span>, last season's starting right tackle. As always, the Cardinal have plenty of blue-chip offensive lineman to choose from at right tackle, including sophomore <span>Casey Tucker</span>, rivals' number 5 tackle from the 2014 recruiting class.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Kevin Hogan</span> returns for his senior season as the starting quarterback and sophomore sensation <span>Christian McCaffrey</span> will join him in the backfield. McCaffrey averaged 7.1 yards per carry last season in a limited role, but will be very dangerous as the focal point of the Cardinal attack this season. Hogan misfired during the middle of last season when he performed poorly in losses against Notre Dame, Arizona State, Oregon and Utah before playing extremely well during the final three games. McCaffrey and <span>Barry Sanders</span> aren't typical Stanford bruisers and will be used to stretch defenses side-to-side. Look for a more creative than usual Stanford rushing attack this season.</p>
<p dir="ltr">One of the most important returnees for Stanford is head coach David Shaw, as he continues to spurn NFL* interest. This means we have another season of Stanford fans fretting about Shaw's play-calling to look forward to. Seriously, do a Google search for "David Shaw playcalling" and there is no shortage of critical columns.</p>
<p dir="ltr" align="left"><i>*Speaking of the NFL, for all the recent success in the Stanford program, Cal still had more players than Stanford on </i><a href="http://gamedayr.com/sports/college-football-teams-with-most-nfl-players-2014-15-117371/"><i>opening day NFL rosters last season</i></a><i>. While the Cardinal closed the gap during the 2015 NFL Draft, Cal does have Jared Goff, one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft.</i></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>2015 Outlook</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">With the Stanford defense entering the 2015 season with more uncertainty than usual and the offense changing its philosophy a bit, the Bears have a legitimate shot at snapping the losing streak. The Cal wide receivers have tons of experience and could be facing a Stanford secondary short on experience. If Goff, <span>Daniel Lasco</span>, <span>Stephen Anderson</span>, <span>Bryce Treggs</span>, <span>Trevor Davis</span> and <span>Kenny Lawler</span> can light up the scoreboard then I like Cal's chances in this game.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm not saying the Bears should be favored, especially since this is a road game, but the Bears are equipped on the offensive side of the ball to put the Cardinal under pressure. If the Bears can score points early, then the Cardinal would potentially have to play catch-up, which they are not equipped to do. As always, a large portion of whether or not the Bears stand a chance will rest on the defense.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Cal defense should have more depth than last season, but is that really saying much? The optimism here is that for the first time in a while the Stanford defense, at least on paper, does not appear to be a 100 percent certainty to be the best in the Pac-12. If Goff has the type of season he is capable of then the Bears could very easily be looking at his final year as the starting quarterback. If that is the case, then the Bears must stop the losing streak this season.</p>
<p>This season appears to be the best chance Cal has had to beat Stanford in a while, that point is debatable at least. What is not debatable, though, is that no matter what happens in this Big Game or any in the future, Cal will forever have made <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfebpLfAt8g">THE Play</a> in the history of the rivalry.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Go Bears! Beat Furd!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/8/27/8917577/2015-california-golden-bears-stanford-cardinal-football-big-game-previewmpeters102015-08-26T10:31:02-07:002015-08-26T10:31:02-07:00Oregon State preview: Beavers primed for another down year
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jt-5HA_byFipaaZ3eO0CghvFnjs=/4x0:4252x2832/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46835510/usa-today-8184156.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Susan Ragan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With Mike Riley and Sean Mannion gone, how will the Beavers start over? Last year was disappointing for OSU fans, but this year may be worse as new HC Gary Andersen searches for a new QB, a true RB, a defensive line, and the list goes on. November 14th at home will be fun for our Golden Bears!</p> <h4>2014 Season Overview</h4>
<p><b></b></p>
<p>In 2014, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buildingthedam.com/">Oregon State Beavers</a> football team pretty comfortably contributed to the Pac-12's bottom feeders. They finished with a 5-7 overall record, 2-7 in Pac-12 matchups, and last place in our North division. The Beavers started off well in their non-conference match-ups, including definitive wins over Portland State (who seems to get all sorts of paydays from Pac-12 schools every year), Hawaii, and San Diego State. Then, after a thrashing by U$C (L 10-35), OSU only pulled-off two more wins - at Colorado and a home upset against then 12th-ranked Arizona State late in the season.</p>
<p>OSU pretty consistently was not able to generate enough scoring to keep-up with their opponents, scoring an average of 25.7 points per game (compared to opponents' 31.6 points per game scored against them). Across a whole host of offensive categories, the Beavers just didn't have the firepower needed to pull-off more wins:</p>
<table width="624" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><u>Offensive Statistic</u></b></p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center"><b><u>Oregon State Beavers</u></b></p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center"><b><u>Opponents vs. OSU</u></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>First Downs</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">249 total</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">264 total</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Rushing (Yards/Attempt)</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">3.77 ypa</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">4.61 ypa</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Total Offense (Yards/Play)</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">5.57 ypp</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">5.76 ypp</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>3rd Down Conversions</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">31.74%</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">39.53%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>4th Down Conversions</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">42.11%</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center">62.50%</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>On the defensive side of the ball, OSU had 11 INTs last season - all by senior LBs and DBs (which is not good for this season with all those guys gone). Senior DB Tyrequek Zimmerman had the most tackles (91), followed by a whole host of other since-departed seniors. On the defensive line, injuries had a major impact. Junior DL Jalen Grimble hurt his knee early on against the Trojans and was never the same. Junior DLs Jaswha James and <span>Lavonte Barnett</span> both had minor injuries most of the season, forcing others to play out of position. Senior DL Obum Gwacham was fantastic early on, but then largely disappeared as a significant contributor after conference play began. Even QBs not traditionally known as runners (like <span>Jared Goff</span>) was able to consistently run all over this defense last season.</p>
<h4>Key Personnel Losses</h4>
<p><b></b></p>
<p><b><u><span>Sean Mannion</span> (QB)</u></b>: Where OSU did shine, however, was in their passing. With no standout back running the ball, the QB position was crucial if OSU was going to have any kind of success last season. Senior QB Sean Mannion (local guy from Pleasanton, CA) was stellar in his last year up at Corvallis. He threw the rock 453 times, and completed 282 of them (62.3 completion %age) - all for 3,164 yards! He averaged 7.0 yards per attempt (and 11.2 yards per completion). Mannion threw for 15 TDs and 8 INTs last season, finishing with a 128.3 overall QB rating.</p>
<p>Over each game in 2014, Mannion accounted for an average of 238.2 offensive yards. This kind of production - which was fairly consistent across his four-year career at OSU (he missed five starts as a sophomore but even came back twice from that) - will be sorely missed by Beaver fans. Along with <span>Connor Halliday</span> (WSU), <span>Brett Hundley</span> (UCLA), and <span>Marcus Mariota</span> (Oregon), Mannion will be part of the mass exodus of top-shelf QB talent from the Pac-12 conference. [Just in time for our very own Jared Goff to shine!]</p>
<p><b><u>Mike Riley (HC)</u></b>: For as long as many Pac-12 fans can remember, Mike Riley roamed the sidelines at OSU and exemplified success and achievement with meager resources and major recruiting challenges. Well, now he's gone and that's a sad thing for our conference. Riley bolted to Nebraska in the offseason in a move that's still shocking to many of us. OSU was never going to match the endless wads of cash that other programs could throw at him, his coaches, facilities, recruiting, and the list goes on. But, like Chris Peterson at Boise State, we always had the feeling that Riley reveled in that underdog role leading the Beavers.</p>
<p>Other than their baseball program and Gary Payton, who's heard of OSU succeeding in major college sports? Riley provided that hope for Beavers fans for a long time.</p>
<p>Gary Andersen (hot shot at Utah State from 2009-2012, leveraged it to win the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/">Wisconsin Badgers</a> head gig for two years, but then ran away when he realized that <i>no one</i> escapes the very large shadow of Barry Alvarez) will be an intriguing new head honcho this season. He's got to figure-out who will be his QB (<span>Luke Del Rio</span> has transferred and <span>Brent VanderVeen</span> was moved to tight end), find a true ball carrier, shore-up a flaky defensive line, and the list goes on and on. OSU is not in a good place right now (especially with the rival Ducks consistently winning and bringing in headlines). Beavers fans will soon experience what it means to not have their main man for the past 12 years....</p>
<h4>Offensive Changes</h4>
<p><b></b></p>
<p>New offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin is changing things up at OSU. In line with the trend in college football these days, Baldwin is installing an up-tempo offense. The problem with that is a team essentially needs a triple-threat QB to run that kind of offense - one who can run, pass, and have lots of football smarts/instincts. Well, OSU has no experience to choose from to find all that. Three guys are competing for the starting QB job - redshirt freshmen <span>Nick Mitchell</span> and <span>Marcus McMaryion</span>, as well as true freshman Seth Collins. Who OSU goes with will largely dictate how Beaver fans determine if Andersen and Baldwin are successful this coming season.</p>
<p>For whoever is chosen to lead the Beavers, he will have lots of help. Senior RB Storm Woods could potentially tear it up next season as the main man. Junior WR Victor Bolden should continue blazing past defenses with his amazing straight-line speed, and sophomore WR Jordan Villamin will contribute heavily as the #2 wideout opposite Bolden. And, the O-line brings back lots of experience with every linemen working together towards the end of last season. <span>Isaac Seumalo</span> was out in 2014 with foot injuries, but the star should be back and anchoring the protection needed by any fresh QB.</p>
<h4>Defensive Changes</h4>
<p><b></b></p>
<p>Like the offense, OSU's defense will get a shake-up this season as defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake implements a 3-4 defense. This will allow the big guys up front (Kyle Peko, James, and Grimble) to clog things up and let their many linebackers to stretch the field and make plays. This is going to be important because the Beavers lost a lot of secondary depth after last season. By increasing the number of LBs to support the cornerbacks and safeties, Sitake will try to hide his side's deficiencies out wide and in the back by stacking the middle.</p>
<h4>2015 Season Schedule</h4>
<p><b></b></p>
<p>Oregon State is predicted to finish last in the Pac-12 North division (according to <a href="http://athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25/oregon-state-beavers-2015-preview-and-prediction">Athlon Sports</a>). The Beavers have a pretty intense 2015 schedule:</p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center"><b>Date</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center"><b>Opponent</b></p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p align="center"><b>Location</b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Fri, Sep 04</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Weber State</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Corvallis, OR</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Sep 12</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Michigan</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>at Ann Arbor, MI</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Sep 19</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>San Jose State</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Corvallis, OR</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Sep 25</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Stanford</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Corvallis, OR</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Oct 10</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Arizona</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>at Tucson, AZ</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Oct 17</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Washington State</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>at Pullman, WA</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Oct 24</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Colorado</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Corvallis, OR</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Oct 31</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Utah</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>at Salt Lake City, UT</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Nov 07</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>UCLA</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Corvallis, OR</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Nov 14</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>California</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>at Berkeley, CA</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Sat, Nov 21</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Washington</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Corvallis, OR</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p>Fri, Nov 27</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>Oregon</p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p>at Eugene, OR</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The Michigan match-up during the second week will be a fantastic barometer for Andersen and his boys. He will most likely get throttled by Jim Harbaugh's much bigger and better boys, but any moral positives that come from getting blown away at the Big House will be useful for Andersen later on in the season and beyond. It's not very often that teams like OSU get to play the Wolverines (this match-up was surely scheduled with the intention that Riley would be coaching the Beavers).</p>
<p>Once OSU enters the conference games, it's honestly pretty difficult to predict many (if any) wins at this point. Lowly Wazzu, Colorado, and Utah will still be dogfights for the Beavers, but they could certainly pull those out. Another 5-7 season may be in store for OSU, if not a 4-8 or 3-9 season. Looking ahead to 2016 may not be a bad idea for Beaver fans....</p>
<h4>Cal vs. OSU Matchup</h4>
<p><b></b></p>
<p>Our Golden Bears play the Beavers in Berkeley on Saturday, November 14th. This will be our 10th game, sandwiched in between Oregon and Stanfurd. Cal will most likely suffer a loss up at Eugene the week before. Sonny and Co. will have to protect against our guys looking ahead to Furd and potentially getting caught sleeping by the Beavers.</p>
<p>If we keep our heads on right, we can fully expect to see Jared Goff working his magic all over and within OSU's inexperienced and transitioning defense. Given that our defense may be just as putrid as OSU's, things will get ugly when their offense takes the field. This game may end up being a shootout, one where we see Goff creating Heisman highlights and OSU's offense laboriously working down the field against our disappointing defense. Nevertheless, the difference is that we have Goff and a whole platoon of wideouts, and they don't. Go Bears, down with the Beavers!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/8/26/9045097/osu-beavers-2015-football-preview-california-golden-bearsKevin Wu2015-08-24T07:30:02-07:002015-08-24T07:30:02-07:00Cal football 2015 opponent preview: Oregon
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<figcaption>Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Is this the year the Bears finally break their Duck futility? </p> <h2 align="left"></h2>
<p>Cal vs. Oregon Preview: Can Cal Conquer the Ducks?</p>
<ul>
<li>He's the Pac 12 Career Leader in Total Touchdowns: 135</li>
<li>He was the 2014 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year</li>
<li>He was a Pac-12 All-Conference 1st Team</li>
<li>He was a Walter Camp All-<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american" class="sbn-auto-link">American</a> </li>
<li>He won the Maxwell Award</li>
<li>He was the AP Player of the Year</li>
<li>He won the Heisman Trophy</li>
<li>He was the 2nd Overall Pick in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NFL Draft</a> </li>
</ul>
<p>He is Marcus Mariota. Fear not though, he is gone to the big leagues. The best player in the country has moved on. Don't sleep on Oregon though, they will still be ranked inside the top ten. Returning five starters on defense and seven on offense they are still loaded. Mark Helfrich certainly has his hands full without a clear leader at quarterback though. Coming off a loss in the National Championship the Ducks look hungry to get back there but a few position questions must be answered. Cal has found an all time great in <span>Jared Goff</span> as he continues to thrive as the Bears gunslinger and has solidified his 1st round status this year thus far.</p>
<p>Mark Helfrich is now entering his third year as the head coach of Oregon. He's had impressive early success with a combined record of 24-4 to go along with two bowl appearances. However this year should be his toughest without a Heisman Caliber quarterback and having to travel to East Lansing for a prime time game. Helfrich shouldn't have to worry about his job considering he signed a 5-year extension worth $17.5 million. However, Ducks fans do have high expectations considering the schools prior successes. The Ducks are not a clear favorite to come away with the north crown so this could be Helfrich's biggest test.</p>
<p><b>Offense</b></p>
<p>Oregon's high-octane offense looks set to have another record-breaking season as long as Vernon Adams can come in and play well. The FCS transfer should have plenty of success considering he lit up a respected Washington defense for 475 yards and 7 touchdowns last year. With Royce Freeman<strike> and <span>Thomas Tyner</span> in the backfield</strike> (UPDATE: Tyner is out for the season, so expect a newcomer like Taj Griffin or Tony James to step into his role) for Helfrich the Ducks should feel pretty good about their offense coming into the 2015 season even if there are some questions to answer. Wide Receiver is another strength for the Ducks as they have some of the top speedsters in the country in their rotation. Bralen Addison can absolutely fly, along with <span>Byron Marshall</span>, and <span>Devon Allen</span>. However Allen is coming off an ACL injury so there is some uncertainty to how healthy he will be for this season.</p>
<p><b>Defense</b></p>
<p>Don Pellum is fresh off leading the Ducks to the 2<sup>nd</sup> best defense in the Pac-12. The Defensive Coordinator has lost a lot of talent from last year but is primed to make a return with the 3-4 defense of his. The Ducks are returning Deforest Buckner who should be one of the best defensive linemen in the country. Along with Buckner the Ducks have hard-hitting <span>Alex Balducci</span> at the nose, which could cause trouble for opposing offensive lines. The rest of Oregon's defense boasts experience with the return of four 5<sup>th</sup> year senior linebacker's and three experienced defensive backs. Overall the Ducks not only can compete with the whole Pac-12 but also could make another run at its first ever national championship.</p>
<p><b>Key Returners:</b></p>
<p><b>RB Royce Freeman.</b> Although Marcus Mariota accounted for 64 percent of Oregon's Offense, Royce still racked up 1365 yards on the ground with 18 touchdowns. Not too bad for a true freshman. He averaged 5.4 YAC while averaging 17.7 carries per game. He should be a crucial part to this offense with the up-tempo speed they run.</p>
<p><b>RB/WR Byron Marshall.</b> Marshall came into Oregon as a running back but has transitioned into a dual threat player who motions into the slot. He was the Ducks leading receiver last year with 1003 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 52 times for 392 yards and 1 TD. He should be an essential part for this offense and have a breakout senior campaign for whoever is the Ducks gunslinger.</p>
<p><b>OT Tyler Johnstone.</b> He will be the key to this Ducks offensive line, which is losing three starters. Tyler was all set to be the starting tackle opposed to <span>Jake Fischer</span> last fall but in August tore his ACL. He'll play a critical role to this young Ducks O-line and if he can stay healthy he should have a breakout year.</p>
<p><b>DE <span>DeForest Buckner</span>. </b>Decided to come back to Oregon for his senior season. The 23 game starter should be the anchor to this Oregon Defense. A 6"7 290 Defensive End he has a rare ability of strength and athleticism that could go a long way to becoming an All American and helping this Duck's team get back to the National Championship.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Key Losses:</b></p>
<p><b>QB Marcus Mariota. </b>Obviously the three year starter and Heisman trophy winner is a big lost to the program. He holds the career record in the Pac-12 for total touchdowns. Even though the Ducks lose arguably the greatest player in program history they still have some depth at the quarterback position with Eastern Washington transfer Vernon Adams as the most likely starter along with <span>Jeff Lockie</span>, and <span>Morgan Mahalak</span>.</p>
<p><b>DE Arik Armstead.</b> The now Niner, Arik is a freak. With a similar frame to DeForest Buckner the 6"8 290 Defensive End had a rare ability of size and athleticism. He was the leader of the Ducks line last year and they are sure to miss him. Having a knack for showing up in big games his career high nine tackles against Ohio State in the national championship game was a showing of the upside he can bring to the NFL.</p>
<p><b>CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. </b>Was primed to be a first rounder in the NFL draft but tore his ACL in a December practice causing him to fall to the seventh round. He was First Team all Pac-12 his sophomore, junior, and senior season helping lead the Ducks to a 35-5 record over that span. Ifo had 244 tackles along with 9 interceptions in his Duck career.</p>
<p><b>Key Matchups:</b></p>
<p>Considering Cal and Oregon are both up-tempo and high scoring this game should lean towards the winner having to score over 40.</p>
<p><b>Jared Goff vs. Oregon's Secondary</b></p>
<p>The Heisman sleeper and the leader of Cal's offense is vital to the Bear's chances to pull off the upset. Last year he threw for 360 yards and 2 touchdowns at home but this year the game is up in Eugene. The first and only time Jared has been up to Oregon wasn't pretty. Rain was pouring down and it was prevalent as Jared only threw 6 passes completing 3 of them for 11 yards before being replaced by Zach Kline. However the Ducks Secondary are all experienced players as they have only lost Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. They return their two starting safeties <span>Reggie Daniels</span> and <span>Tyree Robinson</span> along with starting corner Chris Seisay. The key here is Jared making his progressions and finding the open man without having to deal with pressure.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Cal's Offensive line vs. DeForest Buckner</b></p>
<p>Cal's Offensive line is the biggest question on the offensive side coming into the season with the loss of the captain Chris Adcock. However we are returning a NFL prospect in <span>Jordan Rigsbee</span> who should be the leader of our Line. If we can contain DeForest, a 6"7 animal who can get to the quarterback quicker than anyone else in the Pac then we have a shot. Protecting Goff not only is the key to this season but specifically in this game where the Ducks have an explosive line.</p>
<p><b>Cal's Secondary vs. Vernon Adams</b></p>
<p>Vernon Adams who is Oregon's most likely starter coming into the season transferred from Eastern Washington this past year. He threw for over 3400 yards along with 35 touchdowns while missing 4 games with a broken foot. The dual threat quarterback also ran for 285 yards and 6 touchdowns. Cal lost starter <span>Avery Sebastian</span> to Notre Dame in the offseason so a replacement needs to step up. <span>Griffin Piatt</span>? <span>Cameron Walker</span>? Or possibly <span>Luke Rubenzer</span>? Cal's secondary is coming off 2 historically bad seasons and is going to need a big year out of <span>Stefan McClure</span> to propel this defense. The four star recruit hasn't lived up to his potential after battling with injuries and inexperienced teammates, McClure has one last chance to impress Scouts and putting on a show against a national contender he could do just that. Having to slow down Vernon along with all the Oregon receivers is an almost impossible task for this Bear's secondary so there main focus is to limit the Ducks. Holding the Ducks to under 300 yards in the air and 35 points would give the Bears a strong chance to shock the Duckies and the college football world.</p>
<p><b>Special Teams</b></p>
<p>This is where either team could take a clear advantage in the game. If either team is to break one out it could have a major impact in this game considering both teams can score on offense in a hurry. Cal lost <span>James Langford</span> so their looking to find a new kicker in a wide open race between <span>Matt Anderson</span>, <span>Noah Beito</span>, Robbie McInerney and Dylan Klumph who is the 6th best kicker coming out of high school. While the Ducks kicking was split last year between <span>Aidan Schneider</span> and Matt Wogan. Look for either teams kicker to make an impact, as red zone stops could be a crucial. Cal has <span>Trevor Davis</span> returning Kicks as he took 2 back against Washington State and was awarded Pac-12 special teams player of the week. For the Ducks they have a couple of options with Devon Allen, Byron Marshall and <span>Bralon Addison</span>.</p>
<p><b>Predictions/ Conclusion</b></p>
<p>The Bears stay in the game through a tremendous performance from Jared Goff who shreds the Oregon D throwing for 400 yards and 4 touchdowns. <span>Daniel Lasco</span> is shut down for only 50 yards on 20 carries. However Oregon is too much as Vernon Adams continues his Heisman Campaign! What? Yes, Vernon Adams is a Heisman contender this year. He throws for 350 and 3 touchdowns with another rushing touchdown. Royce Freeman Runs over our linebackers with a solid game of 110 and 2 touchdowns. The Ducks win 49-41 in a heartbreaker. Griffin Piatt is awarded player of the game as he records 10 tackles and a 40 yard pick six, But a late fumble from <span>Trevor Davis</span> loses the game for the Bears as Oregon survives the scare. The Bears fall to 5-4 and Oregon improves to 8-1.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><br> <b>What are your thoughts? Predictions? And, Who plays better Adams or Goff? </b></p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/8/24/8892583/california-golden-bears-oregon-ducks-2015-football-previewbenwemer2015-08-19T07:30:02-07:002015-08-19T07:30:02-07:00Can Cal end a decade of agony vs. USC on Halloween?
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<figcaption>Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>It's been a long time since the Bears beat USC. Could this be the year they break through, or will another Trojan wide receiver break our hearts again? Also, the game is on Halloween this year. Is Sonny Dykes going to wear a costume?</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.conquestchronicles.com/">USC Trojans</a> will travel to Berkeley this season for a Halloween matchup. Sounds spooky, right? The good news is that noted bogeyman <span>Nelson Agholor</span> won't be coming with them. You remember Agholor, right? The wideout who torched Cal's defense for 216 yards and two touchdowns last year? The good news is he's now with the Eagles, haunting the NFC East. But there's bad news too. The Trojans have restocked their undead army of five star recruits, and they're out for braaaiiinnss...er...a conference championship.</p>
<p>In fact, there's quite a bit more bad news about this year's matchup. Don't scream yet though, because there's some good news too, and because <span>Cody Kessler</span> is right behind you and if you scream he'll definitely eat your brains.</p>
<h3>The Rivalry</h3>
<p><b>The bad news:</b> USC has won the last 11 meetings by a combined score of 357-149. That's what we in the business call <i>major ownage</i>, and it ties the 1959-69 Trojans for longest win streak in the history of the series. Last year's game ended 38-30, but was never really that close. Cal nearly clawed back from a 29 point second quarter deficit, but a failed onside kick put those hopes to bed. USC finished the season 9-4 (6-3) with a Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska, a second place finish in the Pac-12 South and a top 25 ranking. Cal, as you may know, did not do any of those things.</p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9DH0zWzS6k" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><b>The good news:</b> Agholor is gone and... actually that's about it. Let's move on.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>The Coaches</h3>
<p><b>The bad news: </b>Steve Sarkisian enters his second year as head coach of the Trojans, having returned to USC after five years coaching the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.uwdawgpound.com/">Washington Huskies</a>. As a head coach, Sark is 43-33. That middling record would usually go in the good news section, except for the fact that Sark's teams are 6-0 against Cal. LiffeyBear wrote an <a target="_blank" href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2014/11/11/7185021/rest-of-the-pac-12-breakdown-usc-2014-Cal">excellent breakdown</a> of the USC offense last year, and we should expect to see more of the same this year as almost all of last season's coaching staff returns. In broad strokes, expect an uptempo offense that spreads the field to pass, but one that can also carve it up on the ground. In addition to the obvious threat from Cody Kessler, Sarkisian's offense has produced a 1000-yard rusher every season (<span>Chris Polk</span> 2x, <span>Bishop Sankey</span> 2x, <span>Javorius Allen</span>).</p>
<p><b>The good news:</b> Um. Coach Sark has never been named WAC Coach of the Year?</p>
<h3>The Roster</h3>
<p><b>The good news:</b> That's right, we're doing the good news first because we actually have some: Nelson Agholor is gone! He's not the only one, either. The Trojan offense also loses Allen, WR George Farmer, and TE Randall Telfer, all of whom will be getting a shot in the pros. The biggest loss, however, is on defense. Two time All-American DE <span>Leonard Williams</span> was selected sixth overall by the Jets, leaving a big hole to be filled on the Trojans' defensive line.</p>
<p><b>The bad news:</b> It's USC. When one star leaves, another blue chip steps into his place. Reinforcements come in the form of the first full recruiting class since being freed from NCAA sanctions. Sark and his crew took full advantage, signing the top class in the nation according to Rivals and Scout. USC also returns <a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/6/8/8632733/cal-golden-bears-pac-12-football-returning-starters-oregon-ducks-usc-trojans" target="_blank">s</a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/6/8/8632733/cal-golden-bears-pac-12-football-returning-starters-oregon-ducks-usc-trojans">even</a><a href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/6/8/8632733/cal-golden-bears-pac-12-football-returning-starters-oregon-ducks-usc-trojans" target="_blank"> starters each on offense and defense</a>, including <span>JuJu Smith</span>, who is expected to take Agholor's place as the wide receiver of our nightmares. Look out as well for two new running backs: <span>Justin Davis</span> should be the Trojans' new speed guy, complemented by <span>Tre Madden</span> as the power back. And all this brings us to...</p>
<h3>The Quarterback</h3>
<p><b>The bad news:</b> Remember how good <span>Jared Goff</span> was last year? Even if your heart refuses to believe it, the numbers say Cody Kessler was better. He was the second most efficient QB in the Pac-12 between Marcus "Heisman" Mariota, and the 10th most efficient in the country. He completed nearly 70% of his passes last season for 39 TDs and 5 INTs, including four scores against the Bears. Ugh.</p>
<p><b>The good news:</b> One of Kessler's interceptions last year came against the Bears, so we have that. Kessler and Goff are both on the Maxwell Award watchlist and these are both guys who should be playing on Sundays very soon, so this matchup should be highly entertaining.</p>
<h3>The Matchups: USC O vs. Cal D</h3>
<p><b>The bad news: </b>I'm going to assume you read the previous section and don't need any more encouragement to be afraid of Cody Kessler. If you do need more for whatever reason, look no further than his offensive line and Preseason All-American center <span>Max Tuerk</span>. That unit, one of the best in the Pac 12, matches up rather well with a Cal defense that recorded a conference low 16 sacks last season.</p>
<p><b>The good news: </b>The rest of the Trojan offense isn't exactly weak, but it does field some question marks going into the season. The Davis and Madden tandem of running backs is relatively unproven, as is the wide receiver rotation behind JuJu Smith. The tight end position is also uncertain after USC announced that last year's starter <span>Bryce Dixon</span> is no longer enrolled at the university.</p>
<h3>The Matchups: USC D vs. Cal O</h3>
<p><b>The bad news: </b>Myles Jack. Shaq Thompson. Adoree' Jackson. The first two are scary two-way players. The third is a scary three-way player, and just the kind of guy who figures to have a big day against the Bears. Look out for him at CB, WR, and returning kickoffs. He shouldn't be hard to find. Another player to watch on the USC defense (and NCAA All-Apostrophe team) is Su'a Cravens, who led the team in interceptions and TFLs last year.</p>
<p><b>The good news:</b> Leonard Williams is a genuinely huge loss. A big game from Cal's running backs should go a long way towards buying Goff some time in the pocket. Another factor to consider on both offense and defense is that the Trojans' depth is still limited by a few years of lost scholarships. Cal could benefit from playing a banged-up USC team at that point in the season.</p>
<h3>Potpourri</h3>
<p><b>The bad news: </b>Cal won't be wearing those excellent Joe Roth throwbacks this year. They probably won't have time to go trick-or-treating either. Also the USC band will be there.</p>
<p><b>The good news:</b> Maybe the Bears can go trick or treating earlier, since they have a long week to prepare after a Thursday night matchup against UCLA.</p>
<h3>The verdict</h3>
<p>The Bears certainly missed a couple of golden opportunities to break the streak against USC while the Trojans had a sanction-weakened roster. They should be back to near full strength this year as Sark continues to install his strategy and Cody Kessler continues on his tireless search for braaaiiinnss...er...a spot in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football-playoff">College Football Playoff</a>. But the Trojans have some vulnerabilities, and most importantly they don't have Agholor. My prediction? Expect a game with lots of offense, and even more cutaways to TV announcers who are wearing costumes for some reason.</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2015/8/19/8925007/california-golden-bears-usc-trojans-preview-2015-opponentAndrew G Miller