Keys to the Game: Northwestern

("Lawd have mercy.")

Here. We. Go.

It’s another year of college football but it’s not just another year. Saturday officially kicks off the Sonny Dykes era, as well as the debut of the much anticipated #BearRaid offense. Until then, Cal fans wait with eager anticipation and cautious optimism.

Unfortunately, the Bears don’t appear to have the luxury of a cupcake to work out the kinks early on. Instead, they open their season against a 22nd ranked Northwestern team that is coming off a 10-win season and their first bowl game win since Truman was president.

While Vegas predicts a 6 point victory for the Wildcats, the Bears have more than a fair shot of pulling off the upset. Let’s preview the team and break down what needs to be done.

Northwestern’s Offense
Northwestern features one of the few successful two-QB rotations in college football. Kain Colter is the more elusive and speedy of the two QBs, while Trevor Siemian has the stronger arm, often coming in on obvious passing situations.

Here are their passing stats from last season:



Though Siemian had more passing attempts last season, Colter is likely to see slightly more snaps, simply because of how much of a threat he is as a runner. In fact, Colter was NU’s second leading rusher last season with a whopping 170 carries for 894 yards and 12 TDs.

As an added twist, Colter also will split out wide at wide receiver, where he actually caught 16 passes for 169 yards last season.

Runningback
The best player on offense though might be senior runningback Venric Mark. He’s a small back at just 5’8, 175 pounds but he still rushed for 1,366 yards last season with 12 TDs. He’s also one of the most dynamic return men in the game, holding NU’s records for single-game, single-season and career kickoff return yards as well as the single-game punt return yards record.

Senior Mike Trumpy provides a bit more size at 6’1 and 210 pounds, but he’s battled injuries for most of his collegiate career.

The Bears will also need to watch out for Dan Vitale who was a surprise last year in the “superback” role which is a bit of a hybrid fullback/H-back type of position. Vitale caught 28 passes for 288 yards and 2 TDs, but 16 of those receptions came in the final 3 games. Look for Vitale to line up in your standard TE position, and motion to the center of the line after the snap to catch shovel passes.

Wide Receivers
Northwestern’s returning receivers Christian Jones, Tony Jones, and Rashard Lawrence are sure-handed though not particularly frightening matchups. Northwestern’s receivers averaged just a combined 9.9 yards per catch last year, one of the worst numbers in the country. Still, all three have good size at over 6 feet tall, and combined for 98 catches and 1068 yards last season.

Interesting note: former USC receiver Kyle Prater, who was a 5-star recruit and widely considered the best high school receiver in the country back in 2010 is buried in the depth chart after transferring to Northwestern after USC’s sanctions. Prater had just 10 catches for 54 yards last season. Knowing Cal’s luck he’ll quadruple that number against us in the first quarter.

Offensive Line
The offensive line should be a mixed bag as Northwestern comes off one of their best blocking performances as a unit in years. Their only returning starter though is RS junior center Brandon Vitabile who’s got 26 career starts under his belt and a bunch of preseason accolades. Other than that, the Wildcats are introducing 4 new starters on the line, though like the Bears, a number of their young players have played a bit last year.

You've got to like Cal's chances in the trenches here, and it will be up the Bear's new defensive line to shake off what was a massively disappointing season a year ago. The Bears appear to have the edge in talent and experience here, and are going to pivotal in maintaining gap integrity and preventing push off the line.

Northwestern Defense
On to the Wildcats' defense. The most important returning defensive player for the Wildcats is without question, MLB Damien Proby. Northwestern’s returning leading tackler boasts 112 tackles from last season, and reflects his ability as a solid, consistent tackler. He isn’t a huge playmaker but finds a way to consistently get to the ball and make stops.

Defensive Line
Northwestern’s best unit as a whole though is their defensive line. It all starts the DE Tyler Scott. The high motor player plays with solid technique is a flat out playmaker, notching 42 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and 12.5 TFLs last season. The battle between Scott and Cal’s RT Steven Moore will be a critical matchup.

On the other side, expect to see a rotations of DEs Dean Lowry, Deonte Gibson and Ideadi Odenigbo. This d-line has the chance to give slowfooted offensive linemen fits, and has an ability to get into the backfield, but doesn’t quite feature as daunting of a pass rush as one might assume. If Cal’s offensive linemen can keep Northwestern’s line from slicing into the backfield, then they should see success both through the air and punching the ball up the middle on the ground.

Secondary
Northwestern’s biggest liability on defense is their questionable secondary. The Wildcats were dead last in the Big-10 the previous season in yards allowed, though they did notch 13 interceptions. Given the Big-10’s lack of passing prowess, it’s more accurate to look at the team’s passing defense statistics nationally, where NU was ranked 86th in passing yards allowed, but did only give up 6.6 yards per passing attempt which isn’t actually all that bad.

Still, Northwestern fans still blame their secondary for giving up big plays late in the game, and will need to count on their veteran players like junior safety Ibraheim Campbell and sophomore Nic VanHoose.

Outlook
In all, the Bears have a formidable task in defending a mobile and shifty backfield of Colter and Mark. We all know that Northwestern’s rushing attack is prolific, with the Wildcats gaining nearly 3,000 yards on the ground last year. The Bears are obviously going to have to focus on defending their option running game, but their ability to defend Northwestern’s passing game may be the more important aspect of defending their offense.

Knowing that opposing defenses often key on their running game, Northwestern typically utilizes multiple receiver sets in an attempt to try to “flood” opposing defenses. Just to recap, I’ve written before that cover 2 and 3 defenses are attacked when, “vertical routes are run to stretch the coverage, causing indecision among the safeties. Similarly, zones can be “flooded” when multiple routes are run in hopes of pressuring the backers, typically the middle linebackers.”

The Wildcats will likely try and do so on the Bears, so the pressure will be on Cal’s nickelbacks and linebackers to quickly read and react to NU’s slot receivers. If the Bears can take away Northwestern’s passing game, it effectively increases their chances of slowing down the run. The game should be pretty telling as to the progress of Cal's defense from last year.

Honestly though, the main source of my optimism in this game resides in my belief that Northwestern’s defense can be more than had. Northwestern’s questionable secondary will face a stiff challenge in squaring off against the talent and depth the Bears have at the receiver position. When you also throw in the backfield’s pass-catching capabilities, the #BearRaid will challenge and stretch Northwestern’s defense.

If the Bears can keep the game competitive in the first half I have a feeling you could see the Bears begin to pull away in the latter part of the game.

I’ll be shocked (and elated) if the Bears’ nerves don’t cause them some stalled drives and mistakes in the beginning. But here’s what it boils down to: if Cal can avoid shooting themselves in the foot enough early on to keep it competitive, they’ve got a real shot. They face an experienced and disciplined team, but they have the talent and the athleticism to notch the win.

Prediction
Cal: 35
Northwestern: 31 Read the rest of the post and comments here >>

My CFB Week 1 Viewing Schedule

It's officially week one of college football week, and although the Bears don't play until Saturday, I'm still giddy with anticipation.

So pardon my nerdiness as I've mapped out my viewing schedule for this week.

Granted, I probably will miss games as I'm still settling on my pre-Northwestern activities for the day, but you kind of get the point.


(Click to enlarge)

And for what it's worth, the colors are indicative of the which network the game is being played on. O.M.G. I'm so hyped.

Oh, and tune in later in the week for my Northwestern preview.
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2014 Big Game To Be Played at Levi's Stadium

Hey BWF, did you hear? The Big Game next season will be played at the 49ers new Levi's Stadium.



Wow, they sure decided on this quick. Word broke on Friday night that there were talks of scheduling the 2014 Big Game at Levi's Stadium and that it might be decided sometime this week. Well it looks like it's pretty much all decided.

Just to recap, the schedule for the next four years will go as follows:

2013 - at Stanford (Regular schedule)
2014 - at Levi's Stadium
2015 - at Cal
2016 - at Stanford

So in effect, the Big Game is played on 2014, pushing back home field for the Bears one year to 2014. The Big Game will then switch to being played at Memorial Stadium on odd years.

More reactions after the jump.

Look, I get why they're doing this. Money and lots of it. Reports are that we can get an additional $100,000 in ticket revenue by playing the game at Levi's Stadium. Then there's the whole issue of "increased visibility" and media exposure.

I understand that. But you can't shake the feeling that Cal is being hosed big time. This just reeks of the 2012 when Cal somehow found itself hosting the Big Game in freaking October to appease Stanford's schedule. We got hosed then, and we're getting hosed now.

We now go two years without the Big Game being played at Cal. I would have been okay with the deal if the game were played in 2015 after Cal's had a chance to get their home game. But, now we have a two year gap and now switch to playing Stanford in odd years.

Secondly, I don't buy that Levi's Stadium is a neutral site venue. Granted, we're likely to outnumber Stanford's fan base that day anyway, but we're talking about Berkeley residents having to travel 45 minutes versus a Palo Alto resident's 15 minute commute to Santa Clara.

Third, I get that there's a uniqueness to having the Big Game played in the 49ers brand new shiny stadium, but newsflash: WE ALREADY HAVE A BRAND NEW SHINY STADIUM! One that we've spent hundreds of millions of dollars on, and I can't fathom not putting it to use.

But we haven't even discussed the biggest problem with all this. It just goes against tradition. We don't need the game to be played at Levi's Stadium. The Big Game is meant to be played at Memorial Stadium and occasionally in Palo Alto only to appease the monkeys. That's it. Playing it elsewhere? It's wrong. All wrong.

I'm too pumped about the upcoming season to let this get me too down now. And I'm sure there might be a certain level of, "This is kinda neat" feeling when I stroll into Levi's Stadium in 2014. But chances are, I won't be able to shake the sense that the powers that be sold out one of the most sacred past times in all of college football for a few extra bucks. And that's a shame.
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Madden 25 Commercial with Marshawn Lynch

Your favorite Beastmode is back this time in EA's new commercial for Madden 25 with Arian Foster.



Pretty hilarious, though I don't know how I feel about the best line of the commercial. "RUN DAT BEAR OVER!"

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Day After: Extended Thoughts on Goff as Starter

After having had a chance to process Goff's appointment as Cal's starting quarterback and having watched everyone's post practice comments yesterday, here are a couple of more "digested" thoughts.

The more I think about the move, I can see why it'd seem insane not to appoint Goff the starter from Dykes and Franklin's perspective. Here's a kid who has been the most consistent, accurate, and safe with the football from the beginning. And he's done it as a true freshman beating out two upperclassmen. Why wouldn't you name him the starter? And I go back to the point I made yesterday, if you really wanna talk about upside, think about how good this guy can be a year from now with actual live game reps?

Also, I actually do believe Dykes and Franklin when they say that it was a tough, "gut-wrenching" decision. By all practice report accounts, neither Goff or Kline really ran away with it, and when splitting hairs, you have to ultimately go with who best moves the chains and doesn't shoot the offense in the foot. By accounts, that guy was Goff.

In watching Goff's interview with the media, I continue to think the kid has a little Aaron Rodgers in him. He just exudes a quiet confidence that aligns well with Sonny Dykes' personality. Just really impressive when you consider his age, which apparently both Dykes and Franklin haven't.

As for Zach, I've been nothing but impressed with how well he's handled this situation. I know part of this is coming from my own personal desire to see him succeed, but I've been nothing but impressed with how he's composed himself. Just by watching his interview you can easily tell it was killing him not to be named the starter. Despite appearing relaxed, it's clear how much he wanted the nod and how much it burned him to not have gotten the nod.

Despite that, he's been a great teammate, he still competed hard during practice and answered all the media's questions. I remember back in 2008 when Kevin Riley won the starting job over Nate Longshore, and Longshore hit the locker room immediately after the subsequent practice. And I'm not burying Longshore here, his reaction, given the circumstances was completely understandable. But I do think it speaks to Kline's character and fortitude that he was able to stand in front of a bunch of reporters and answer questions about how he feels about falling short. It's the kind of thing that teammates and coaches notice and respect.

And more than that, he's saying all the right things as well.

"You have a bunch of fans and they think they know what's best for you. I know what's best for myself and I want to be at Cal. This is my school. I love this school. And I'm going to fight to win games for this school and win a Rose Bowl and a national championship because that's what I came here to do.

"This is just a little hurdle I need to get over. It's definitely a big challenge because Jared's a very, very good quarterback, Still, it's something I know I can do because I'm a good quarterback and I know that."

It's just exactly the types of things you want to hear from a player in his situation. You want to make sure he's keeping his confidence up and that his motivation to succeed hasn't dropped at all. He also seems to have the maturity to know that this competition is by no means over.

Anyone who remembers Dykes' last two quarterback decisions at Arizona and Louisiana Tech knows that it could just be a matter of time until the backup gets his chance. (See Nick Foles over Matt Scott in Arizona and Colby Cameron over Nick Isham.)

And from what I'm reading about today's practice, it seems like both candidates are still furiously competing. Goff is reportedly still pretty steady while Kline is looking like he's having the best performance yet.

Goff's numbers: 12-19 for 109 yards 2 TDs and 1 INT.
Kline's: 14-17 for 156 yards and 1 TD.

Whoooweeeee....

At this point, I'm actually reeeeeaaallly interested in seeing how this all plays out. I do think there are still a lot more growing pains, but I do believe this so-far entertaining quarterback battle is only going to get better. Who knows? Goff may never skip a beat and end up being the next great college football phenomenon. Or Kline may step in if Goff falters and end up being the savior to the Cal program that many had pegged him to be.

One thing I know for certain, for the first time in a while, I'm pretty confident our quarterback play is going to be the best it's been in years. And for that, I'm stoked.

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Jared Goff Named Cal's Starting Quarterback

(Source Calbears.com)

After downplaying the possibility of naming the starting quarterback by the end of this week, Coach Sonny Dykes has named true freshman Jared Goff the starting quarterback for Cal's opener against Northwestern.

The Marin Catholic true freshman enrolled early at Cal and has battled redshirt freshman Zach Kline and to a lesser extent, redshirt junior Austin Hinder for the starting job.

Quick thoughts after the jump.

In some ways I'm a bit surprised, but in many others, this shouldn't be surprising for anyone at all.

Though I personally have been rooting a bit more for Kline, I haven't been sleeping on Goff in the least. Goff has been steady throughout camp, going all the way back through spring ball as well.

In fact, here's what I said about Goff's performance back in the Spring Game.

"My biggest takeaway though is how impressed I was with Jared Goff. I’m not saying he shined the most of the three quarterbacks (though I thought he was the most consistent in moving the chains), but I did walk away hugely impressed with his game. I’ve been very high on Goff as a recruit for a few years now, but he’s looked far better than any freshman quarterback I’ve seen play for the Bears. Most of his passes in the 5-15 yard range were spot-on. He can make the throws sitting in the pocket or on the move. His deep balls were a bit sketchier, but his shorter passes were perfectly placed balls. But more than his play was overall demeanor and maturity for an early-enrollee freshman. He looked simply unflappable and showed a quiet confidence throughout the entire afternoon. His demeanor, and I repeat, his demeanor was eerily Aaron Rodgers like in the way he composed himself and led the offense. I do think Kline has a higher upside in terms of sheer physical tools, but Goff has done nothing to convince me that he won’t be a very good starter for the Bears."

While both Kline and Hinder have had up and down days, Goff's lowest points haven't reportedly ever been as low. By all accounts, he's been the most consistent in moving the chains, minimizing turnovers, and making the necessary throws. He's been consistently the strongest performer.

It's also important to note how much of Dykes and Franklin's offensive system may have benefited Goff here. Watch his senior film and you'll note that Cal's current offense is perfect for his skillset: a quick release, deadly accuracy in the short and mid-range game, touch on fade passes, and an ability to make quick and smart decisions in the pocket.

Some have been touting Kline's upside because of his physical tools, but what does it say about Goff's upside if he's already outperformed two upperclassmen as a true freshman?

Speaking of which, what does this mean for Kline? We all need to remember that Dykes will have a very short leash for whoever the starting quarterback was going to be, and that there's a very good chance that Kline might still see significant playing time this year. The news is likely very disappointing for Kline, but I'm thinking he has the mental and emotional fortitude to continue to work at it and be ready for his opportunity when it comes.

With that said, this is still a huge gamble for Dykes and company. They're staking their reputation and debut on the shoulders on a true freshman. They know full well the history (or lackthereof) of true frosh to go out there and succeed at a high level their first year. Though Dykes states that he started a true freshman during his second season at LaTech, he usually fails to mention that it wasn't until they switched quarterbacks midseason that they made a run of eventually winning their conference.

But I do think this speaks volumes about Dykes and his coaching staff. These guys have got some cajones. They've been true to their word about the best players playing, even if it means putting the responsibilities of the most critical position on the shoulders of an 18 year old.

Now we just need to wait and see if the gamble pays off. Read the rest of the post and comments here >>

#BearRaid Blocking Schemes and Why They Might Work

In my free time this summer, I've been breaking down some of the new systems and schemes that Cal's new coaching staff has put in place. We've heard a lot about the Tony Franklin System and how it pretty much took what was a good offense under Sonny Dykes at Louisiana Tech to the best offense in the country last season. Spouting simplicity and execution, the offense has the Golden faithful hoping this will erase recent years of offensive offense.

Specifically, I've been doing a bit of research on the blocking schemes under the new offense, and I've narrowed it down to two main schemes: your standard Run Blocking and the more unique Vertical Set Blocking.

Run Blocking
So, let's start with the offensive line's standard run blocking. First off, notice that the offensive linemen are all lined up a yard behind the center. The importance of this comes up later when we discuss vertical set blocking. But you've got two receivers on one side of the offensive line (X and H receivers) and two on the other (Y and Z receivers).

(Click on all images for larger versions.)


As soon as the ball is snapped, the offensive line will all begin driving in the direction that the runningback is heading to after the handoff. Since the RB was initially standing to the left of the QB, the offensive line begins to drive to the right.



Now here's what makes the #BearRaid and this standard runblocking not so standard.

Franklin’s system has the Bears in a run formation for the majority of their snaps, even when they’re passing. That is, most plays flow through a run blocking scheme, even if the intent from the get-go is to pass. So you’ll often see guards pulling and linemen run blocking in a particular direction only to have the ball out in a matter of seconds on a slant or fade route.

Here's an example to better illustrate this.

Below you've got the same formation we discussed earlier. 2 receivers on each side.



The ball is snapped and the offensive line begins to drive to the right just like they did in the previous play. Run, right?



NOPE! The QB fakes the handoff and throws a quick hitch to his X-receiver.



Now I know this seems elementary, but I think it's interesting to note that the offensive line blocks completely the same regardless of whether it's a run or a pass. Often times, this prevents giving away the play and can better keep a defense on its heels. Naturally, the offensive line might switch into more of a zoneblocking scheme if they know full well it's going to be a run from the getgo, but most of the time it appears the line will block the same way whether its a run or pass. Contrast this to many offensive lines who are taught to block a certain way depending on whether it's a run or a pass.

Vertical Set Blocking
Ok, now let's get to an aspect of Tony Franklin's offense that makes it a bit more unique. In obvious passing down situations (where there's no confusion on whether they might run or pass as described in the above examples) the offensive linemen get into what's called a vertical set blocking scheme.

Vertical set blocking can be most simply described as such: once the ball is snapped, the offensive line retreat in a choreographed succession of steps (usually inside foot, outside foot, inside, outside). Or put even more simply, “Don’t chase defenders, let ‘em come to you.” It contrasts the more "traditional" kick slide.

Let's take a look at this in action. In the picture below, we've got another 4 receiver set, this time with three on one side of the line and one on the other.



Notice the offensive linemen after the ball is snapped. They're backpedaling, and though they've already retreated a yard or two behind the line of scrimmage, the defensive rushers have yet to even make contact with them.



You can even run a screen out of this blocking scheme.

Skipping the presnap formation (you get the idea), we see the offensive line begins its normal retreat in vertical set blocking.



But pay attention to the center and guard. They go from retreating to swimming around the defender in a split second to begin blocking for the split screen.



One look at this play and you begin to understand why Tony Franklin says he prefers athletic offensive linemen.

The benefits are numerous in this offense, but the top three can highlighted as follows:

1) The offensive lineman buys himself more time before he engages a defender because he’s retreating at nearly the same speed at which the defender is rushing. And keep in mind, this offense is designed to get the ball out quickly. The offensive linemen just really need to get in the defender's way to buy the quarterback enough time to make the throw.

2) The offensive linemen have an advantage over the rushing defender in terms of leverage as they will be immediately lower in their stance while the defender will naturally be upright as they push off from their set position.

3) The offensive linemen has a better and wider view of the field and can more quickly read a defender’s various attacks (ie. Stunts, slants, twists, etc). Put more simply, place your face inches away from your computer screen. Then move your head back 3 feet and voila! You have far great width of vision.

Now naturally, this blocking scheme isn’t without its most obvious weakness, if you haven’t already figured it out by now. Vertical set blocking leaves some major gaps in between blockers, and if a speedy defender can split two o-linemen, then you’re likely to see a quarterback munching on turf.

Vertical set blocking requires all of the linemen to be incredibly well coordinated and uniform in their retreat and blocking. Have two or even one lineman not be far back enough in enough time, then the whole blocking scheme is essentially rendered useless.

In addition to that, you need offensive linemen who are not only big, but athletic. 350 pound, flat-footed space eaters are going to absolutely abused by defenders and subsequently the coaching staff if they can’t retreat quickly into their anchoring positions.

Do the Bears have that? I want to think so. When you look at individual talent, I want to believe that Cal’s blockers are going to be up to the task. For Freddie Tagaloa’s massive size, the guy’s a former basketball player and anyone who’s seen him play in person knows he moves exceptionally well for his freakish size.

And for all of the concerns with vertical set blocking, might I refer you back to my original point: the #BearRaid won’t be running their majority of their snaps using this blocking scheme. You’re going to see o-linemen running downhill more often anyway. The vertical set blocking will only come into play where a pass will be the more obvious option.

Finally, look at the results. In 2010, Louisiana Tech gave up just 17 sacks (26th in the nation). The number increased to 25 in 2011, before dropping to an impressive 10 sacks during the 2012 season, the 8th best in the country.

For context, the Bears gave up 40 sacks last season.

While I do expect the Bears to take some type to adapt to these new blocking schemes, Dykes and Franklin have shown that this can work. Whether the Bears have the current personnel to achieve 2012 LT prowess is another question. But the possibilities are really intriguing.

Ok, tomorrow I'm going to do a real short breakdown on Cal's new diamond formation. Respond with any questions and comments and as always, Go Bears.

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Freshman Most Likely to Make An Impact

Back in February, the Bears signed 26 players to the 2013 class. Two players (Garrett Hughes and Takk McKinley) failed to qualify and will go the JC route in hopes of rejoining the Bears at a later time. Personally, I’m not holding my breath that happens, but I digress…

That leaves 24 young players joining the program, and while some are almost assured to blueshirt this season, a few are going to be counted on immediately to contribute right away. A handle of these players might not only contribute but become instant difference makers for the program. Let’s take a look at a few.

Trey Cheek - DB
This was a difficult choice. Every Cal fan knows that depth in the secondary is Cal’s biggest question mark going into the season after having lost their top two corners in Marc Anthony and Steve Williams as well as their starting nickelback Josh Hill. And with the challenge of facing against more and more spread offenses, the Bears’ secondary are going to need one of their freshman defensive backs to step up immediately.

I’ve been high on 4-star DB Darius Allensworth, but he’s coming off an ACL injury and may need a bit more time to get back to playing at football speed, let alone #BearRaid football speed.

Cameron Walker was singled out specifically by Sonny Dykes as having a chance to contribute early on.

But I’m led to believe that 3-star DB Trey Cheek might make the biggest impact of the freshmen corners. Why? In recent media appearances, players have been quick to single out Cheek as a defensive player to watch. He provides solid coverage with a head-turning level of work ethic.

Cheek’s difficulty in qualifying for Cal has been pretty well documented, but frankly, this kid has busted his ass off to get into Cal, and that type of persistence is usually a strong indicator of a player who wants to be great. That type of work ethic gets rewarded sooner than later. Look for cheek to get some playing time this year.



Khalfani Muhammad
If there’s another position that has questionable depth, it’s runningback. So any freshman runningback would have a chance to contribute. But when that freshman runningback is the fastest player in the state, then you’ve got a chance to have something special.

Muhammad comes to Cal boasting a state record 100 meter dash of 10.22 seconds. That’s flat out absurd. That’s Jahvid Best fast. That’s actually faster than Jahvid Best fast.

Before people get too excited, Muhammad doesn’t appear to display the same level of speed on the football field as he does on the track. However, there does appear to be a perfect storm brewing with need and talent. Khalfani has enough speed to be an instant contributor out of the backfield, and at the very least on special teams.

And with Brendan Bigelow and Daniel Lasco both coming off injuries, it’s almost assured that Muhammed will get touches this year. How many he gets will depend of course on the corp’s health as well as what Muhammed shows in practice.



Jack Austin - WR
The 3-star Chino Hills receiver was a late recruiting win when he decommitted from Boise State to sign on to the #BearRaid attack.

With Cal’s offense expecting to play up to 12 receivers this year, I’m thinking Austin has a chance to crack the rotation despite the wide receiving corps being arguably the strongest position group on the team.

Austin’s got the size at 6’3, 215 pounds, and exhibits great route running and hands. He flat out goes out and gets the ball. In this offense, those skills translate to more production that a player who simply dances around the field.

There is a bit of a chance that I end up looking foolish here if the coaching staff decides to blueshirt Austin given the sheer depth at the position. In which case I’ll desperately pretend that I said WR Drake Whitehurst was the one to watch all along.



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Bear Bits: Preseason Polls, Position Changes, New Looks

Man, college football season can't get here soon enough.

We're just a few days away from Fall Camp starting (players report on Sunday and the first practice starts up on Monday). With things revving up, here are a couple of bits of info to read ourselves.

Gibson Makes the Move to Safety
With Cal's change to the 4-3 this season, I had been wondering what types of position changes they would need to make in order to handle the wealth of riches at the linebacker position. Only allowing for three linebackers on the field at once seemed counterintuitive given the talent with names like Scarlett, McCain, Forbes, Fortt, Jefferson, Broussard, Barton, Nickerson, Gibson, etc all in the mix and deserving of playing time.

At closer glance however, the move seems to make a bit more sense in that it actually allows for more of those players on the field at once. McCain and Scarlett have the frame to man the DE positions, leaving Jefferson, Forbes and Fortt as the three "true" linebackers. So it effectively looks more like a 2-5-4 from a personnel standpoint though Scarlett and McCain seem to have the builds (now) to handle the end positions.

So this thinking led me to Jason Gibson. The redshirt sophomore has become a bit of a forgotten man after having missed out on his entire RS frosh season due to a broken foot injury during preseason camp. It's easy to forget that Gibson was an US Army All-American and a consensus Top 10 OLB prospect by nearly every recruiting service out there as a high school senior.

He had been making a push at one of the inside linebacker positions last year before the aforementioned injury. Well it looks like he'll be switching positions again as Rivals is reporting that Gibson has now made the move to safety.

At 6'2 and 220 pounds, he won't have an issue with size, and one of his strengths coming out of HS was his speed and athleticism. I haven't seen him play enough for me to know how good his coverage skills are, but I know the dude can hit and tackle.

I don't see this necessarily as an indictment of either Michael Lowe or Alex Logan as I think Gibson would be better suited playing closer in the box like Avery Sebastian. I also think this move simply makes more sense in terms of 1) shoring up depth at the safety position and 2) trying to get more talent on the field. Given his lack of experience at the position however, it remains to be seen how much Gibson will see the field this year. It should be an interesting story to follow as it progresses however.

Preseason Rankings Are Out!
And Cal is nowhere to be found. Very little surprise here. I believe the over/under on Cal's wins this season is stuck right around 4. So most coaches or pundits seem to think very little of us. You can view the Coach's Poll here.

What also isn't surprising is how many of Cal's upcoming opponents are on featured in the poll however. Check out the following:

Northwestern #22 (home)
Ohio State #2 (home)
Oregon #3 (away)
Furd #4 (away)
UCLA #21 (away)
USC #24 (home)
Oregon State #25 (home)

I don't care how many of those teams are overrated, that's still arguably one of the toughest schedules in the country. It's hard to make the case for many tougher schedules out there.

With that said, there's major opportunity there. Upset anywhere from 2 or 3 of those teams and you're going to start getting some attention from pundits and recruits. Oh, and the added bonus of a bowl season being all but assured.

Hard Knocks: Cal?
It looks like the PAC-12 Network is trying to emulate a Hard Knocks style show. The show will cover Cal and ASU this season.

As a fan, I'm ecstatic. Let's face it, the Bears can use any help they can get in terms of generating interest among the casual fans and recruits. Of course, it's not hard to imagine that the show pegs the Bears as a Miami Dolphins type of team should the Bears struggle throughout the season, but the eternal optimist in me hopes that isn't the case.

New Cal Video Out
And finally, I leave you with Cal's new promo video. It looks like they've updated it within the last 24 hours and have fortunately gotten rid of the awful "vintage-y black splot" filter effect on the last version. Don't know what all that was about.

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