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.