Tracy Slocum: Pimp

In my Fresno State Keys to the Game post yesterday, I had noted that former Cal runningback Tracy Slocum had contributed for the Fresno State Bulldogs in a reserve role, and commented, “Good for him.”

Well, in addition to running the ball, Slocum was arrested yesterday for running something else.

A prostitution ring.

From this article,

On 8/26/11, about 12:00 p.m., the United States Marshal Service, with the assistance of the Fresno Police Department, arrested Tracy Slocum, 23, of Fresno, following a month-long, multi-jurisdictional investigation into allegations of domestic violence, prostitution, and sexual assaults.

Investigators suspect Slocum has operated as a pimp in different cities throughout California over the last several months and possibly longer.”


Jeebus Christ Tracy, a pimp? A freaking pimp?

I know, innocent until proven guilty, but these are some serious, serious charges buddy.

It looks like Tedford really knows when to fold them, when he dismissed Slocum two years ago for violating team rules. Tedford never specified what those were, and I’m preeeeeettty sure pimping wasn’t one of them, but I’m sure Tedford saw something shady.

Eesh.

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Keys to the Game: Fresno State

I can't hide my excitement. College football season is here.

I'm a lot like this kid right now.


It's my first "Keys to the Game" feature for the year, and we start off with a non-conference opponent that I'm not used to previewing. Writing the annual, "Stop the Zone Read against Oregon" feature can get old you know.

No, we start off against the Fresno State Bulldogs, a team that gets a hard-on every time it faces an AQ conference team, in an effort to prove that it belongs with the big boys. You can bet Pat Hill will have his mustache waxed and his boys ready to play.

The question will be how the Bears respond to the Bulldogs' best punch. The team will be fired up, but simply being pumped up can mean very little if the team isn't focused and disciplined (see Stanford last year).

Before we jump into the Keys of the Game, here's a quick lowdown of the Bulldogs.

Fresno State: What you need to know
The FSU Bulldogs finished 8-5 last season after their Humanitarian Bowl loss to Northern Illinois. However, none of their wins came over an FBS team with a winning record. To put it simply, Fresno State beat up most of the fairly terrible WAC teams, and blew their chances against the decent ones (Hawaii, Nevada, and Boise State).

FSU averaged 29 points per game offensively (48th nation) gaining 370.6 yards per game (70th nation). Fresno State runs a fairly balanced offensive attack, as they gained 150.62 yards per game rushing (65th nation) and 220 yards passing (61st nation). All in all, they're ok offensively. Not great, but certainly not terrible.

Things were a bit worse defensively for the Bulldogs, as they allowed 30 points per game (83rd nation) and gave up 40+ points four times during the season in losses to Hawaii, Boise State, Ole Miss, and Northern illinois. The Dogs also allowed 367.2 yards per game (59th nation). 158.46 yards per game came on the ground (66th nation), while they fared a bit better against the pass, giving up 208.8 yards per game (46th nation).

One of the more notable stars and reasons for excitement for Fresno State is quarterback Derek Carr, younger brother of former Fresno State star QB and Tedford protege David Carr. The Bears are going to have to be especially careful of the young gunslinger, as expectations are high in Hicksville for the younger Carr to help lead the Bulldogs to new heights.

Now onto the Keys to the Game.



Pound Mighty Mouse
Runningback Robbie Rouse is the Bulldogs' symbol for production. The diminutive tailback (5'7, 190 lbs) brushed off size concerns last year (Isi Sofele take note) to rush for 1,129 yards last year and 8 touchdowns. He's been affectionately called "Mighty Mouse" by his fanbase and FSU's band plays the theme song after he rips off big plays. And he's had plenty in some big time performances, rushing for 286 yards against La Tech, and 217 yards against Nevada.

Rouse embodies Fresno State's downhill rushing attack that is the bread and butter of their offense. The teams who have been most successful against the Bulldogs are the ones who have been able to bottle up the run. No brainer right?

Check out these numbers in FSU's losses last year:
Rouse: 70 yards (1.8 ypc) in a 51-0 loss to Boise State
Rouse: 22 yards (3.1 ypc) in a 38-55 loss to Ole Miss
Rouse: 43 yards (4.8 ypc) in a 49-27 loss to Hawaii
Rouse: 21 yards (2.3 ypc) in a 40-17 bowl loss to Northern Illinois.

If the Bears can contain Rouse or any of FSU's backs from gashing them for 3-4 yard chunks, they stand a decent chance of getting the Bulldogs off the field, as FSU struggled on third downs last year, converting just 35.39 percent them which was good for 93rd in the nation. Granted, Carr is set to be a better quarterback than last year's Ryan Colburn, but 3rd and 8 is never fun for any quarterback.

Bottom line, if the Bears can get the Bulldogs into obvious passing downs, they give themselves quite a shot.

On a side note, backup runningback Tracy Slocum (remember him?) had 37 carries for 163 yards and 2 scores last season. Good for him.

Jump Out to the Early Lead
There appears to be every indication that the opener will be a smashmouthed, hard-nosed defensive battle. Yet, going along with my previous point, the more the Bears can do to make the Bulldogs a one-dimensional team the better.

One of the best ways? Jump out to an early lead. The Bears are going to want to take the run away from the Bulldogs and make it illogical to continue to run the ball with much frequency as the game progresses.

Fresno State's biggest weakness last year was their turnovers, with a pretty atrocious -0.85 turnover margin on the season. They gained just 13 turnovers last year, while giving away the ball 24 times, mostly on fumbles. If the Bears can score an early turnover, and more importantly, capitalize with a score, the Bulldogs will have to throw their starting QB into the fire a bit more quickly than they would like, and here's hoping that by then, it'll be too little, too late.

Oh, and it doesn't have to be a turnover. A big kickoff or punt return will do just as well. Let's see, who's the Bulldog's new special teams coordinator. Let's see...oh, former Cal special team's coach, Pete Alamar?

"Reeeeeeeeaaaallly?"

If the Bears can rack up a 14+ lead early on, I think they have the depth defensively to hold on. Of course, a lot of this is predicated on the ability for the offense to score points, but that leads me to my final key.

Discipline in the Trenches
If the Bears are going to score at all Saturday, it will depend greatly on the offensive line, specifically their ability to protect Zach Maynard and get his playmakers into space.

The Bulldogs were a good pass rushing their time last year. A really good pass rushing team in fact. They notched 35 sacks last year (12th nation), and 84 tackles for loss (34th nation).

Fresno State's defensive line returns just one starter from last year, but he's a good one. Junior Logan Harrell had 14 tackles for a loss last year, including 10.5 sacks to go with 46 tackles.

Much of what the Bears will hope to do offensively will depend on their ability to hold off Fresno State's pass rush. Everyone from new center starter Dominic Galas to halfback Isi Sofele will need to give Maynard the time he needs to go through his reads, and not force throws. Hurrying a new starting quarterback is the formula for turnovers, which Maynard has shown a propensity to do when flustered.

Outlook
I actually haven't been as confident about the game as most other Cal fans. I think it's going to be a tough game, I really do. I think FSU will get up for this one, may end up having more a home field advantage than the Bears (sadly) and there are far too many questions for the Bears for me to think that the Bulldogs will be anything close to a pushover opener.

Also, don't underestimate the importance of this game to the season. Despite being a non-conference matchup, it sets the tone and gives a fairly good sense of what kind of team the Bears will be this season. Win with confidence, and it's not hard to see a 4-0 start to the season. Lose, and you quickly can see it turn to 1-3, or 2-2. Yes, it could change that quickly.

A friend asked me this morning as to whether we'd beat Fresno State, and I replied that a loss were certainly possible, but FSU was a team we should beat if we came out firing. We outmatch the Bulldogs in terms of talent, but if we can match their intensity, focus and drive, then the Bears should prevail in a tough match. Think Michigan State 2008, but with fewer points.

Prediction
Cal: 27
Fresno State: 20

Oh, and one last thing: Go Bears!


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Fall Depth Chart Analysis (Defense)

Continuing on, we take a look at the defense, now that the depth chart has been officially released.

Defensive Ends
Starters: Trevor Guyton (SR) and Ernest Owusu (RS SR)
Backups: Deandre Coleman (RS SO) and Gabe King (RS FR) and/or Mustafa Jalil (FR)
Redshirt: Todd Barr, Puka Lopa

The unit with the most depth on the team in terms of talent will see a whole lot of rotation this year, so it's hard to look too deeply into the two deep, as we can expect about 6 players to get a lot of reps this season at the defensive end spot.

Guyton and Owusu are solid season veterans, and though neither have displayed the ability of Cameron Jordan or Tyson Alualu just yet, one might hope that both show enough this season to give NFL scouts a nice look.

Talented underclassmen Coleman and King are the first off the bench, and there may be no dropoff. In fact, based on potential alone, opposing offensive lines might have more on their plate when facing off the mammoths that are Coleman and King.

I highly expected Mustafa "Moose" Jalil to redshirt this season, but he showed up to camp in excellent shape and has been very strong in practice. The fact that the point was made to show him as a backup right up there with King is indicative of something.

I am very high on true freshman Brennan Scarlett, and think he will sneak up on people this year. He has the size and athleticism to play the predator, hybrid DE/OLB position that the coaching staff has sought after with previous recruits Devon Kennard and Chris Martin. When you have a player who can put his hand down as an end and then drop back as a backer the next down, then you give opposing offenses huge issues. I think Scarlett will excel in this role.


Nose Tackle
Starter: Kendrick Payne (RS JR)
Backup: Aaron Tipoti (RS JR)

Where's touted freshman Villami "Tiny" Moala you ask? It's hard to miss him. He's the 350 pound nose tackle eating space. He's not officially on the two deep, but the guy will see plenty of playing time this year. Especially when you consider the injuries sustained by nose tackles over the course of the season (ie. Derrick Hill, Kendrick Payne, Aaron Tipoti last year), then you can bank on Moala logging in significant minutes this year.

Outside Linebackers
Strongside Starter: Dave Wilkerson (RS FR)
Weakside Starter: Dan Camporeale (RS SO)
Strongside Backup: Chris McCain (FR)
Weakside Backup: Ryan Davis (RS SR)
Redshirts: Jason Gibson

This is the unit with the most surprises based on what some had expected. The coaches know better though. Wilkerson had been locked in at the strongside OLB position for quite some time, the question was who would start opposite of him. Most had pegged either McCain or Whiteside in that role, even after Camporeale took first team reps to start the spring. The much less recruited Camporeale was the most veteran backer of the bunch, and has played well enough through camp to win the starting job.

It makes sense then that Chris "Gadget" McCain switches over to the other side to back up Wilkerson, and the coaches are too high on his playmaking ability to keep him off the field for long. Senior Ryan Davis will back up Camporeale, and by all accounts, he has begun to really put it together.

Cecil Whiteside is conspicuously absent, as he was reportedly a beast in spring ball, but has been a bit more quiet in fall camp. He will backup Camporeale along with Davis.

Middle Linebackers
Starters: Mychal Kendricks (SR) and DJ Holt (RS SR)
Backups: Robert Mullins (RS JR) and J.P. Hurrell (RS JR)
Redshirt: Jalen Jefferson, Nathan Broussard

There was no chance in hell that either Kendricks and Holt were going to be displaced by anyone other than Jesus and Chuck Norris, so the question was of filling out the two deep. Mullins and Hurrell have both seen important reps throughout their careers and though they have yet to light the world on fire with their play, their experience will be important early on in the season as some of the underclassmen learn the ropes.

Cornerbacks
Starters: Steve Williams (RS SO) and Marc Anthony (RS JR)
Backups: Josh Hill (RS JR) and Stefan McClure (FR)
Redshirt: Joel Willis

I've already spoken about Josh Hill's presence in the secondary, and how me may be used. Hill has dismissed any secrecy behind his role, but with Clancy Pendergast's NFL background, I wonder.

The fact that McClure is playing as a true freshman speaks to his talent and the lack of depth at the position. I expect good things from him, although it looks like he'll follow in the Williams/Thompson tradition of wearing a cast through the early part in the season.

Safeties
Starters: Sean Cattouse (RS SR) and DJ Campbell (RS SR)
Backups: Michael Coley (RS FR) and CJ Moncrease (RS SR)
Greyshirt: Jordan Morgan

There's little debate among the veteran safety duo of Cattouse and Campbell. There was a strong battle in camp among the backups, with youngsters Alex Logan, and Avery Walls being held off the two deep. I expect both to play though, and Walls in particular, might make some noise on special teams at the very least.

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Fall Depth Chart Analysis (Offense)

Some time ago, I reviewed the projected starters for the season after week one. Fortunately, there hasn't been too much movement, and most fans should take it as an encouraging sign that the coaching staff seemed confident enough to determine their starters early on.

The bigger question throughout camp was filling out the rest of the depth chart and filling out the two and three deep. Despite a few surprises here and there, most things have seemed to have fallen in line with initial expectations.

[note: The official depth chart will be released later today, so some of this may change.]

Quarterback
Starter: Zach Maynard (JR JC)
Backup: Allan Bridgford (RS SO)
QB3: Brock Mansion (RS SR)
QB4: Austin Hinder (RS FR)
Redshirt(s): Kyle Boehm

No surprise with the starter. It's only a matter of time before Cal fans see what they have with Zach Maynard as the starting quarterback. There are still tons of questions, but every report out there seems to indicate that Maynard seemingly improves in some aspect of the game with every single practice, which is hugely encouraging. Again, we'll see if he's ready next Saturday.

Allan Bridgford secured the backup spot fairly early in camp due to his consistent play. He's shined in most performances, and his improved throwing motion and increased arm strength are paying major dividends. I'm still very much high on Bridgford, and looking forward to the game time he'll undoubtedly see this year.

Regardless of one's opinion on Brock Mansion's play, no one should discount the importance of a senior backup with starting experience. Mansion will also continue to be the primary holder on field goal and extra point duties.

Austin Hinder is still likely a year away from challenging for playing time, but no one is sleeping on his potential. I continue to hear great things about him in camp.

And as expected, Kyle Boehm will redshirt this year.


Runningback
Starter: Isi Sofele (JR)
Backup: Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson (RS JR)
RB3: CJ Anderson (JR JC)
RB4 &5: Dasarte Yarnway (RS SO), Mike Manuel (JR JC)
Slotback? Darren Ervin (FR)
Redshirt(s): Brendan Bigelow, Daniel Lasco

Isi Sofele is ready to prove the entire world wrong, and I'm glad the coaching staff has lessened his workload to keep him healthy for the season.

Moreso than any other season prior, look for runningback by committee this year. While Coach Gould runs a two-back type of rotation, I wouldn't be surprised to see RBs 3 and 4 sneak in a few more carries than usual.

Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson is being pushed hard by CJ Anderson for the backup spot, and this battle may go well into the season. Hell, depending on their performances, it's not out of the question to see either push Isi Sofele for the top spot down the line. I will say that the more I watch old game tape of CDJ, I walk away more and more impressed by his burst. The guy hits the whole hard and very quickly runs forward for a good chunk of yardage. He's not going to rip off a ton of long runs, but he's got the goods to move the chains, and usually requires more than one defender to take him down.

I'm sure many are disappointed that Bigelow will likely redshirt alongside Daniel Lasco, but I always considered it an uphill battle for Bigelow to have seen playing time this year. It's just a whole lot for a freshman to come in and play right away when they're coming off two major ACL injuries and haven't played a full season of football since their sophomore year of high school. There were likely too many factors of physical durability, mental recovery, digesting the offense, etc...

But seriously, when Bigelow AND Lasco (who I strangely think has an Adrian Peterson type of frame and running style) are ready to rumble next year...whooooo, look out.

Fullback
Starter: Will Kapp
Backup: John Tyndall, David Aknin, Nico Dumont

Again, the season-ending injury to Eric Stevens hurts here. I like Will Kapp a lot. Love his passion and drive, and he's reportedly a strong leader to the FB crew. I am still concerned that he just doesn't have the size to blow people over and will have to settle for more risky chop blocks.

Depending on how much the Bears utilize the spread this year, the damage may be minimized.

Tight End
Starter: Anthony Miller (RS SR)
Backup: Spencer Hagan (RS SO)
TE3 & 4: Jacob Wark (RS FR) and Richard Rodgers (FR)
Redshirt(s): None

Anthony Miller is solid and I'm confident he'll return to sophomore year form if the tight end is included more in the passing game this year.

One of the more interesting stories in the offseason, is converted wide receiver Spencer Hagan's rise to success at the tight end position. He's gone from a backup wide receiver who saw little playing time, to being the backup tight end. He's still likely need to add some weight, despite his already ridiculous weight gains, but just might be the pass-catching threat at the position. The second tight end is usually more of a blocker, so I wonder if Hagan will be more of an H-back.

Jacob Wark will continue to show off his blocking skills after impressing early on last year, and the surprise is the plan for true freshman Richard Rodgers not to redshirt. He's put on major weight since high school, and has also impressed in camp, though I'm not entirely sure he would have played this year had it not been for the absence of Spencer Ladner.

Speaking of Ladner, the junior is still recovering from injury, and would have likely have filled in at the backup tight end spot. Still not sure where he'll figure in and how soon he'll be back.

Wide Receivers
Starters: Marvin Jones (SR) and Keenan Allen (SO)
WR 3 & 4: Michael Calvin (RS SR) and Coleman Edmond (SR)
WR 5 & 6: Kaelin Clay (RS FR) & Bryce McGovern (FR)
Redshirt: Maurice Harris?

Marvin Jones and Keenan Allen. One of the best returning receiving duos in the conference, if not the best. Boom. Non-story.

Michael Calvin and Coleman Edmond are their backups, and both seem to be ready to live up to their billings. Calvin has battled injury and consistency his entire career, but came on a bit towards the end of last season. Edmond finally seems to have grasped the offense, and I'm hoping for a Verran Tucker type of emergence from him. Also, look for him to be used as an option of fly sweeps until Kaelin Clay returns.

On that note, the speedster is back in camp after his knee surgery, and after some doubt, plans on participating in the season opener will likely be limited. Of course, we'll see how he involved he'll be after sitting out for most of camp, but it will still benefit the Bears to have a burner available.

Again, you got to feel good about walkon wide receiver Bryce McGovern quietly impressing in camp. The fact that he's going to play as a true freshman speaks volumes about his passion and work ethic. He'll see limited playing time and should hopefully contribute on special teams.

Freshman Maurice Harris was likely ready to play as a freshman, but he'll be out another 1-2 more weeks. It sounds like the coaches plan on having him play, but depending on how slowly he comes back, a redshirt is certainly possible.

Offensive Tackles
Starters: Mitchell Schwartz (SR) and Matt Summers-Gavin (RS SR)
Backups: Tyler Rigsbee (RS JR) and Bill Tyndall (RS SO)

Again, little surprise with the starters. Schwartz should compete for all-conference honors and I'm hopeful MSG fully develops into a tackle.

The depth is still a huge concern in my opinion, and am hoping 1) that players stay healthy but 2) more realistically, that Coach Michalczik has everyone ready to play. MSG has never played a full season so you can bet either will have to step up.

Rigsbee just returned from injury in camp and Tyndall has been holding his own. See a hail mary and hope for the best here.

Offensive Guards
Starters: Brian Schwenke (JR) and Justin Cheadle (RS SR)
Backups: Chris Adcock (RS FR) and Justin Gates (RS SR)
Redshirt: Jordan Rigsbee

While Schwenke and Cheadle were expected as starters, I'm a bit surprised with the projected backups. I knew the staff were very high on Adcock, but I figured they'd still have him battle for the backup center spot. More surprising to me has been the naming of Gates to the second team, with talented youngster Alejandro Crosthwaite and Geoffrey Gibson waiting in the wings. I knew that Gibson had gotten into very good shape for his giant frame, but still had to play faster and let the game come to him a bit more.

Something tells me this could still very well change as the season progresses.

Center
Starter: Dominic Galas (RS SR)
Backup: Mark Brazinski (RS SO)

I'm still very much excited about how Galas will do his year. I love his tenacity, aggression and pitbull mentality. I've said before that I'm hoping for an Alex Mack in Marvin Phillips type of hybrid center, which I'm sure no one would complain with.

He's still a bit small for a center at just 6'1, 290, but still has 20 pounds on last year's starting center Chris Guarnero, and won the freshman lifter of the year award.
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Stadium Renovation Update

Had a chance to swing by the stadium earlier in the week to check out the renovation. If you still haven't had a chance to check it out, you definitely need to do so. It's quite a sight to behold.

Here are a couple of shots. You can click on each for the larger version. Enjoy.

Main shot of the stadium's renovation and construction.


Better view of the North side of the stadium.

Another shot of the construction with a bit of the student section shown.

A closeup of the action.

More of the east side of the stadium.

A cool shot of the cranes doing their thang.

A rendering of what the west side will look like complete with the SAHPC.

Another rendering of an aerial view of the stadium when all is said and done.

A little blurb about the construction if you can make it out.

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Fun Q&A with Coach Tedford

Some pretty fun stuff on ESPN's Page 2 today with the Pac-12 coaches. Coach Tedford sat down with a nice, light-hearted Q&A with ESPN's Thomas Neumann. A few choice bits.

If you could take a mulligan on any coaching decision you've ever made, what would it be?

The shovel pass we called against SC in 2004. The tackle didn't [block] deep enough. The [defender] got up underneath the pitch, and Aaron [Rodgers] had to pull it down and we had to take a sack. (Cal subsequently threw two incompletions with just over a minute left from the USC 14-yard line before turning the ball over on downs in a 23-17 loss.)

Cap or visor?

Cap. Because I don't wanna burn my bald head.

You can read the rest here.

You can also see what all the Pac-12 coaches had to say here.
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Cal Football Preview 2011

As usual, PRD74 does an excellent job of getting Cal media up and available for Bears fans with quality and speed. Always the gentleman.

Check out Part 2 and Part 3 as well.

You can also check out replays of the show here at these times on CSN CA:
Aug. 24, 3 p.m.
Aug. 25, 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 26, 8 p.m.
Aug. 27, 6 p.m.
Aug. 28, 2:30 p.m.
Aug. 31, 3 p.m.
Sept. 1, 4:30 p.m.
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Bears in the NFL: Preseason Week 2

Week 2 is done in the preseason, and I didn't bother reporting on week 1, because despite my hunger for football, it's still the preseason.

Still, plenty of Bears were in action this past weekend, with some reporting some solid performances as they fight for roster spots, while some more established veteran had ho-hum to ok days.

Aaron Rodgers could almost be seen yawning while going 9 for 12, for 97 yards and a touchdown. The guys is just too good. Oh and he had a 9 yard rush just for giggles.

Desmond Bishop had 2 tackles for the Packers, as he rests up in preparation for another season as one of Green Bay’s starting linebackers.


Jeremy Ross had 2 catches for 6 yards. He also was the Patriots’ primary punt returner for the day, catching 4 punts for 37 yards, including a 19 yard long.

Desean Jackson continues to have a quiet preseason, with 2 catches for 8 yards.

Lorenzo Alexander also had a 6 yard sack for the Redskins.

Jahvid Best was limited with the Lions, rushing just twice for –1 yards and a fumble. Best added a reception for 9 yards, but also fumbled then as well. Definitely not the performance anyone was looking for.

Former Cal safety Brett Johnson added a tackle for the Cleveland Browns.

Verran Tucker had a nice performance for the Chiefs, leading the team with 68 yards on 3 receptions. I continue to expect better things from Tucker going into his second year.

Cal great Tony Gonzalez had just one catch for five yards, but c’mon, it’s Tony Gonzales. He could stand on the sideline and fart in the wind and one would know he’d still be productive during the season.

Safety Thomas DeCoud had 2 tackles in the same game.

DT Tyson Alualu didn’t record any tackles, but caused absolute panic in the backfield going up against Atlanta’s first team offensive line.

Former Cal DB Bryan Nnabuife had a great game, posting 5 tackles, the most for the Cardinals.

Tight end Craig Stevens had a two yard reception against the Rams.

Syd’Quan Thompson makes the case for more playing time by turning in a 6 tackle performance with the Broncos.

Former Cal backs Marshawn Lynch had a quiet day on the ground with 3 rushes for 2 yards and 7 rushes for 8 yards respectively. Lynch also had 2 rushes for 12 yards, while Forsett had two for 9 yards.

Brandon Mebane, fresh off signing again with the Seahawks, had just 1 tackle with the first team.

Chris Conte also had a solid day with 2 tackles for the Bears.

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Reasons To Be Optimistic

The Jersey Shore guys like to pump fists and sunshine.

Part 2 in a two-part series listing the reasons to be either pessimistic or optimistic about this season. You can read my pessimism here.

This is the much more enjoyable of the two posts, as I allow myself to get carried away with excitement. I didn’t really buy into all the garbage I wrote yesterday.

5. More Spread Please
This one is a bit more incorporeal, and harder to describe, but please, let me try.

I had previously dismissed the hoopla about Cal running more zone-read option plays. It simply wasn’t who we were. Yes, we ran the occasional option when Aaron Rodgers or Kevin Riley were at the helm, but the plays were far too risky and outside the real identity of Tedford’s offenses to be consistent threats. And our most mobile QB to that point, Aaron Rodgers, was too good of a threat through the air to jeopardize by running too many option plays.

Trying to adopt the spread seemed too much like a middle-aged salesman buying skinny jeans just because it was what all the cool kids were doing. Our pro-style offense was that middle-aged salesman, and by golly, we were going to run it effectively or die trying.

But all it took was just one play in practice. This one play during spring ball suddenly got me excited about Cal’s resolution to incorporate new spread elements with the more mobile starting QB, Zach Maynard.


Maynard motions the slot receiver to the halfback position out of the shotgun. Maynard then proceeds to handoff the ball to the receiver who promptly gets nailed by the rushing defensive end, but oh wait! The receiver doesn’t have the ball at all! It’s Maynard with the pigskin, and he nimbly rushes forward for a nice eight yard gain.



Yes, it was just one run. But it was, wait for it--effective. It looked natural. It was something the Bears had always threatened with in shotgun formations, but rarely followed through on. How many times had we seen Nate Longshore fake the handoff out of the shotgun before dropping back to pass, all the while thinking amongst ourselves, “Why even bother faking it? We know Nate ain’t gonna run.”

But suddenly, I allowed myself to get carried away with the possibilities. How much more effective could Isi Sofele be if he were given lanes by misdirection plays knowing full well Maynard were a solid option to run? How much could this simplify blocking assignments for the linemen if the playbook were reduced to but a few simple but diverse options?

I could imagine it now, Maynard motions Allen into the backfield to form a wishbone formation. Maynard fakes the handoff to Sofele, but keeps it and takes off to his right. Just before he gets tackled he options it off to his younger brother for a 14 yard gain and a first down.

Yes, it’s preeeettty idealistic, as the Bears showed first hand how to shutdown the zone read last year against Oregon. But the incorporation of more spread elements, in addition to strong execution of Tedford’s pro-style offense could lead to the diversity and identity necessary to produce some of the best offensive output the Bears have seen in years.

4. Coaching staff returns
Let me get this out of the way: Yes, there’s a slight fear that the return of wide receiver coach Eric Kiesau and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik won’t lead to the same level of offensive success the Bears had during their first go-around. But that fear is easily battled by assurance in this: these guys can flat out coach.

Seriously, they’re some of the best in what they do, and nearly everything they’ve touched (that sounds bad) turns to gold.

Consider what Kiesau was able to do with some less regarded wide receiver recruits in Burl Toler, Jonathan Makonnen, and Geoff MacArthur. They contributed to a school record 278 receptions in 2003, in addition to several years of receiving success.

Coach M was responsible for some of the best offensive line play in the conference of the decade, and turned the moribund Raiders offensive line to one of the more respectable rushing teams in the country.

Let me restate that for added effect: Michalczik turned the Raiders, the bloody Raiders, into one of the more respectable rushing the teams.

Let that just sink in, and simmer. Delicious.

I’m just flat out excited about what they’ll do with their players this season. Coach Kiesau has a bit of an easier task with wide receiver being one of the stronger personnel groups on offense this season, but Coach Michalczik also has a veteran line to make some noise with. More so than seeing the established players thrive, I’m even more interested to see what happens with some of the players who have been on the verge of breaking through. Players like Colemon Edmond, Michael Calvin, Dominic Galas, and Matt Summers-Gavin come to mind.


3. Strengthened and Conditioned
Of all the coaching staff changes, I’m actually most excited about the arrival of strength and conditioning Coach Blasquez. From everything that I’ve read and seen, the team looks to be in the best shape it’s been in, in like ever.

Finishing last season, one was bound to look at the roster and make a number of wishful thoughts, “Oh, if so-and-so would just gain 80 pounds, they could make some noise here” or “if so-and-so would just drop 30 pounds, I bet they could really move.”

Sure enough, after Coach Blasquez’s arrival, it’s like a magic, buff, genie granted everyone’s wishes. Nearly everyone on the team is approaching their ideal size and weight, and it’s showing in practice. Take for example, Speedy Steve Williams, who already had the best speed of any defensive back, but lacked the strength to stop players in their tracks on tackles. You see him now, and he’s seven pounds heavier, but ripped. The same can be said of burner wide receiver Kaelin Clay who put on 13 pounds.

Similar impressive gains are seen in the offensive line, who seems to have ditched the “lighter is better” mentality that seemed to reside the past few seasons. The offensive line as a whole is noticeably bigger.

Conversely, Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson has dropped close to 20 pounds and looks shredded. Seriously, the guy looks ready to do some damage.

And more than just the physical gains, Coach Blasquez has been instrumental in helping to reconstruct the team’s mentality in every aspect of its preparation. Whether its been the approach to how the team works out in the weight room, to how they practice in voluntary workouts, Blasquez has helped to instill stronger mindsets individually and as a team.

It seems to be paying off in practice, and hopefully, it pays off during the season.

2. Year 2 under Pendergast
This point has gone under the radar a bit, but I think it’s certainly worth noting. Second-year defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast came in last season with plenty of pedigree and attitude, but the one thing that was missing was his familiarity scheming against collegiate offenses.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Bears’ biggest defensive meltdowns occurred when the Bears transitioned from playing against vastly different offenses from one week to another. Remember the vast difference in the defensive gameplan against Nevada to the one against Oregon? Granted, the pistol and Oregon’s no huddle are fairly different, but the approach to the zone read was so much more coordinated the second time around.

Familiarity against opposing offenses will help just as much as the players’ familiarity with their own defensive schemes. Installing a new defense is never easy to do in a year. It will be interesting to see what they can do with another year under their belt.

I do believe Pendergast was a bit more limited in what he could last year, and I do expect to see a bit more aggressiveness in the defense’s approach, if you find that possible to believe. He’s certainly got more up his sleeve.

1. Defensive Riches
The Bears have quietly emerged as a defensive-minded team, partly due to the teams’ offensive struggles the past few seasons, but also due to the defensive success the Bears have had.

Much of that has to do with stockpile of talent the Bears have accumulated in recruiting battles, and some players are ready to shine.

A lot of my unbridled excitement centers around the ridiculous depth the Bears have at the defensive line. Granted, no one has emerged as matching the talent of predecessors Tyson Alualu or Cameron Jordan, but the keyword is “yet.”

Consider a starting lineup of Trevor Guyton (6’3 280), Ernest Owusu (6’5, 270), and Kendrick Payne (6’2, 285). You like that? Boom, here come the second string who are actually bigger than the starters. Yeah, that’s right, slipping right in between downs while you gather your half-dead runningback is Deandre “Biggie” Coleman (6’5, 315), Gabe “the King,” King (6’5, 275), and Villami “Tiny” Moala (6’2, 358). That’s nearly a half ton of a 3 man front.

Oh, we’re not done. Here come Aaron Tipoti, Keni Kaufusi, Brennan Scarlett, and maybe even Mustafa Jalil if the Bears are feeling freaky.

Then, you have arguably the best recruited linebacker class the Bears have seen, ready to emerge at the outside linebacker position. Dave Wilkerson has been nearly unblockable, Chris McCain has been consistently making plays all camp, and Cecil Whiteside just might be the best natural OLB of the bunch. If the Bears struggle off the edges this season, it will be due to lack of experience, not a lack of talent.

Have I forgotten to mention Mychal Kendricks and DJ Holt who might form the best inside linebacker duo in the conference? Both are seniors and will challenge for all-conference honors this year.

Finally, in the secondary, I think Marc Anthony and Steve Williams will quietly form one of the better cornerback duos in the conference, and will be supported by senior safeties Sean Cattouse and DJ Campbell.

Veteran Josh Hill will play a number of positions in the secondary, and it’s been said he’ll be used like a “secret weapon.” My thought is he’ll have a role similar to Charles Woodson’s role at Green Bay last year in the nickelback/safety/linebacker hybrid position.

Oh, and Stefan McClure will be ready to play as true freshman. The last Cal cornerbacks to do that? Dante Hughes and Syd’Quan Thompson.

Mmmm
It feels fun to pump the sunshine, no? This post took me 4 hours to write since I was so busy pumping my fist while writing it. I now have tennis elbow and mogigraphia.
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Reasons to fear for the worst

This is the first of a two part series reviewing some of the various thoughts floating through my head as we enter the third week of fall camp.

I get asked all the time by friends as to how the Bears will do. I tell them that many days I prepare for the worst, but have many moments where I can’t help but drink the kool-aid.

I’ll talk about reasons for optimism tomorrow, but right now I’m sweating the haterade and present some of the reasons why Cal fans should get the Maalox ready this season. Keep in mind, this is me at the height of my haterificness. I don't necessarily feel like all this is true, but hey, even Jesus' disciples doubted.



5. QB Concerns
Much like the runningback situation, the Bears enter the season with their projected top two quarterbacks being relative unknowns.

I won’t face too much time on this, as this horse has been beaten worse than Georgetown by the Chinese national team, but Cal fans don’t really know what they have with Zach Maynard. They know he played at Buffalo as a sophomore and know he did allllriiiight. Not terrible. Not great. And for some reason, most point to his 400+ yard performance at Pittsburg as an indication that he has the stuff to play against quality teams.

Dude, it’s Pittsburgh.

They also know he’s mobile and athletic. But so many other questions still persist. Can he get those interceptions down? Can he read quality Pac-12 defenses? Can he manage the game? Has he won over the trust and loyalty of the offense through his words, and more importantly, his actions?

Does he have the frame to take the beating he’s likely to receive by Pac-12 defensive players, especially if the Bears plan on using more designed QB runs?

On that note, will Maynard be healthy enough to play 75% of the games this year?

And if Maynard were to stumble, what do the Bears have with Allan Bridgford, who is still just a year removed from rehabbing his surgically repaired throwing shoulder? The sophomore hasn’t gone through fire of seeing any playing time with the Bears either.

And I’m pretty sure that most know what we have with Brock Mansion by now.


4. Runningback Concerns
This story has been beaten nearly to death, yet the guys at California Golden Blogs will tell you, there’s much reason for optimism.

Still, Cal faces unfamiliar territory as its projected one-two punch of juniors Isi Sofele and Covaughn Deboskie Johnson come into the 2011 season with just 90 combined rushes last year for 408 yards and no touchdowns.

Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson: 21 rushes for 70 yards (3.3 ypc)
Isi Sofele: 69 rushes for 338 yards (4.9 ypc)

That makes up the lowest number of touches by a projected starting runningback duo coming into a season since Jahvid Best entered the 2008 season with just 28 rushes the year prior, with Shane Vereen having redshirted.

While there were some questions then, most had been blown away enough by Best’s ability during his freshman campaign to be more excited than worried about the upcoming season.

This is as not as much the case with Sofele and CDJ. While both had been productive in limited touches the past two seasons, neither has elicited enough excitement among the majority of the Cal fanbase to put any doubts to rest.

Questions persist about Sofele’s size and ability to be the “man” as RB1, and fans wait with bated breath to see if CDJ can stay healthy and consistent this season.



Also, the injuries at the fullback position aren’t doing much to abet my fears. Starter Eric Stevens is out for the year, and undersized Will Kapp was in a walking boot last week. While the injury may not be major, we face the strong possibility of walkon third stringers Nic DuMont and John Tyndall seeing a lot of playing time. Again, the same issue with the unknowns.

In any sense, while most know well enough by now to trust in Coach Gould, consider the rushing statistics the past three seasons.

2008: 186.23 yards per game (28th in the nation) with 22 TDs
2009: 169.31 yards per game (42nd in the nation) with 27 TDs
2010: 158.83 yards per game (51st in the nation) with 19 TDs

That’s with Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen as the starters. What will happen a cast of unproven backs?

Plus, none of it may really matter if...

3. ...the Offensive Line disappoints again.
I know, Coach Michalczik is back. Trust me, I’ll get to that.

But, the fact still remains that despite returning most of the starters from last season’s crew, the Cal offensive line has been largely responsible for much of the offense’s deficiencies the past few seasons.

Sacks allowed have increased, and with passing yards and rushing numbers decreasing, many might be wondering if the Bears currently have the personnel to execute the offense with toughness and physical aggression necessary to dominate conference foes.

To make matters worse, depth at the tackle position is approaching code level "We're F'd". Tackle Mitchell Schwartz is solid and proven but the depth really came to light when he missed the entire first week of camp with a leg injury.

Sam DeMartinis decided not to return for his 5th year, Tyler Rigsbee has missed most of camp with injury, and the Bears were down to their third string tackle in Bill Tyndall.

At the other tackle position, Matt Summers-Gavin continues to get work there because of his potential and ability, despite playing most of his time at Cal as a guard. I still am holding my breath a bit, because I’ve long stated that I believe MSG is best suited as a guard, but due to the lack of depth at OT spot, the Bears have little alternative.

The only other non-walkon option is JC transfer Matt Williams, who has much promise, but is still incredibly raw for having only played football for a few years. He has also put on good weight, but could still benefit by putting on another 10-20 pounds.

2. Lack of experience at OLB spots
I’m just as excited as any at the prospect of Dave Wilkerson, Chris McCain, Cecil Whiteside, and Ryan Davis terrorizing the edges this season.

But aside from their talent, they’re all similar in that all lack true experience at the college level. Wilkerson played a bit in a reserve role but had to apply for a medical redshirt after an early injury last season.

All four linebackers will play and will show flashes of talent, no doubt. But how will they do on a weekly basis as they face the zone read against Oregon? The playaction tight end and fullback rollouts against USC? How will they fare against some of the elite tight ends and tackles in the conference?

Despite talent, you simply can’t reproduce experience. I expect great things from these linebackers. But I’d be lying if I didn’t expect a few blown assignments and moments of being lost as well.

1. Funky schedule
Many talk about the novelty of playing at ATT this season, as the Bears play away from Memorial Stadium this season as it undergoes renovation. Coach Tedford has stated that his message to his team has been that of focusing on what happens inside the sidelines regardless of where the Bears play.

But let’s face it, the Bears have a funky season at funky locations.

In continuing with the theme of unknowns, the Bears' time at ATT park will be filled with uncertainties, especially as they have limited practice time there. In fact, I believe they completed their one and only practice there last week other than the weekly walkthroughs when the season starts. As much as coaches and players may say it’s about the game, the Bears have an uphill battle as the team will essentially be playing a road game every week other than having a home crowd for “home games,” playing in an unfamiliar stadium, on unfamiliar turf. It’s just different.

On top of that, the Bears have a tough schedule. They face projected conference division leaders Oregon and Stanford on the road. They play at ASU at a tough time during the year, and unlike most other Pac-12 north teams, play USC and UCLA as well. And don’t count out Utah.

Just taking a look at the schedule, and while one can certainly pencil in more wins than losses, it seems just as easy to go the other way around.

So we'll see...
Again, I'm not saying I necessarily think all this is true. But when I find myself curled up in a ball, sucking my thumb in the corner of my room, I start thinking these depressing thoughts. I'll have my brighter thoughts ready for tomorrow.

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Projected Starters Week 1 (Offense)

Here’s a quick breakdown as what I see to be the projected starting lineup for the Bears this season. Of course, this is fluid and can and will likely change week to week. But here’s what we’re likely looking at as of now.

QB: Zach Maynard
Despite some talk about the QB competition being very competitive and Maynard needing to do his part to hold off redshirt sophomore Allan Bridgford and senior Brock Mansion, it appears Tedford seems pleased enough that it would be an absolute shock for Maynard not to be the starter this season.

The competition seems limited to the critical backup spot between Bridgford and Mansion, though I’d bet on Bridgford being QB2 at this point.

RB: Isi Sofele
By most comments, Tedford appears to be sold on Sofele as the starter, and has even suggested that Sofele will see his reps decrease the next few weeks because they know what they have in him. Sofele never projected to be a back that was built to get 20+ carries a game anyway, so he should be conditioned to be as explosive as he can be with 15 touches he should get each game. Either way, his jobs seems safe.

Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson seems to be closer to locking up the second running back spot. He’s reported to camp in the best shape of his life, and more focused than ever to contribute strongly to the running game this year.

The competition then would surround the number 3 spot, with Dasarte Yarnway, CJ Anderson, and true freshman Brendon Bigelow. Yarnway has had a strong camp so far coming off his knee injury. Anderson appears to have very good flashes, but is still learning to play at Coach Gould’s standards in terms of ball security and pass protection. Bigelow has the most promise of any back on the roster, but the staff won’t really know what they have until they see him in more live game situations given his major knee injuries.


Fullback: Will Kapp?
Eric Stevens’ season ending ACL tear during the first camp is a big blow to the offense, as he appeared to get better and better in his first year as a starter last season. However, Will Kapp and John Tyndall both got reps and started a few games last year and should hopefully plug right in.

I was going to say that Kapp would take the first teams snaps now because of experience, but now we're receiving reports of Kapp being a walking boot, so we'll see how long he's out.

Wide Receiver: Marvin Jones and Keenan Allen.
Little surprise here. Jones and Allen return as one of the conference’s best pass catching duos, and both should put up solid numbers this year.

The third wide receiver spot will be the most competitive, with seniors Colemon Edmond and Michael Calvin being the most likely competitors for the spot. Edmond and Calvin have had very strong camps so far and are big physical receivers who can compliment Jones and Allen quite well. Edmond has a more of a speed edge than Calvin which may ultimately prove to be the deciding factor.

Speedster Kaelin Clay had a real shot at the spot until he injured his knee last week, and will be out three weeks, making his participation in the season opener questionable.

Tight End: Anthony Miller
Again, little surprise. If the senior Miller can return to his sophomore campaign form, and if the Bears can better utilize the tight end more in their passing game, Miller can be in the discussion for all-conference honors by the end of the season.

Spencer Ladner who locked up the second tight end position last year has been battling injuries throughout camp. If he isn’t good to go, look for converted wide receiver Spencer Hagan to jump in. Hagan has put on quite a bit of weight under Coach Blasquez’ S&C program, and has quite the pair of hands.

Redshirt frosh Jacob Wark is likely next up, and depending on Ladners’ status, true freshman Richard Rodgers could see some reps here as well.

Offensive Tackles: Mitchell Schwartz and Matt Summers-Gavin
Schartz has battled a hamstring injury for most of camp thus far and has just recently begun getting back into the swing of things. There’s still a little ambiguity as to which tackle will take the right tackle position (Zach Maynard’s blindside), but as of now, look for Schwartz to stay at left tackle with MSG on the right side.

Depth is a huge issue here, with Tyler Rigsbee backing up Schwartz and Bill Tyndall and Matt Williams available at either tackle position. However, needless to say, we’re one ankle sprain away from having big questions at the tackle position.

Offensive Guards: Brian Schwenke (LG) and Justin Cheadle (RG)
Both returning starters Schwenke and Cheadle return to provide some nice experience on the inside. Both have played a lot of games for the Bears, however, they’re going to be pushed quite a bit by some of the younger players.

Alejandro Crosthwaite was a highly recruited lineman coming out of high school and has been coming on strong. Geoff Gibson is an absolute monster of a guard prospect and looks even better after having shed some pounds over the summer. He’ll certainly give Cheadle a run for his money. It will be interesting to see if his physicality and size wins out over Cheadle’s experience.

Center: Dominic Galas
Galas a bit of an undersized, but physical mauler. Imagine Marvin Phillips with Alex Mack’s mentality. He’s got the athleticism and mindset to be dominant in the running game, but questions still remain as to how he’ll compete against some of the bigger interior lineman in the conference in passing downs.

However, he seems to be doing enough to hold off Mark Brazinski and Chris Adcock. Both of those two will compete for the backup spot, and if pushed, I’d go with Brazinski here.
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Quick Update

Hey all,

I apologize for the lack of posts the last few weeks. I swear I had a fairly decent excuse for falling behind despite the start of Fall camp and some other important happenings the past few weeks.

I got married.

Yes, Bear with Fangs got hitched with Mrs. Bear with Fangs (another Cal alum of course) over the weekend and is on his way to his honeymoon as we speak.

Fortunately, I have a couple of posts I’ve prepared that I’ve scheduled to be published this week so look out for them.

And as a fun side note, my beautiful bride and I walked down the aisle during our recessional to the Cal fight song, “Fight for California.”

Naturally.
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Projected Starters Week 1 (Defense)

Defensive End: Trevor Guyton and Ernest Owusu
Of all the positions on the field, I think this is where we’ll see the most fluidity. Coach Lupoi and the Bears has amassed a wealth of talent here that could possibly go three deep both the tackle and end positions.

Guyton and Owusu are both veteran, physical ends who have the explosion and smarts to make plays this season. Guyton is particular, came on very strong last last season starting opposite departed Cameron Jordan.

However, redshirt freshman Gabe King has been a physical freak all camp, especially after having spent more time in the weight room this past year. We’ve also seen flashes of what sophomore Deandre Coleman can do last season. Both are huge: King stands 6’5, 275, and Coleman, a whopping 6’5, 315 pounds. Whew

Also, look out for true freshman Brendan Scarlett who has been doing more each day to suggest he may play this season. He’s a load off the edge, and has the speed and athleticism to drop back as an outside linebacker in passing downs. Very intriguing.


Defensive Tackle: Kendrick Payne
I think the coaches like Kendrick Payne a lot, but he’s really had difficulty staying healthy all season. The Bears have had the luxury of having Derrick Hill in the past to give him a breather and start plenty of games, but will have to look to Aaron Tipoti in the role.

But with Tipoti sidelined by a concussion the past few days, the Bears have gotten a closer look at their biggest (literally) defensive gem from the 2011 recruiting class: Villami “Tiny” Moala. Moala is a beast of a human being, standing at 6’2 and 358 pounds. And that’s after he shed some weight this past season. Reports had him the 370 range.

Moala could end up playing. A lot.

Outside Linebackers: Chris McCain and David Wilkerson
Wilkerson has been nearly unblockable off the edge at times, so he’s going to play a lot this season, if not start.

One of the bigger surprises though, has been emergence of McCain who has made a case for possibly making the most defensive plays in camp. Nicknamed “Gadget” by Coach Tedford for his rangy frame akin to Inspector Gadget, the 6’6 233 freshman has quickly moved his way up the depth chart and has been constantly impressing.

Cecil Whiteside was one of the stars of spring ball and is a near lock to play significant minutes as well. Senior Ryan Davis started fall camp as a starter, but will have to make enough plays to hold off some of his younger brethren.

Middle Linebackers: Mychal Kendricks and DJ Holt
No real questions here in terms of starters. Holt is a vastly improved, soon-to-be three year starter while Kendricks is arguably the Bears’ best linebacker and most likely to be winning defensive end-of-the-year honors. HIs move to the inside raised a few questions, but his pairing with Holt provides the Bears with one of the most experienced and physical ILB duos in the conference.
The depth behind them has a bit more questions. Nick Forbes was likely to play a bit, but he’s been sidelined by injuries. Steven Fanua and JP Jurrell are veterans, but have yet to do enough to warrant starting time just yet.

Cornerbacks: Marc Anthony and Steve Williams
These positions appear just about locked up. Marc Anthony improved with each and every game last year, and is the Bears’ most physical corner. Steve Williams provides the best speed of the secondary, and many are eagerly awaiting for Williams to emerge as one of the conference’s best corners.

The depth behind them was a huge concern in the offseason after losing three senior defensive backs last year, but the coaches have been liking much of their young talent. True frosh Stefan McClure was recruited to come in an play right away, and it looks like that will almost certainly be the case. I was initially banking on McClure easily grabbing the nickelback spot, but junior Josh Hill has been flourishing at the position since returning from his semester off campus to take care of some academic credits.

Also, don’t sleep on Kameron Jackson and Adrian Lee who may end up giving some of the aforementioned backs a breather.

Safeties: Sean Cattouse and DJ Campbell
Both seniors Cattouse and Campbell return and will be the favorites to start the season. Cattouse is hoping to put it all together as a veteran leader and one of the most athletic safeties in the conference. Campbell has gotten plenty of reps the past few years, but is hoping to sneak up on some for a spectacular senior season in his first and only year as a starter.

True freshman Avery Walls is a near lock to play this year as well. If you haven’t seen Walls’ game film, grab some popcorn and enjoy. The kid is an absolutely vicious hitter.

CJ Moncrease and Michael Coley will back up in the two deep as well.
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Projected Starters Week 1 (Special Teams)

Much shorter post here, with the biggest question marks being at the return men positions.

Kickoff Specialist and Field Goal Kicker: Giorgio Tavecchio
Tavecchio will again head up both duties. He’s shown drastic improvement in the specialist position last year, and leg strength isn’t the biggest question with the senior kicker.

Rather, the question will be whether Tavecchio can show the consistency when called upon in tight game situations where has often faltered in the past. I’m actually fairly optimistic he will end up having a solid senior season.

Vincent D’Amato will likely back up his good friend here at both positions.

Punter: Bryan Anger
As pre-season All-American, everyone is hoping Anger can finally win the Ray Guy award. If he can nail down some of those funky rugby punts, Anger just might do it.

Jed Barnett is a bit of an all-in-one utility kicker, but is most likely the punter of the future for the Bears.


Long Snapper: Matt Rios
Rios quietly had a quiet but terrific season last year, as most great longsnappers do. A number of walkons in John Sheperdson, Brandon Madueno, and Cary Kriegsman will look to provide some depth here if called upon.

Return Men: Keenan Allen and Coleman Edmond
The Bears have quite a few options here with Marvin Jones, Steve Williams, Isi Sofele and Kaelin Clay all being viable options here.

My gut instinct is that Keenan Allen ends up as the punt returner. This is just from observation, but I think he may be better suited returning punts rather than kickoffs, though he would flourish at both. Allen is more of a threat in the open field due to his smooth athleticism, rather than a one-cut-and-go type of blazer that would be more suited for kickoff returns. Steve Williams is also an option here as he took a number of reps during the spring.

Colemon Edmond has really been dedicating himself to kickoff returns, and he has the speed to be a real weapon here. Sofele would be better served saving his body for the pounding it’ll take during the season, and Kaelin Clay is still recovering from his knee injury. Jones will return a few, but I’d wager that Steve Williams might get a few more shots before him.
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