As I wrote last year, when I think about Cal I just can’t help but remember Jeff Tedford’s glory years with Aaron Rodgers at QB and tremendous offensive weapons like running backs Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett as well as wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Interesting piece of trivia. While playing for Tedford at Cal Jackson set what was then a PAC-10 record for punts returned for TD, a record that stood until broken by Dante Pettis of Washington in the team’s first two games in 2017. In the third game he took one 77 yards at Husky Stadium against a visiting Fresno State team coached by none other than Jeff Tedford to tie the NCAA mark—one he eventually broke and now owns exclusively.
In 2018 College Football News declared that, “Cal should be the breakthrough team in the PAC-12,” in Head Coach Justin Wilcox’s second season. Due in large part to their best squad on defense in years, including a superior linebacking group, that prediction turned out to be true. Although only winning four out of nine games in conference, the Bears were 7-6 overall after having loosing records the prior two years and got to play in a bowl for the first time in three years, loosing a close 7-10 game to TCU in overtime.
On the offense Cal returns 2nd year QB Chase Garbers who last year passed for just over 1,500 yards connecting on 14 TD’s. He will be backed up by UCLA transfer Devon Modster. Their situation regarding both running backs and wide receivers will continue to evolve during non-conference play, although Christopher Brown Jr. will probably be the starting RB if he can return from an ankle injury that kept him out during the final week of spring practice.
On the other side of the ball, Cal brings back what could be the best Defense in the conference including Inside Linebacker Evan Weaver who had 159 tackles last season and a secondary that accounted for 21 interceptions—2nd in the nation. It’s a Defense that should keep them close in most every game On Special Teams they have a terrific punter in Steven Coutts who will be able to help in the field position game, sticking 37 kicks inside the 20 yard line last year. If they can get their offense untracked, Cal could have a surprisingly good year, but that’s a big if.
Cal starts off at home in Berkeley on Saturday, August 31st, against UC Davis but then travels the very next week with what will be a tough conference start against Washington on Saturday, September 7th. With Cal having upset Washington last year, the Huskies will be looking for revenge at home and a good start to conference play—should be interesting. I’ll be going, I’ll let you know.