JOHN MOREDICH
Tucson Citizen
Cal's Justin Forsett will be a key for the Golden Bear running game. The University of Arizona football team is out to do something Saturday it has not done much of this season: stop the run. The Wildcats have been exploited on the ground in their opening three games, allowing an average of 202 yards. That ranks 100th nationally among 117 Division I teams. Utah rushed for 226 yards, and Purdue gained 239 yards against the Cats with their spread-option approaches. Now comes California, a team ranked sixth nationally in rushing average (276) with a trio of tailbacks all capable of going for 100, even 200 yards, in any game. That's the challenge Arizona faces when it plays at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley at 4 p.m. in front of a nationally televised audience on TBS.
"It just gets down to tackling. If we are going to have success, we have to tackle better than we have all year," Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. "We have not tackled very well in the secondary. That has been a concern. We are not doing well in run defense. We are going to be challenged in a big way." The Wildcats will have starting defensive end Copeland Bryan back, along with linebackers Randy Sims and Dane Krogstad. All are returning from injuries, having missed action against Purdue. Bryan has been out of action with a foot injury since the season opener. Everybody will be needed against the Bears, who have transformed themselves from a passing to a running machine.
It does not matter who is behind quarterback Joe Ayoob. Marshawn Lynch was the preseason starter to replace last year's 2000-yard ball carrier, J.J. Arrington. Lynch had a career-high 147 yards against Sacramento State before breaking a bone in his left hand in the next game against Washington. Instead of fretting, the Bears got a 103-yard outing from Marcus O'Keith against the Huskies. Then came Justin Forsett and his 187-yard game against Illinois and a 235-yard performance last week against New Mexico State. Lynch is expected to be back in the starter's role this week. "Marshawn is a beast. Have you seen him?" Arizona safety Darrell Brooks asked. "They have talented backs. They create mismatches but Marshawn is a physical guy. Like, wow! He runs so hard. They all have different abilities and have different characteristics, but they all make plays and put up big yardage." Lynch is a stocky 5-foot-11, 215-pound sophomore, O'Keith is a 6-1, 190-pound junior and Forsett is a 5-8, 180-pound sophomore. They add up to big numbers.
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