Maryville Daily Times: Cal May Look Like Big Ten Team

John Brice, The Maryville Daily Times

KNOXVILLE — As Tennessee coaches and players began compiling film for Saturday’s season-opener against California, they turned their focus to the Big Ten Conference. That’s where Cal offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar spent the previous four seasons serving Northwestern in the same capacity. Dunbar turned the Wildcats into an offensive juggernaut with his spread-the-field attack, which ranked fourth last season in the NCAA at 500.3 yards per game. “We looked at a bunch of tapes from Cal and a bunch of tapes from Northwestern,” UT defensive coordinator John Chavis said. “You don’t really know what you’re going to see. You don't know how [Dunbar] is going to use the personnel, but you’ve got to get ready to play.” The No. 23 (AP) Vols will get an up-close look Saturday when the ninth-ranked Golden Bears visit Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is 4:30 p.m. (ESPN). Whatever Dunbar’s offensive thumbprints, the Golden Bears return eight starters from a unit that averaged 33 points last season.  “What they will do offensively, I’m not sure how much they’ll change,” said UT coach Phillip Fulmer, “but regardless, they will be doing it with outstanding personnel.”

Cal’s decision to lure Dunbar to the West Coast was a bit surprising to Chavis on the heels of that success. Tailback Marshawn Lynch, despite playing less than 10 full games in 2005, ranked third in the Pac-10 and seventh nationally with his 124.6 yard average. His backup, Justin Forsett, amassed 999 yards in limited duty and averaged 7.6 yards per carry.

“They were sixth in the nation running it like they did last year,” Chavis said. “I didn’t quite understand why they wanted to change it when you’re the sixth best team in the nation running the football.  “Obviously if you have a great back like that you want to get him in the open field as much as possible.” That places a premium on Tennessee’s young linebacking corps, which must temper their aggressive approach. The Vols’ trio of Ryan Karl, Marvin Mitchell and Jerod Mayo has just a combined three starts. “You’ve got to have a lot of discipline playing against Cal, because they’ll spread you out and try to expose your weaknesses,” said Mayo, expected to start Saturday after recovering from a nagging ankle injury. “They get the linebackers out of the box, and we have to key back inside.” Plus, Mayo says, Cal coach Jeff Tedford’s decision to withhold naming a starting quarterback means the Vols must prepare for both senior Joe Ayoob and sophomore Nate Longshore. Steve Levy, who likely would have started, is suspended for the game.

“I feel like they’ve got one quarterback (Longshore) that’s pretty mobile, and they’ve got great running backs like Marshawn Lynch and Forsett, they add two different dimensions to the game,” Mayo said. “Marshawn Lynch is a power back, and Forsett is a little scat back. I feel like we’re prepared for both.”