Friday, September 08, 2006

Oakland Tribune: Neither yet smells like a Rose

Long, long time since Cal or Minnesota made that Pasadena bowl trip

By Dave Newhouse, STAFF WRITER

BERKELEYCalifornia and Minnesota have much in common, despite the differences in the thermometer.  Minnesotans freeze when Californians have the convertible top down. But the two states abound in culture, watery getaways and sports.  Their two main universities also have something else in common: They've lost their maps to the Rose Bowl. Cal hasn't been to Pasadena since the 1958 season, and Minnesota since the 1961 season.  In presidential terms, starting with Cal, that's Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush.  "We're still in the developmental stages of this program," Minnesota coach Glenn Mason said this week. "I've been here 10 years, but I've always maintained that you don't put quality into a program overnight."  Overnight?

"I'm trying to put it in as fast as I can," Mason continued. "Back in the 1930s and'40s, this program was one of the elite programs in college football, not just the Big Ten. It took a long time for that to change."  Minnesota's greatest era was 1934 to 1936 with three national champions and such All-Americans as Pug Lund, Bud Wilkinson and "Shotgun" Sheldon Beise. The Gophers have one Heisman Trophy winner, Bruce Smith in 1941.  Cal's hallmark era was its Wonder Teams of the 1920s. Its last national title was 1937, the same season as its last Rose Bowl champion, featuring Vic Bottari, Sam Chapman and John "Jelly Belly" Meek. Cal has no Heisman Trophy winners.  Cal and Minnesota meet Saturday in Berkeley. The Bears' last share of a Pac-10 championship was 1975. The Gophers' last Big Ten title was 1967.  Overnight?

"They had a tough game against Tennessee, by their own admission," Mason said of Cal. "I watched the game, and what I saw was a good team against a good team. One good team played well, and the other didn't play so well. That's what happens when you face a good team and you're off that day. They're still an awfully talented football team."

Cal lost at Tennessee 35-18, dropping Jeff Tedford's record to 33-18. Minnesota won 44-0 at Kent State, improving Mason's record in Minneapolis to 59-50. For both coaches, a conference title appears no closer.  "Minnesota's very physical up front on offense," Tedford said. "Traditionally, they run the ball great. Their two backs (Alex Daniels and Amir Pinnix) had over 100 yards (rushing) last week. They're going to grind on you.  "Defensively, they're more of a zone team, hard-nosed players. Very good inside linebacker, No. 48 (Mario Reese); he can run and really cover some ground. All around, they're a very good football team. They're a bowl team every year, and it's going to be a great test for us."

Cal is favored by 81/2, but Cal was a 21/2-point pick in Knoxville. Minnesota has played in bowl games six of the past seven years, while Cal has a string of three consecutive bowls.

But the Rose Bowl looks no closer for either school at the moment.

BEAR TRACKS: Responding to Tennessee assistant Trooper Taylor's comment that the Volunteers picked up Cal's defensive signals from the sideline, Tedford said, "I guess that's quite possible. We have different guys giving signals, but sometimes that's overrated." How to prevent it? "You go to wrist bands," he said. ... Not overjoyed with offensive right guards Bryan Deemer and Noris Malele, Tedford has shifted Brian De La Puente over from left guard. ... Tedford called 15 percent of the offensive plays at Tennessee, and he said new coordinator Mike Dunbar will call 80, 90 percent of the plays henceforth. But Tedford doesn't blame play-calling for Saturday's rout. "That was pretty much a nightmare," he said.

 

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