Rusty Simmons, Chronicle Staff Writer
Cal trailed Tennessee 35-0 in the third quarter of the season-opener. The next week, the Bears knocked off Minnesota 42-17. And last week, Cal marched to a 35-3, second-quarter lead over Portland State. Just like the first three games, today's match up with Arizona State is expected to be pretty lopsided. Only this time it won't be tilted toward one team but toward one side of the ball. Let the offensive fireworks begin.
"I think (our defense has) been real solid, but let's not kid ourselves," Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter said. "Northern Arizona, Nevada and Colorado are nowhere near what Cal is on offense. We haven't seen the caliber of players at any of the positions that we're going to see this week from Cal."
Cal coach Jeff Tedford sends the praise right back. "They're explosive on offense," he said. "They can run it. They can throw it. It's a huge test for (our defense) this week." The teams have both shown the ability to pass. "I wasn't that familiar with (Nate) Longshore, but these last two weeks, you could see why Jeff picked him as the starter," Koetter said. Longshore has thrown for 610 yards and six touchdowns while completing 64.9 percent of his passes and compiling a 155.46 passing efficiency rating, and Arizona State's Rudy Carpenter has been just a shade better (169.47 rating with 842 yards and nine touchdowns). "(Carpenter) is a very strong competitor," Tedford said. "He's accurate throwing the football, and he has a really nice presence in the pocket."
Cal's young secondary has been somewhat stabilized by senior cornerback Daymeion Hughes, who has three interceptions, and first-time-starting safeties Thomas DeCoud and Brandon Hampton have been solid. There are, however, still questions about redshirt freshman Syd'Quan Thompson, who has all the athletic skills and confidence to be a big-time cornerback but was beaten for three big plays by Tennessee and a 40-yard touchdown by Portland State. "I don't feel like (Thompson) needs to prove anything to us," Cal linebacker Worrell Williams said. "This is just a week when the linebackers are going to have to drop into pass coverage sometimes and do more than just concentrating on stopping the run." Arizona State is allowing only 174.3 passing yards a game, and Cal receiver DeSean Jackson is looking forward to the challenge of the Sun Devils' physical defensive backs.
"They like to press and use bump coverage, so that's pretty cool," he said. "I like the press, because it can make it a little easier to get over the top."
Listen to the coaches, and you realize that the passing attack is only the beginning when it comes to the expected offensive shootout this week.
"Marshawn Lynch is scary," Koetter said. "Every time he touches the ball, you sort of hold your breath a little bit, because he has that rare combination of speed and power. He's fast enough to run 80 yards for a touchdown and powerful enough to break 10 tackles along the way."
Arizona State has not allowed a rushing touchdown this season, and it leads the nation with 18 sacks. While Lynch has run for 325 of Cal's 488 rushing yards, Arizona State counts on a committee of running backs. The Sun Devils have four players who have gotten at least 10 carries, including starter Keegan Herring (146 yards) and Ryan Torain (163 yards). "They can definitely run the ball," Tedford said. "(Defensive line coach) Ken Delgado thinks this is the best collective group Arizona State has had."
Today's game
Who: No. 22 Arizona State (3-0) at No. 21 Cal (2-1)
When: 12:30 p.m.
TV/radio: FSNBA/810 AM
Story line: When all of the attention is on the quarterbacks (Nate Longshore at Cal and Rudy Carpenter at Arizona State) and the potential first-day draft picks (Cal RB Marshawn Lynch and Arizona State TE Zach Miller), history says the game is usually decided by an unexpected source. Look for Cal LB Mickey Pimentel or Arizona State LB Derron Ware to make a play that decides the winner of the shootout.
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