Daily Cal: Bears Look To Make History One Game at a Time

By Steven Dunst

While the buzz since the No. 10 Cal football team’s 45-24 win over Oregon last Saturday has centered around whether the Bears will finally knock off USC for Pac-10 supremacy and earn their first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1958, Cal and coach Jeff Tedford have some other history to overcome.

The last time the Bears marched out of Pullman, Wash., with a win, The Eagles dominated the top of the music charts and coach Jeff Tedford had just become old enough to buy lottery tickets.  Cal (5-1, 3-0 in the Pac-10) will take on Washington State Saturday at 2 p.m., and try to win at Martin Stadium for the first time since 1979.  “I know it’s a hostile environment—I’ve already warned our kids about that,” Tedford said. “They have it going up there.”  Besides the crowd noise, the Bears will have to fend off possibly the best defensive line in the country.

The Cougars (4-2, 2-1) lead the nation with 27 sacks and are third in the Pac-10 in rush defense behind a mammoth front, which includes three linemen who are at least 6-foot-7.  The unquestionable leader of the imposing line is senior Mkristo Bruce, who leads the country with 10 sacks and is on every defensive player of the year watch list. He had five sacks in WSU’s 36-10 drubbing of Stanford.  “You’re not going to find a more physical front than these guys,” Tedford said. “Bruce is maybe the best player in the conference. They do a really nice job of being relentless and getting after you.”  Said guard Erik Robertson: “They have big, strong guys. Bruce has good speed and power.”  This is not the first time, however, that the Cal offensive line has had to face off against the country’s top pass-rushing attack. Arizona State led the country in sacks when it came to Berkeley, but the Sun Devils limped away after only managing one sack.

“(Bruce’s) number of sacks isn’t going to scare us,” Robertson said. “Our line has come together and we’re having more fun. We’re playing recklessly.”

The Bears offensive line has continued to improve, with sophomore center Alex Mack growing increasingly comfortable in his starting role and tackles Mike Gibson and Mike Tepper filling in when needed.  “Our offensive line has been playing very well in pass play protection schemes, but also by blocking very physically for the run,” Tedford said.  The entire Bears offense has been rolling since the opening-week loss to Tennessee. Cal has scored 41 or more points in the last five games, a school record.  After injuring his ankle in the second quarter of last Saturday’s win, Lynch is ready to go. He has practiced throughout the week and is running without a limp.

The Cougars defensive seven will also have to find a way to limit the success of tailback Justin Forsett, who finally broke loose last week with Lynch on the bench, rushing for 163 yards and earning Pac-10 offensive player of the week honors.  While the Bears have grabbed the headlines with a prolific offense that ranks fifth in the country in scoring (39.50 points a game) and eighth in total yards (447.50 a game), WSU has quietly put together the Pac-10’s third-best offensive attack.  The team is led by a pair of record-setters in quarterback Alex Brink and wideout Jason Hill.

“It’s a dynamic combination,” Tedford said. “Brink has a lot of confidence and Jason will go get any ball.” Brink ranks fifth all-time in Cougars history with 40 touchdown tosses, while Hill holds the WSU record for receiving yards.  “He’s probably one of the best passers we played against last year,” cornerback Daymeion Hughes said of Brink.  Hughes has already bested some of the conference’s top passing attacks, limiting Oregon’s Jaison Williams last week to two catches and 18 yards in the first half and intercepting Arizona State’s Rudy Carpenter twice, once for a touchdown.  Although Hughes called Hill the best receiver he has ever faced before the season, linebacker Desmond Bishop is confident the Bears can shut down Wazzu’s passing attack.  “We watch film and we saw that Hill was doing some things, but this year we got the equalizers. We have good schemes and we’ve got Tay,” Bishop said, referring to Hughes.  The Bears escaped with a 42-38 victory over the Cougars last year at Memorial Stadium. As the Trojans have already found out this year, Wazzu is a difficult team to blow out.  “They don’t allow big plays and they keep things in front of them,” Tedford said. “They run a sound and solid system.”