By Rusty Simmons
Senior center Alex Mack, who has been as reliable as anything at Cal during the last two years, is optimistic despite all of the unknowns around him. The potential first-round NFL draft pick will be snapping the ball to a quarterback who has played a total of seven collegiate quarters, playing alongside three linemen who have combined for one career start and blocking for a tailback who has not had more than four carries in a college game. Not to mention the three starting receivers who have combined for one start and 13 career catches and the defensive scheme that has been completely revamped. "You work so hard and you feel like your team is going to be good, but you never know until you play," Mack said. "There's no way to tell, but I'm excited because I see so much talent, I see us working together well and I see us making plays."
Despite the most uncertainty at Cal in a handful of years, the players and coaches all appear to see what Mack sees. There's a quiet confidence amid the storm of unknowns. "I don't think there's a major concern about anything," coach Jeff Tedford said. "I think they're ready to play against someone else. They've worked hard. "I don't know that they'd feel like they there's anything else they can do right now, except for playing in a game. They've invested the work, so now it's time to game plan and execute the game plan."
Sophomore quarterback Kevin Riley will get the first chance to do that, starting Saturday against Michigan State. He has played only seven collegiate quarters and has been good in only four of those, one in leading a frantic but ultimately failed comeback attempt against Oregon State and three in overcoming a 21-0 deficit in the Armed Forces Bowl.
"He's not an unknown," sophomore receiver Jeremy Ross said. "He's a great athlete with a really strong arm who gets the ball to us really fast. He's taken complete control of the huddle." Mack and senior right guard Noris Malele will anchor the protection for Riley. Tackles Mitchell Schwartz and Chet Teofilo and left guard Chris Guarnero, who have combined for one start, are also on the offensive line. "I think they are confident in us because of our focus on mental assignments," said Schwartz, a redshirt freshman who is 6-foot-6 and 323 pounds. "We're physically good enough to play, and that all becomes a lot easier and freer when we're confident in what we're doing." The new offensive line will be paving the way for running backs Jahvid Best, a sophomore, and Shane Vereen, a freshman. Best has not had more than four carries in a game and Vereen redshirted last season, but their training camps have been daily highlight reels. "We've had the luxury of having two great backs for a long time," Tedford said. "This is no different." What about the receivers? Seven players without much experience are competing for three spots. Senior LaReylle Cunningham has the longest resume - one start and 10 catches.
"There may be a learning curve and those are the growing pains of being young," Tedford said, "but we're going to be fine because I know that they're going to come back with their best efforts." The defense lost its leading tackler in safety Thomas DeCoud, and it also switched to the 3-4 scheme. It's a move that gets the best athletes on the field, but it's also a complete overhaul that hasn't been tested. "I think the biggest thing is: How are we going to do when it's the real deal?" defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said. "There's only so much simulating you can do. Anytime there are changes to the scheme or you have a lot of new guys, you're not sure how you're going to do until it's an actual game day."
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