Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Press Enterprise: UCLA Scouting Report

Link.

 

SATURDAY'S OPPONENT: California (4-2, 2-1 Pac-10)

WHERE: Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, 12:30 p.m.

CAL STORY LINE: The Bears have been a difficult team to figure out this season. They have beaten a good team (Michigan State) and lost to mediocre ones (Arizona, Maryland). Quarterback play is the biggest question mark for the Bears, and neither Kevin Riley nor Nate Longshore has proven to be the answer with their decision-making. Cal is coming off a 42-27 loss to Arizona where it was flat-out embarrassed after blowing a 24-14 halftime lead and was outscored 28-3 in the third quarter.

GOLDEN BEARS TO WATCH

RB JAHVID BEST (5-10, 193, So.): Best just might be the best offensive player in the Pac-10 this season and leads the nation in all-purpose yards (200.4 per game). He is averaging 7 yards per rush and more than 31 yards a kick return and is tied for the team lead with 18 receptions. He did miss a game with a dislocated elbow that is still bothering him.

C ALEX MACK (6-5, 315, Sr.): Arguably one of the best college centers this decade, Mack is an All-American and potential first-round pickHe is smart, experienced and holds the Cal record for the clean lift (374 pounds). There might not be a better interior lineman in the nation this season.

CB SYD'QUAN THOMPSON (5-9, 184, Jr.): Thompson has started all 32 games in his Cal career and is dangerous. He has three picks and nine passes defended this season and has already returned one punt for a touchdown.

WHAT RICK NEUHEISEL SAYS: "They are a very talented team. Coach Tedford has a lot of skill athletes that are explosive and it will be tough to contain it all. We have to limit it and play a great field-position game so they have to go long fields."

WHAT CAL COACH JEFF TEDFORD SAYS: "Everybody understands that USC has been at the top of the conference. But as we all see, anything can happen if you don't play well and turn the football over. They are still the favorites to be at the top of the conference and there is a lot of football left."

 

1 comment:

Christopher Neal said...

No offense, but watch what? This team is getting boring to watch. It's the same ole' crap every season.