Cal coach Jeff Tedford reminisced this week about the scene before the Bears' 23-17 loss to USC in 2004. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers calmly strode through the visiting locker room at the Los Angeles Coliseum, infecting each of his teammates with his quiet confidence. He then took the field and tied an NCAA record by completing his first 23 pass attempts before falling nine yards short of knocking off the nation's top-ranked team. Though Tedford has fond memories of the way his team competed on that October day, he also gives a clear impression that coming close in Los Angeles is not good enough. This time it will be Nate Longshore, named the starter by Tedford on Friday, who will be leading Cal. The Bears know that earning a Rose Bowl berth means they have to first win a regular-season game in Southern California, which they haven't done since Tedford arrived in 2002. Cal is 0-3 at USC, losing by an average of 7.3 points a game, and is 0-3 at UCLA, losing by an average of 6.3 points a game. "I don't know that our players have played tight or haven't played well in Los Angeles," Tedford said. "I don't think they've gone down there feeling intimidated or trying to do more than they can do. "They understand that you don't have to be superhuman."
Both Tedford and USC coach Pete Carroll talk about one another like the other is superhuman. Tedford is widely recognized as one of the nation's best offensive minds, and Carroll gets at least that high acclaim for his role on defense. "He's a really good coach with a great offensive mind, and he has been that for years," Carroll said. "Way back when he was getting things going at Fresno State, he's always been a highlighted coach in terms of putting up great numbers and stats and high-profile players, and all that. "I think that kind of coaching, the kind of balance that he stands for in his offense allows for the expression of these guys' talents." Of the 86 coaches at Pac-10 schools in the last 50 years, Tedford is one of just four who opened their tenures with six winning seasons. The Bears are bowl eligible for a school-record seventh consecutive year, but USC has often been the thorn in the way of the roses. In 2004, the loss to USC led to a fall in the BCS standings that culminated in the Rose Bowl taking Texas instead of Cal. In 2006, a 23-9 loss to USC cost the Bears the conference's outright championship and another trip to Pasadena. "They're a great football team, and I don't think there's any question that everybody sees USC as the team to beat in the conference," Tedford said. "They seem to always have No. 1 or No. 2 recruiting classes in the country, and they're very well coached.
"At the same time, I don't think there's any doubt that if you're successful in recruiting and can stay healthy that you can compete with them." Much of USC's recent dominance is credited to Carroll, whose 84.7 winning percentage is tops among current Division I coaches with at least five years of experience. He's won six Pac-10 titles, two national championships and has had the Trojans ranked for a school-record 86 consecutive games. This year's version of the USC defense might be Carroll's best yet. The Trojans lead the nation in total defense (211.6 yards, their best mark since 1967), scoring defense (7.1 points, their best mark since 1952), and pass defense (127.5 yards, their best mark since 1974). "We have tremendous respect for USC and how well-coached it is," Tedford said. "They have great players, great athleticism and play hard. There are no chinks in their armor."
Headset to headset
Cal coach Jeff Tedford is considered of one the nation's top offensive minds, and USC coach Pete Carroll gets the same credit on the defensive side. Since both coaches have been in place, USC has gone 5-1 against Cal, outscoring the Bears 166-115.
No comments:
Post a Comment