Sunday, November 12, 2006

Arizona Daily Star: Cal coach rues penalties, turnovers, offensive woes

By Sarah Trotto

Cal coach Jeff Tedford repeated the same thoughts two or three times at the post-game news conference.  He said it all again one last time, in case anyone didn't hear or understand.  "We can't afford to have penalties. We can't turn the ball over. We have to make more plays, especially against a good defense," Tedford said.  And eighth-ranked Cal failed in all those areas in a 24-20 loss to the upstart Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on Saturday.

Tedford refused to say his team was looking ahead to next week's matchup against No. No. 7 USC for the Pac-10 title.  "Offensively, we weren't able to do a lot and that falls on my shoulders," he said.  Yet for the second week in a row, the Wildcats (5-5, 3-4) have upset a nationally ranked team. Then-No. 25 Washington State was the victim last week.  "Maybe a few of our guys did (overlook Arizona). I'm not sure," Cal center Alex Mack said. "We try to focus everyday."  The Bears (8-2, 6-1 Pac-10) finished with 106 yards rushing, nearly 65 yards below their season average that ranked second in the Pac-10. Quarterback Nate Longshore went 17 of 36 for 250 yards with three interceptions and a touchdown, saying his team "couldn't sustain anything."  "I felt like they got after us pretty well as far as the pass rush," Tedford said. "They were mixing up their coverages well. We tried to establish the running game early and that didn't go well. We got caught in a lot of third-and-long situations and that's when they were successful.

"They're a very good defensive team," he added.

The Bears had shut out the Wildcats in each of the last two years. But luck wasn't in their favor this time. Two Cal touchdowns were called back. The Bears settled for two field goals. And UA cornerback Antoine Cason returned an interception 39 yards for the winning touchdown.  One touchdown was called back late in the first quarter when Cal, up 7-3, was called for an illegal block. The Bears eventually kicked a field goal. "You have to make good decisions on the field," Tedford said. "When we did get something, we went backwards with penalties."  A pass interference call on cornerback Daymeion Hughes — a penalty he called "pretty bogus" — moved the Wildcats 13 yards to the Cal 4 before they scored the tying touchdown early the fourth quarter.  "Nobody had the advantage (for the ball)," Hughes said. "I put myself in a better position. I was looking at the ball just like (the receiver) was."  On their next drive, Lavelle Hawkins caught a 44-yard pass to bring Cal to the UA 1, but Pac-10 leading rusher Marshawn Lynch was stopped twice for a loss and Longshore threw an incomplete pass before the Bears settled for a 20-yard field goal on fourth down.  "That was the difference in the game," Hughes said.  For a final miscue, DeSean Jackson scored on a 63-yard catch with 2:14 left to apparently give Cal a 26-24 lead, but the touchdown was called back after a review showed he stepped out of bounds at the UA 41. "I wasn't paying attention to the sideline," Jackson said. "I just made the catch."

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