Monday, November 10, 2008

SF Chronicle: Longshore, Riley can't score against tough USC defense

Cal's players and die-hard fans might wake up in a cold sweat early Sunday morning recalling a handful of plays that could have cost No. 21 Cal a major upset.  Don't get the idea that No. 7 USC did not deserve its 17-3 victory over the Bears on Saturday. After all, USC had 411 yards of total offense and 22 first downs compared with 165 yards and 13 first downs for the Bears (6-3, 4-2). Clearly, USC (8-1, 6-1) was the superior team and showed why many still think it is one of the top three teams in the country.

The Bears did not figure to score a lot of points against the Trojans' outstanding defense, and neither Cal quarterback (Kevin Riley replaced Nate Longshore at halftime) could produce a touchdown against the Trojans, who have yielded just one in their past five games. So heading into the game, it seemed the Bears needed a standout defensive effort and a few breaks on the offensive side to beat the Trojans, who were 21-point favorites. Cal got the standout defensive effort, and nearly got the offensive breaks, so it will be tough for the Bears to forget those several big chances.

They'll be replaying in their minds three plays in particular:

-- What if Cal had challenged the Trojans' first touchdown? Patrick Turner's 19-yard scoring reception was ruled a catch on the field, but replays suggested it might have hit the ground. There was no word from the replay officials that the play was being reviewed, and USC was able to kick the extra point before Cal had a chance to challenge the call. "I'm asking our coaches up in the box what's going on," Tedford said. "And just as they were kicking (the extra point) - oddly enough - it comes up on scoreboard (in the Coliseum)." That provided USC with a 10-3 lead and was the Trojans' only touchdown until the final three minutes of the game.

-- What if Cal had not been penalized for having an ineligible receiver when Riley completed what would have been a game-tying 27-yard touchdown pass to Shane Vereen in the third quarter?  The Bears were lined up incorrectly, which meant a player who should have an eligible receiver was not. So instead of it being 10-10 midway through the third quarter, it remained 10-3. "Obviously, that's a big play," Tedford said.

-- Later in that same drive, after getting to the USC 10-yard line, Riley fired a pass into the end zone intended for Nyan Boateng, who appeared to be open.  "It was going to be a touchdown for sure," Riley said. But the ball was tipped by USC safety Will Harris halfway to its destination, and intercepted by Josh Pickard in the end zone. "We definitely had our chances," Riley said. "I would love to play these guys again, that's for sure."   The Cal defense more than held its own, and Cal got some breaks early that kept it in the game.

On a 2nd-and-7 play from the USC 33-yard line early in the second quarter, Longshore threw a pass that was picked off by USC's Kevin Thomas. But soon after Longshore released the ball, USC linebacker Brian Cushing gave Longshore a rather gentle push. Cushing was called for roughing the passer, negating the interception and giving the Bears' the ball at the USC 18-yard line. Two plays later a Longshore pass was intercepted by Taylor Mays, but USC was called for pass interference on the play. This time the penalty seemed deserved, and eventually Giorgio Tavecchio made a 35-yard field goal to tie the game 3-3. Longshore completed 11 of 15 first-half passes but was sacked once for a 13-yard loss and fell on another play for a 5-yard loss.  Tedford decided to go with Riley in the second half.

"We felt like the pass rush was pretty heated and thought maybe Kevin could make some plays with his legs," Tedford said. "I didn't think Nate was playing that poorly. We went toe-to-toe with a very good football team."

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