Daily Cal: Cal Remains Undefeated Without a Scratch

By Chris Nguon Daily Californian

Berkeley, CA (U-WIRE) -- It was a play that defined why he was so highly touted in the first place.  With the No. 10 Cal football team holding a two-touchdown lead with 9:05 left in the third quarter against Arizona, Bears quarterback Joe Ayoob took a broken play and turned it into a highlight reel.  With the ball placed on the Wildcats 45-yard line, Ayoob took the snap from center, rolled right and quickly scrambled as the pocket started to break down.  Ayoob promptly swiveled towards the left sideline, and as he was about to get hit, threw a beautiful ball to wide receiver Robert Jordan in the back of the end zone.  Although that play was one of few highlights on the day for the Cal offense, it was more than enough, as the Bears blanked Arizona 28-0 Saturday at Memorial Stadium.  The contest marked the second consecutive year Cal has shut out the Wildcats, and also matches the Bears' best start to a season since 1996.  "The turnovers this week were huge," Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said. "I felt we tackled much better this game. We had 11 guys around the ball."  The game also saw the return of running back Marshawn Lynch and yet another dominating performance by the offensive line. But make no mistake, it was the Bears defense that shined Saturday.  Cal (5-0, 2-0 in the Pac-10) forced Arizona quarterback Richard Kovalcheck into three interceptions-two by Daymeion Hughes and one by Tim Mixon-and consistently put pressure on the Wildcats signal caller, who completed 19-of-36 passes for 169 yards. As a team, Arizona (1-3, 0-1) gained only 206 yards on the day.

"When you get two interceptions, that is the benefit of playing hard and getting pressure on the quarterback," Hughes said. "For them to come out and try to pass the ball when we know they are more of a running team, that really helped us out a lot."  The Bears' impressive play on defense was highlighted late in the third quarter with a series that defined what the entire contest was about.  With under four minutes left in the third quarter, the Wildcats offense marched down the field. Thanks to a questionable defensive pass interference call inside the red zone, they found themselves on the Cal two-yard line, first-and-goal.  On a night when the Bears dominated the line of scrimmage, the next four plays epitomized Cal's fortitude Saturday.  From the two yard line, first down saw Arizona running back Gilbert Harris get cut to the ground by linebacker Ryan Foltz for a two-yard loss.  On second down, the Wildcats gave to the ball to Mike Bell, their leading rusher this season, only to see the junior get stuffed by Bears defensive tackle Matt Malele for no gain.  On third down, Arizona decided to go to the air, as Kovalcheck looked to wide receiver Anthony Johnson, but Hughes was all over the play, knocking the pass away.  Finally, on fourth-and-goal, Kovalcheck again went to the air, only to see his pass sail on him, as Mixon slapped the ball away from Johnson in the back of the end zone to keep the Wildcats off the board.

"It was great for our defense to be in a situation like that and come up with the big stop," Foltz said. "We're going to be in that type of situation again so I think it really helped us build our character as a defense."  In a contest that was eerily similar to Cal's 38-0 shutout of Arizona in the desert last season, the Bears were stifling on defense while controlling the ball on offense. They used their running game to control the clock and keep the Wildcats offense off the field.  Suffice to say, Arizona coach Mike Stoops was not pleased with his team's effort.  "To go eight quarters without scoring is unacceptable," Stoops said. "We didn't play well offensively, we didn't coach well, and we didn't execute anything. The inability to run the football really hurt us."  Cal held over a 10-minute advantage in time of possession, and used it to its full advantage.  With the return of Lynch, who sat out the last two weeks due to a broken left little finger, the Bears once again pounded the ball on the ground.

Lynch was productive, rushing for 107 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown.  Not to be outdone however, backup running back Justin Forsett was also solid, carrying the ball 13 times for 74 yards.  For the game, Cal tallied 331 yards of total offense.  "Arizona is probably the best tackling secondary around," Bears coach Jeff Tedford said. "Their players did a nice job of filling the gaps. Normally, we're able to make the safeties miss and get some big plays. But you have to give Arizona credit, they were very physical out there."  Next up for Cal is No. 20 UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., next week. The Bruins will be the first ranked team the Bears face this season.  Although Cal has been executing well in many facets of the game so far this year, Tedford said he knows that it is going to take a lot more for Cal to continue its current winning streak.  Namely, the play of Ayoob and the Bears passing game still worries Tedford.  Ayoob was very efficient Saturday, completing 14-of-20 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns.  The junior also showed off his running ability, scrambling for two first downs and a rushing touchdown.  But, Tedford still sees a lot of room for improvement.  "Our offense is still a work in progress," Tedford said. "There is no question about it that to beat some of the teams we will face, we are going to have to make more plays in the passing game."  Ayoob seemed to agree with Tedford's assessments.  "There is no excuse for me not hitting some of the long balls I threw today," Ayoob said. "It was a couple of series in which we didn't play well. It was just ugly."

 

Daily Cal: Cal's Rose Bowl Date Not That Scary

By BARRY KELLY

Monday, October 3, 2005

Welcome to October, boys and girls. Halloween is just around the corner and I've got less than four weeks to find a Jeff Tedford costume to wear during my trick-or-treating adventures. After a September of sun, sand and Sacramento State, this is the month when the Cal football team's schedule really starts to get scary, beginning Saturday with No. 20 UCLA.  And with the flipping of the calendar, here come the ghouls and goblins, the ghosts of Pasadena past.  The Bears haven't won at the Rose Bowl since 1999, and even if Joe Ayoob decides to dress up in purple velvet and grow his hair out all funny, there will still be naysayers who will continue to insist that this will not be the week Cal parties like the artist formally known as the artist formally known as Prince.  Listen, and you'll hear them. Sure, they'll say, all that running and throwing to the sideline worked well against New Mexico State and Arizona, but the Bears will never beat the Bruins without a vertical passing game. Ayoob can't get it done, they'll say-even Aaron Rodgers lost in Pasadena.  First, let me clarify that Cal did not lose on the road at UCLA in 2003. Tyler Fredrickson lost on the road against the Bruins in 2003, but that's another issue entirely.

Second, Ayoob and the Bears can get it done. Tedford said after Cal shut out the Wildcats that he blames the way the team practices for Ayoob's seeming discomfort with passing deep. During practice, the offense and the defense each occupy a side of the field at Memorial Stadium, meaning the offense can't really work on plays longer than 45 yards. Ayoob said he plans on doing extra work with his receivers this week after practices, when they will be able to use the full field.  Furthermore, this is a team that is undefeated five games into the season, and I don't care who you're playing-5-0 is a hard record to reach. The Bears are ranked No. 10 in the country, despite playing the bulk of the season thus far without the quarterback and running back that started the first game of the year.  This is a good team. Not necessarily a great team-that will come next  year, I think-but a solid, winning football program.  Cal faces its first test of 2005 on Saturday, and the Bears have the  potential to pass with flying colors. Yes, UCLA has Maurice Drew, who can proudly say he is the third best  running back-behind USC's Reggie Bush and LenDale White-in the City  of Angels. Yes, the Bruins have Marcedes Lewis, one of the best tight  ends currently enrolled in an institution of higher learning.

But Cal has Justin Forsett-not to mention Marshawn Lynch, healthy  again after missing two-and-a-half games with a broken little finger-to easily offset Drew's production. The Bears have a plethora of young but talented wide receivers that can help bridge the gap between Lewis and Craig Stevens, Cal's starting tight end. If you need more proof that Saturday may not be the doomsday many are  predicting, look no further than to UCLA's narrow victory over  Washington two days ago.  The Bruins won, 21-17, at the Rose Bowl to push their undefeated record to 4-0, but they trailed for all but the final 1:08 of the contest and Drew was limited to 33 measly yards on 14 carries.

The Bears, in contrast, crushed the Huskies, 56-17, in Seattle on Sept. 10, a day when Ayoob threw four touchdown passes in the first half and looked like he should start thinking about wearing a Rodgers costume for Halloween. But either way, come Saturday, we will find out for sure whether this Cal team is a trick or a treat.

 

RealFootball365: UCLA narrowly defeats Washington 21-17

By Kyle Dudley

The 20th ranked UCLA Bruins narrowly escaped an upset at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night. A second half surge allowed UCLA to nip the Washington Huskies 21-17 and keep their undefeated season alive. Ty Willingham’s Washington Huskies had upset on the brain from the start. After an 18 yard field goal by Evan Knudson with about 5 minutes remaining in the first half and after a 20 yard run by Kenny James resulted in the first touchdown of the game the Huskies were up 13-0 after 1 quarter of play. With another touchdown late in the 2nd quarter, Washington went into the half up 17-7. The real story of the first half, though, was the Huskies Defense. After amassing 322 yards and 5 touchdowns a week ago, UCLA junior running back, Maurice Drew, was held to just 33 yards and a touchdown against Washington. In the second half, the Huskies seemed to just be trying to hold on. The final nail in the coffin came with 3:39 to play when a 50-yard touchdown run by Louis Rankin was called back by a hold and Washington was forced to punt the ball back to UCLA. The result was an 8 play, 73 yard game-winning drive by the Bruins.

Coach Karl Dorrell’s UCLA Bruins escaped an upset with a strong second half performance out of their quarterback, Drew Olson. The senior signal caller tossed a couple of second-half touchdown passes and led a game winning drive late in the fourth quarter. The first was a 4-yarder to Mercedes Lewis in the third quarter. He tossed a 1-yard touchdown to Michael Pitre to open the 4th. In the final drive, Olson’s first pass attempt fell incomplete before he connected on 6 straight passes including a 39-yard pass to Marcus Everett. Olson finished the day with 287 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and two interceptions. Despite a tough game overall, Maurice Drew did seal the win with a diving 1 yard run to give the Bruins their first lead and the win.  UCLA goes to 4-0 on the year and will face #12 Cal next week. Washington falls to just 1-4 on the year and will travel to Oregon to try and get back on the winning track.

 

 

Bruins not ready for the big time

UCLA were hardly world beaters in their conference opener, but they did win a game they wouldn't have won the last few seasons.

By Mike Waldner

Daily Breeze

You never know when a coach is telling the truth, in part because most coaches probably do not know themselves. The week started with Karl Dorrell, UCLA's coach, delivering a scouting report on Washington's Huskies. "It's a talented team," he said. There was not even the hint of a grin to indicate he was joking. Joking? Not Dorrell. Not during the football season. Not about as formidable an opponent as Washington. He was shaking in his boots about the Huskies, with their 1-3 record, with their lone win against Idaho, with their 56-17 loss at home to Cal. And the ladies in the Office Depot Championship are going to start calling the Trump National Golf Course ugly. Kidding aside, the Bruins were back. After 6-7 and 6-6 records in his first two years on the job, years in which critics and fair-weather fans agreed that Dorrell appeared overmatched, UCLA had the look of at least a solid team that perhaps could be ready to challenge college football's elite. Yes, the wins were against San Diego State, Rice and an ineffective, what-happened-to-these-guys? Oklahoma team. No matter. Dorrell's team was 3-0. That's all that counted. Or so it seemed. The Bruins were averaging 49.3 points and 441.3 yards a game. They were ranked 20th in the nation and had what seemed to be extremely reasonable expectations of improving their poll position. Ever-cautious Karl had another point to make.

"We have some things to prove," he said. They did a lot more proving than he intended or, his grim comments to the contrary, he really expected Saturday night at the Rose Bowl against Washington. Washington beat UCLA. The replay officials beat UCLA. Most of all, UCLA beat UCLA. And then, to completely confuse everyone, UCLA won the game, 21-17. The summary? UCLA is not yet ready to play with the big boys. This said, give the Bruins credit for having the grit to come back and win on a night when their last two teams would have lost. Says who? Says Drew Olson, UCLA's quarterback. "Last year, we lost three games we could have won," he said earlier this season. "Maybe we should have won (those games). The year before, we would have been blown out. So we're improving." At this point, that's what is most important to Dorrell as he builds his program. Olson, efficient, effective and even electrifying at the top of his senior year, had a split personality game that mirrored the game UCLA played. In the first half, he was a pitcher who lost his release point. He completed only eight of 18 passes, which was quite a drop-off from his 71.8 completion percentage going into the game. Worse yet, he threw his first two interceptions of the season. In the second half, he pulled himself together, discovered his rhythm, threw two touchdown passes and completed six passes in a row to set up Maurice Drew's 1-yard touchdown run to win the game. He ended the day completing 29 of 44 passes for 287 yards. Drew gained 322 yards and scored five touchdowns against Washington last season. The Huskies held him to a mere 33 yards this time. Tight end Marcedes Lewis, a blocker or decoy during the first half, caught six of his eight passes, including one for a touchdown, when the Bruins made him a major part of their second half game plan. Had UCLA not pulled out this victory, the lines between Westwood and Pacific-10 Conference headquarters in Walnut Creek would be buzzing over a decision by the replay officials in the third quarter. With the Huskies leading, 10-7, Washington running back Kenny James scored a touchdown. Except he fumbled into the end zone.  You expected the replay officials to rule (a) Wasington fumble, (b) UCLA recovery in the end zone for a touchback, (c) UCLA ball on the 20 with the score still 10-7. The replay officials got part of it. They ruled no touchdown. Then, in their infinite wisdom, they inexplicably ruled James' forward momentum had been stopped. Washington still had the ball. Isaiah Stanback, the Huskies quarterback who had an excellent game, scored on the next play to put Washington on top, 17-7.

Right then, UCLA could have folded. As Olson had suggested, a year ago, two years ago, they no doubt would have folded. This time, they took a deep breath, they took two or three deep breaths, maybe they took a dozen deep breaths, and then found a way to win. "It's relief for a moment because we won the game," Dorrell said. "But I still see a lot of things we have to work on." It's much easier to work on things when you're a winner.

 

 

SF Chronicle: Bears riding high

Defense dominates as Cal shuts out 'Cats

Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sunday, October 2, 2005

Cal defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, showered and dressed in his Sunday best, was all business as he delivered the message of the night.  "We're not a young team anymore," said a suddenly older, wiser Mebane, whose usual off-field demeanor is best described as youthful innocence. "We expect big things out of each other now."  Mebane and his teammates had just done some growing up Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.  Cal beat Arizona 28-0, a win that should be credited largely to a defense that returned just three starters from last year and often labors in the considerable shadow of coach Jeff Tedford's offense.  The No. 12 Bears (5-0, 2-0 Pac-10) did it with three interceptions, a pass rush that often hurried Arizona quarterback Richard Kovalcheck and a noticeable and team-wide improvement in tackling -- holding the Wildcats to 37 yards rushing.  And the centerpiece of it all was a second-half, goal-line stand that kept Arizona (1-3, 0-1) out of the end zone after four tries from inside the 4-yard line.  "I'm very proud of them," defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said.  The Bears have gone 10 quarters without allowing an offensive touchdown.

It was the Bears' first shutout since a 27-0 blanking of Arizona State last Oct. 30. It gives Cal back-to-back shutouts against the Wildcats, going back to a 38-0 win last Oct. 23 in Tucson. And it gives a team that struggled with youthful mistakes in its four earlier wins a surge of momentum heading into its biggest test yet -- a showdown with UCLA next Saturday at the Rose Bowl.  Gregory said a key in preparation this week was talking to his charges about playing with more emotion than they showed last week in beating New Mexico State in Las Cruces.  "Our emotion was great," he said, saying it contributed to harder hitting, critical forced turnovers and the elimination of "explosion" plays.  Interceptions by cornerback Daymeion Hughes set up Cal's last two touchdowns -- a 39-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Ayoob to receiver Robert Jordan and a 10-yard Ayoob toss to fullback Chris Manderino.  And throughout the game, the defense was giving the offense the ball with good field position -- with the average drive starting on the 32 -- stopping Arizona on drive after drive.  "We had two or three opportunities in the red zone and came up with nothing," Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. "You can't do that against a good football team."  "The whole defense was in a zone," Hughes said. "Everybody was flying around, everybody was doing their job. It's great when everything is going right."  More than anything, it was the goal-line stand that gave this game its signature.  Arizona had a first down on the 6, and Hughes was flagged for pass interference on the first play -- giving the Wildcats a 1st-and-goal at the 2.  On the next play linebacker Ryan Foltz tackled fullback Gilbert Harris for a 2-yard loss. Tackle Matthew Malele stopped running back Mike Bell at the line on the next play. Hughes broke up a pass on third down and cornerback Tim Mixon tipped a poorly thrown pass out of the back of the end zone on fourth down.

"There's not a more exciting feeling in the world," Foltz said. "It gives you a boat-load of confidence."  It was noticed on the sideline as well.  "That was beautiful," said tailback Marshawn Lynch, who ran for 107 yards in his return after missing two games with a broken finger.  "They were in a frenzy," said Tedford, who had nothing but praise for the defense but was more measured in his evaluation of the offense.  "We're still a work in progress," he said.  He said the same was true of Ayoob, who completed 14 passes in 20 attempts for 137 yards. He was intercepted once, sacked five times and missed several open receivers on deep routes.  "We have some open receivers we need to hit," Tedford said. "To beat great teams we have to make more plays in the passing game."  He said Ayoob is learning more each week.  "I've hit those (deep throws) all my life," Ayoob said. "I'm not too worried. I know I can do it."  The Bears travel to UCLA next Saturday, facing what clearly is their toughest opponent to date.   "We're up for the challenge," Hughes said.

 

 

San Jose Mercury: Bears romp over Arizona

BIG-PLAY DEFENSE CONTROLS THE GAME IN PAC-10 MATCHUP

This one was about muscle. Cal Coach Jeff Tedford, aware of Arizona's inability to stop the run, turned the game over to his offensive line and his defense Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The result was a dominating 28-0 victory over Arizona, a team that appeared to be making strides. That progress came to a screeching halt against the Bears (5-0 overall, 2-0 Pacific-10). And unlike some of its previous games, Cal had control from the opening kickoff until the final whistle. ``Great defense,'' Tedford said. ``We've played 10 quarters without allowing an offensive touchdown. Our defense is doing a phenomenal job. Our guys were flying around making plays. They really stepped up.'' Cal, which shut out Arizona (1-3, 0-1) for the second consecutive season, allowed just 37 yards rushing. ``We didn't play well offensively, we didn't coach well and we didn't execute anything,'' said Arizona Coach Mike Stoops. ``The inability to run the football really hurt us. We're not a one-dimensional team, so we can't play that way.''

Cal, which rolled up 194 yards rushing and scored a touchdown in each quarter, had no such problem. Tailback Marshawn Lynch, who missed the previous two games because of a broken bone in his left hand, gained 107 yards and scored on a 1-yard dive in the first quarter. Lynch did lose a fumble  in the second quarter when he took a shot on his left hand, but other than that he was solid. ``It was pretty cool and maybe a blessing that I had the injury,'' Lynch said. ``It let me know how much I need my other hand.'' Lynch, who carried the ball 20 times, said he used his left hand to secure the ball just one time. He had the ball in his right hand on the fumble, but took a hit on his left hand. ``The vibration of it made me lose the ball,'' he said. On the sideline, Lynch looked to be in great pain. ``It was just temporary,'' said Lynch, who only missed a series. ``I got a little rattled and then it calmed down.'' Cal backup tailback Justin Forsett added 74 rushing yards.

Aesthetically, the game was lacking a bit for the announced crowd of 55,944 because the Bears failed to get much going with their passing game. Cal's Joe Ayoob (14 of 20 passing for 137 yards with two touchdowns and one interception) was sacked five times. More disturbing for Tedford was that Ayoob failed to connect with receivers who had worked their way open deep. ``We are still a work in progress,'' Tedford said. ``We had open receivers that we need to hit. We need to be more consistent that way. I thought Joe threw the underneath stuff accurately, but if you are going to compete for a conference championship, you have to make more plays with the passing game.'' Ayoob did hit one huge pass in the third quarter. Pressured after rolling to his right, Ayoob reversed direction, picking up a block from tackle Scott Smith. Downfield, wide receiver Robert Jordan took off for the end zone, finding an open spot and collecting a 39-yard heave that put Cal up 21-0. ``I made eye contact with Joe and he gave me a nod,'' Jordan said. ``Once I saw that, I headed straight for the end zone.'' However, most of the big plays by Cal came on defense. Cornerback Daymeion Hughes had two interceptions and five tackles and cornerback Tim Mixon added an interception along with breaking up three passes.   Arizona never had much wind in its offensive sails. Wildcats quarterback Richard Kovalcheck completed 19 of 36 passes for 169 yards, but he looked lost most of the day as Cal sent waves of defenders at him. The Bears had just one sack (by defensive end Nu'u Tafisi) but they sent the tone early as Cal defensive tackle Brandon Mebane crushed Kovalcheck just as he was throwing on Arizona's opening series. Cal's pressure led to Kovalcheck's three interceptions.

Modesto Bee: QB Ayoob remains a 'work in progress'

By RON AGOSTINI

BEE SPORTS COLUMNIST

BERKELEY — "A work in progress" was coach Jeff Tedford's assessment of quarterback Joe Ayoob five games into his Division I-A career. This alone tells you a lot about the Golden Bears' leap up college football's food chain.

Here is Cal, 5-0, ranked 12th in the nation and the owner of an efficient 28-0 blanking Saturday of Arizona. Years ago, back when the Bears groveled for mere first downs, an unbeaten record and national ranking would be cause for rollicking fraternity parties up and down Bancroft Avenue. But today, Tedford sees his offense — the side of the ball on which he's built his entire career — as hit-and-miss. By the way, he's right. The gaudy numbers do not exactly match up with the performance. He knows Cal's silky soft schedule lies at the core of his team's success. Now the hammer pounds down on the Cal season. The Golden Bears step up in class next week at UCLA with a quarterback who's more exciting than lethal. It's time for Ayoob, Tedford's handpicked successor to Aaron Rodgers, to do more clicking than whiffing.

Because Cal's margin for error suddenly shrinks next weekend in Pasadena. "There is no question that to compete for a conference championship, we have to make more plays in the passing game," Tedford said. Later, when quizzed about the importance of nailing that home run ball vs. the Bruins, Tedford said, "That type of throw we need to make against everybody." You can envision Tedford almost willing Ayoob to better form during mid-week practice sessions. All that's riding on him, of course, is Cal's already anticipated shot at No. 1 USC in November. Tedford, the QB guru, needs to coax more progress from his latest prodigy. Cal's quarterback situation has stammered and stumbled almost since 2005's opening kickoff. Nathan Longshore, the QB who beat out Ayoob for the job, didn't reach halftime of Game 1 (broken ankle). Suddenly, any thought of nursing Ayoob onto the field was aborted. Ayoob has grown in some areas and remained a "work in progress" in others. His legs without question have helped the Bears more than his arm. Twice on Saturday, he missed open receivers running post patterns deep down the field — Sam DeSa during the first quarter and Robert Jordan after halftime. Airmailing open pass catchers has been a constant problem for Ayoob. Only during the first half at Washington (Sept. 10) has he displayed the promise Tedford envisioned.

Then again, Ayoob teases observers with impressive spasms of talent. When a play breaks down and demands a Plan B, Ayoob excels. His 12-yard improv set up Cal's first touchdown. His 39-yard touchdown bomb to Jordan was another example of his feet buying time, a roll right-scramble to the left leading to an on-the-run toss to Jordan alone beyond the coverage. Before it was over, Ayoob tacked on another touchdown pass to fullback Chris Manderino. Ayoob delights and torments Cal fans, sometimes on the same play. Perhaps everyone should just scale down all expectations and accept Ayoob for who he is — a swashbuckler in the mold of winning performers like ex-Bears Mike Pawlawski or, to dip into the Bears' archives, Joe Kapp. On 4th-and-a foot from the goal line during the first half, Tedford gave Ayoob a huge vote of confidence. In his words, Tedford "never gave it a thought" about kicking a field goal. He called for Ayoob to run an option to the left, and his quarterback quickly darted into the end zone for Cal's second touchdown. So there is a good Ayoob and a bad Ayoob. One problem: Tedford always wants it done right, a fact not lost on Ayoob. Cal's longest pass play during the first half netted only 9 yards, which is not close to passing muster in Tedford's classroom. Tedford even theorized that Ayoob's scatter-gun long throws are the result of the Bears' practice field being too short. Simply, he requires more room to air it out.  "You can't beat teams by just throwing it 5 yards," Ayoob admitted. "I'm confident me and the receivers will get on the same page." It would be just in time. There are no Sacramento States or New Mexico States left on the schedule. Airmailing the Bears' young and explosive receivers won't work against the Oregons, UCLAs and USCs of the Pacific-10 Conference. Point is, we're measuring the Bears against what's to come, rather than what we've already witnessed. So far, we've learned that — other than their maul-a-minute offensive line — they're young, better than good but largely untested everywhere else. That will change soon. "Each game he (Ayoob) is making strides and is becoming a leader," said Modesto's Byron Storer, one of Cal's special-teams stars. "If you don't rely on your quarterback, you won't do well. We have the utmost faith in him." One month into the season, the Bears have no other choice. Their chances for a modest bowl game appear good, but greatness depends on their "work in progress" at quarterback.

 

SF Chronicle: Lynch's game well in hand despite problematic pinkie

Jake Curtis, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sunday, October 2, 2005

A half hour after rushing for 107 yards against Arizona, including one memorable 15-yard scamper of pure instinct, Marshawn Lynch gazed at his left hand while gently toying with the wad of tape that bound his ring finger to his pinkie.

He said his pinkie, which was broken three weeks ago against Washington and kept him out of the past two games, is "healing properly." It was his way of implying that it was not a major problem Saturday. He also said he couldn't carry the ball in that hand.  "I was a little more focused before the game, because I knew I'd be playing one-handed," he said.  Lynch put the ball into his left hand only once Saturday, slipping it in there briefly while trying to skirt the left end.  "Maybe it was a blessing to play like that," he said, "just to know how much I need the other hand."  Lynch was effective enough with one hand, collecting the fourth 100-yard game of his career and giving Cal a 100-yard rusher for the 17th straight game. He still is not the team's leading rusher, his average of 100 yards per game leaving him behind Justin Forsett, whose 74 yards Saturday dropped his average to 117 yards a game.

However, Lynch's presence provides Cal with a dynamo, a player who can make a 5-yard run seem to last for five minutes with all his twisting, turning, cutting back and struggling before finally being dropped to the earth.  "I thought he played great," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "That one run where he reversed field, that was something."  It was indeed something, although it's hard to explain exactly what it was.  Late in the first half, starting from the Arizona 21-yard line, Lynch set sail around left end. Seeing that route blocked, he reversed field and ended up circling the right end for a 15-yard gain that put the Bears in position for their second touchdown. Coaches seldom condone such moves, which often result in big losses, but Tedford has no problem when Lynch tries it. "You've got to trust his judgment," Tedford said. "You're going to live with a couple that don't work out, but most of the time it does."

Lynch's explanation for reversing field? "I just reacted," he said.  Being able to produce that kind of something-out-of-nothing play also makes coaches live with his occasional fumble, and Lynch had given the ball away on the previous Cal possession.  Though he was carrying the ball in his right hand, it was the blow of an Arizona defender's helmet on his left hand that pushed the ball out. It also had Lynch shaking his tender left hand, putting him in considerable pain on the sideline.  Lynch said it was only a brief problem. "It just rattled temporarily," he said.  He also banged his knee late in the game, causing him to limp off. But that is not problem either. His only problem was an Arizona defense that was stacked to stop the run, and opponents will continue to do that as long as Cal's erratic passing game remains that way.  Though Forsett showed during Lynch's absence and again Saturday how effective he can be with his darting speed, the Bears need a healthy Lynch and the gains he can produce.  Next week, the Bears play at UCLA, which two weeks ago limited Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson to 58 rushing yards on 23 carries, a measly 2.5 yards per carry for last year's Heisman Trophy runner-up, whose style is similar to Lynch's.  By next week, Lynch may be able to carry the ball in both hands again.

 

SF Chronicle: Eventually, this will come to pass

Ray Ratto

Sunday, October 2, 2005

The good folks at California get a little tetchy when the football team's schedule (doughy and pliant to the touch) is brought up, so the Pacific-10 Conference could not have come to town soon enough. The Golden Bears needed a better sense of who and what they are, and Arizona came to provide that gift.  That is, if a 28-0 win against a still-rebuilding team can provide much wisdom.  Therefore, with their sternest test yet awaiting them in Pasadena this coming Saturday, the unbeaten Ursines have come to realize that they are:

(a) A noticeably better defensive team than they thought they'd be.

(b) A run-heavy offensive team that does not yet seem prepared to pass the other team out of its base defense.

(c) Ready, willing, and badly in need of the UCLA game.

"I think this was a good test to show us what we are, and what we still need to do," coach Jeff Tedford said, trying to make up his mind whether to be happy or apprehensive after a clinical but almost highlight-film free effort. "I think it's pretty clear that defensively we're playing pretty well right now. They bent a little bit last week (against New Mexico State), but it's 10 quarters without an offensive touchdown for them now, and that's pretty good."  Of course, you, the typical Cal fan, loves a team that wins on defense, and don't much mind that the offense is dominated by its two running backs and its offensive line. Liar.

The Arizona defense did what the UCLA defense can be expected to do on Saturday, stacking the box between the defensive ends with eight men and basically daring quarterback Joe Ayoob to throw them out of it. Ayoob didn't. Then again, with Marshawn Lynch making his return and Justin Forsett providing more than adequate support, Ayoob didn't have to throw them out of it.  For Tedford, though, it would be nice if he showed he could, because at some point soon, he's going to have to. "He was efficient," Tedford said of his rookie after his fifth game in the saddle. "Fourteen of 20 (for 137 yards and two scores), not bad. But we missed some deep balls that I thought were there, and we just have to get better at that. In fact, now that I think of it, that could be a situation (that comes from) the way we practice."

The following is a not-entirely-subtle advertisement for Tedford's Web site, ineedanewpracticefacilitysoondammit.com.  "We practice every day on one field," Tedford said, "so really the longest ball we can throw is 45 yards. Maybe we need to look at the way we practice, and figure out a way to get the timing on our long throws down."  Well, that may be the solution, or it may be Ayoob simply getting older and taking a little air out of his long ones. He overthrew Robert Jordan, DeSean Jackson and Sam DeSa on deep routes in which the receivers were profoundly clear of their defenders, and if not for his semi-improvised scramble toward the sidelines that ended in a 39-yard score to Jordan early in the third, his longest strike was a 20-yarder to tight end Craig Stevens right before Cal's last score.  In other words, it is hard to see how the Bruins, or anyone else for that matter, will believe in Cal's passing game unless and until Ayoob makes them believe in it.  Part of this is the injury to Nate Longshore that rushed Ayoob into the job. Part of it is that schedule, which as of Friday was the 10th easiest Division 1-A schedule in the country. And part of it, of course, is that offensive line, and Lynch and Forsett running behind it.

"Hey," Tedford said, trying to convince both his inquisitors and himself, "however it gets done."

History, though, tells us that a running game can only benefit from a more credible passing attack, and a credible passing attack includes a plausible deep threat. Tedford knows this, because he has made great pots of money over the years proving that very thing. In fact, he not only knows it, but desperately wants it, and is fully prepared to have Telegraph Avenue cleared from Dwight Way to Bancroft on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to prove it: "OK, you run an out to the front door of Rasputin's, you curl in front of Cody's and don't trip over the flower stand, and Jordan, you do a hitch-and-go past the Thai joint."

In the meantime, the Bears are 5-0, a friendly vote from returning to the top 10 in the two major rankings (the Harris poll is still somewhat longer on laughs than credibility), and as well off as they have any right to expect.

They are not, however, as good as Tedford believes they can or better be. That two-week stretch in early November -- at Oregon, home for USC -- comes sooner than he thinks, and he'll need his offense to be every bit as good as his defense has been, even for all you Cal fans who love a low-scoring game with lots of running plays.  Liars.

 

ANG Newspapers: Cal's Wunderlich Team can play, too

By Dave Newhouse, STAFF WRITER 

BERKELEY — Cal had its Wonder Team. Now Cal has its Wunderlich Team.  Players entering the NFL draft are subjected to the Wunderlich tests, designed to check each player's IQ.  On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that over the past seven years of Wunderlich scores, Cal finished in a third-place tie with BYU. Stanford was first and Purdue second.  "Cal has the reputation as a cerebral place, but not great athletes," Bears linebacker Ryan Foltz said. "I read that (Wall Street Journal) report, and it's great to see that we have great athletes who are smart."  Cal's football graduation rate was 48 percent, but coach Jeff Tedford said that when he took over the program in 2002, the graduation rate was much lower.

"We had 22 of 26 (seniors) graduate last year," he said. "The ones who didn't graduate dropped out of school to prepare for the NFL."  

HAND JIVE: Tailback Marshawn Lynch played for the first time in three weeks, rushing for 107 yards in spite of a broken/dislocated little finger on his left hand.  Because of the hand, he fumbled the ball away once against Arizona.  "It was the vibration," he said. "I was carrying the ball in my right hand, but was hit on the left hand, and I was shaking that hand while I was going down."  By the time Lynch hit the turf, the ball was loose. He said in 20 rushes Saturday, he carried the ball in his left hand only once.

BEAR TRACKS: Cal offensive linemen Andrew Cameron and Aaron Merz, who both sat out two games with concussions, started Saturday. Cameron played only one series before sustaining a knee injury. Tedford said X-rays were negative, but the coach isn't sure if Cameron will play Saturday at UCLA. ...Wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins (ankle injury) didn't play against Arizona, but Tedford said he would face the Bruins. ...Arizona had one touchdown called back on a holding penalty _ Syndric Steptoe's 84-yard punt return. And Nick Folk's 50-yard field goal try for the Wildcats was blocked by Abu Ma'Afala. ... Lynch extended Cal's streak of 100-yard rushers to 17 games.

 

Contra Costa Times: Ayoob's mental errors of concern to Tedford

With UCLA up next Saturday at the Rose Bowl, Cal is facing its toughest opponent of the year. It should be a tough test for junior quarterback Joe Ayoob, who made some big plays with his running ability against Arizona on Saturday but is still ``a work in progress,'' according to Coach Jeff Tedford. ``I know I didn't call some of the plays right,'' Ayoob said after Cal's 28-0 victory. ``There were some miscues.'' Tedford said it's hard for the offense to look efficient with mental mistakes. ``Things were called the wrong way so we're not going to jell,'' Tedford said. ``Some of the plays got called wrong in the huddle. ``But more and more, Joe is getting more comfortable. Each week, he learns something different.''

Tedford's main concern is that Ayoob hit his wide receivers when they shake open downfield. He missed deep balls to freshman DeSean Jackson and sophomore Sam DeSa. ``We need to get better on our long balls, but it could be a situation of the way we practice on half a field,'' Tedford said. ``We might need to move to more of a situation where we have the chance to let it loose.'' Tedford was asked if Ayoob needed to complete those throws if Cal expects to beat UCLA next Sturday. ``Those are the types of throws that we have to make against anybody,'' Tedford said.

• For the second consecutive game, the Bears had special-teams blunders.

Arizona's Syndric Steptoe returned a punt 85 yards to Cal's 5-yard line in the first quarter, but a holding penalty nullified it. Instead, Arizona got the ball at its 15. In the third quarter, Steptoe returned a low David Lonie punt 33 yards to Cal's 19. That set up an inspired goal-line stand by the Bears. Cal also looked susceptible to giving up big gains during its kickoffs. ``We're giving up way too many kickoff return yards,'' Tedford said. ``We're going to evaluate that entire unit, all the personnel.''

 

SF Chronicle: Special-teams play is concern for Tedford

Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sunday, October 2, 2005

Coach Jeff Tedford, coming off another game that included breakdowns on special teams, said he is particularly concerned about Cal's coverage on kickoffs and punts.  "We're really going to evaluate those units," he said, noting coaches could be making some personnel changes.  Arizona's Syndric Steptoe had four punt returns for a total of 44 yards, the longest for 34 yards. He also returned four kickoffs for 73 yards, the longest for 30. He also returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown but it was called back because of a holding penalty.  Tedford said he was also concerned about kickoffs. David Lonie put one in the end zone but three others came down short near the 5-yard line. Placekicker Tom Schneider also kicked off once, his coming down a couple yards short of the end zone.  Phantom interference: Cornerback Tim Mixon was called for pass interference in the first half on a play that appeared to be a clean break-up on TV replays.  "I thought that was a very nice play by Timmy," Tedford said.

Mixon also thought he had made a clean play, going over the back of the receiver to knock the ball away. He said he thought the official didn't have the best view.  Tedford, seen talking to an official after the play, was asked if his questions on the call had been answered. "I didn't ask much," he said. "I was giving more comments than asking questions.''  Practice problems: In discussing quarterback Joe Ayoob's inconsistency on deep throws, Tedford said Cal's practice facilities could be part of the problem.  The Bears practice on the turf of Memorial Stadium, with the first-string defense facing the scout team offense on one half of the field and the starting offense facing the scout defense on the other half.  He said Ayoob rarely has the opportunity to throw the ball longer than 45 yards.  "That's something we have to address," he said.  

Injury report: Offensive tackle Andrew Cameron, making his first start after missing two games with a concussion, left early in the game with a knee injury.  And defensive tackle Abu Ma'afala, who blocked Arizona's 50-yard field-goal attempt in the first quarter, left the game with a sprained ankle.  Tedford said X-rays were negative on both injuries.  Defensive leaders: Linebacker Desmond Bishop led the team in tackles with six.  Close behind with five stops were Mixon, end Nu'u Tafisi, corner Daymeion Hughes and end Phillip Mbakogu.  Mixon had one interception and broke up three pass plays. Hughes had two picks and broke up two passes.

 

ANG Newspapers: Complete effort prepares Bears for rough road

BERKELEY — Cal has been ranked as a Top 25 team all year, but Saturday may have marked the first time it actually played like one.  The Golden Bears pummeled Arizona 28-0 at Memorial Stadium, and the defeat was as thorough as they've rendered in their 5-0 start, even though the Wildcats were probably the best opponent Jeff Tedford's still-maturing club has faced so far.  Cal may not be ready for USC just yet — after what happened to Oregon and Arizona State the past two weeks, maybe nobody is — but the Bears finally appear properly primed for UCLA next Saturday. That was in question before this performance. Not so anymore. Bring on the Bruins.  "Yeah, definitely, I'm sure our team will rise to the occasion, playing in a hostile environment against a Top 25 team," quarterback Joe Ayoob said of the No. 20 Bruins, who edged Washington 21-17 Saturday. "We'll be ready to play, and we'll give them everything we've got."

To be sure, this latest effort against Arizona revealed a Bears team that appears to be coming into its own. Cal's defense was just short of spectacular for much of this game and was particularly impressive after a pair of questionable pass-interference penalties — one in each half — appeared to have set up Arizona for scores. The Bears just locked down tighter and preserved a most impressive shutout.  "We probably tackled much better than we have in any game, and we had a lot of guys around the ball," linebacker Ryan Foltz said. "It was five, six, seven guys on every tackle. It was really great to see."  And the offense? Well, not bad, but not good enough to ignite that certain sparkle in Tedford's eyes just yet. Marshawn Lynch, fractured finger and all, returned after a two-game absence to spur a 194-yard team rushing effort with 107 of his own on 20 carries. Ayoob, meanwhile, completed 14 of 20 attempts, tossed a couple of TD passes and seems to be developing a better grasp of the offense and Division I football with each outing.   At other times, though, he showed there is still room for improvement.

"It's still a work in progress," said Tedford. "Each week I think he learns something different, and I think he gets more comfortable with something. So, we're going to keep working at it."  Next up: the deep ball. Ayoob missed some throws down the field that might have broken open the game sooner than it was. To his credit, he did make a great scramble and hit Robert Jordan for a 39-yard touchdown in the third quarter. But a couple of other potential TDs were overthrown.

Tedford and Ayoob know that has to change as the competition gets stiffer in coming weeks.  "To beat great teams and to compete for a conference championship, we have to make a lot more plays in the passing game," the coach said.

"You can't expect to win every game just throwing 5- to 10-yard passes," the quarterback said. "You've got to throw some long ones, and you've got to hit them. I haven't hit the balls down the field that I would like to, but I'm not worried about it. I know I can do it and it'll come."  It dawned on Tedford in the wake of Saturday's game that maybe the problem was occurring as a result of how Cal works out during the week. Because the offense and defense split the field at Memorial Stadium, the Bears aren't getting the proper kind of space required for practicing more accurate longer throws down the field.  "Because we practice on just one field, we don't get to throw the ball much longer than 45 yards," said Tedford.

That will change this week, as will some inner workings of the Bears' other nagging problem area — kick coverage. Tedford still believes his team is giving up too many yards on kickoffs, and the Bears also got a big break in the first half when an 85-yard punt return by Arizona's Syndric Steptoe was called back by a penalty. "We're going to have to evaluate personnel (on the kick-coverage unit) and find out if we have the right guys in the right positions," he said.   But by and large, Cal passed a significant test against a solid if not yet front-rank Pac-10 team. Those first four opponents? The Bears don't like talk that they played a parade of patsies, but the fact is that heading into Saturday, those first four victims — Sac State, Washington, Illinois and New Mexico State — were a combined 3-13 and had been outscored 562-278.  In the next five weeks, the Bears not only play the Bruins, but also the two Oregon schools, Washington State, and of course, those top-ranked Trojans. Stomping Arizona sets a proper precedent for a significantly tougher road ahead.

 

AP: No. 12 California waylays Arizona 28-0

JOSH DUBOW

Associated Press

BERKELEY, Calif. - Marshawn Lynch ran for 107 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from an injury and No. 12 California shut out Arizona for the second straight year, 28-0 Saturday. Joe Ayoob threw for two scores and ran for one for the Golden Bears (5-0, 2-0 Pac-10), who are off to their best start since winning their first five games under coach Steve Mariucci in 1996. Arizona (1-3) lost its conference opener and is off to a rough start in coach Mike Stoops' second season, beating only Division I-AA Northern Arizona so far and with a trip to No. 1 Southern California next week. Ayoob went 14-for-20 for 137 yards and Justin Forsett ran for 74 yards for Cal, which visits No. 20 UCLA next week. Ayoob also had two key scrambles on touchdown drives and showed off his mobility on his TD throw, being flushed to the right and reversing field to the left before connecting with Robert Jordan on a 39-yard score that made it 21-0 midway through the third quarter. But the Bears did most of their damage on the ground, which was no surprise considering they had run for more than 200 yards in each of the first four games and Arizona entered the game 100th in the nation in run defense, allowing 202 yards per game. Lynch, who missed the last two games with a broken finger, scored in the first quarter and gave Cal its 17th straight game with a 100-yard rusher. Forsett, who had 422 yards those two games, ran for 50 yards on the drive that ended with Ayoob's 1-yard run. Cal finished with 194 yards rushing on the day.

Cal has outscored Arizona 66-0 the past two seasons

The Wildcats' best chance to score came after Syndric Steptoe returned a punt 34 yards to the Cal 19 late in the third quarter. Arizona had a first-and-goal at the 2, but then lost 2 yards on a pair of runs and Richard Kovalcheck threw two incompletions to turn it over on downs. Kovalcheck finished 19-for-36 for 169 yards and three interceptions.   Arizona drove inside the 20 late in the first half, but an intentional grounding by Kovalcheck sent the Wildcats back to the 33. The flag wasn't thrown until about a minute after the play, when referee Larry Farina consulted with two other officials. Nick Folk's 50-yard field goal was then blocked by Abu Ma'afala. After the teams traded interceptions early in the first quarter, Arizona appeared to get the first big break when Steptoe returned a punt 79 yards to the 5. But a holding on Dramayne McElroy negated the play and put the ball back on the Arizona 15. Cal forced a three-and-out and Tim Mixon had a 27-yard punt return to set the Bears up at the Arizona 45. Ayoob hit Craig Stevens for 7 yards on third-and-3 and scrambled for 12 to set up Lynch's 1-yard score in the final minute of the first quarter. Cal stuck to the ground on its other first-half scoring drive, gaining all 79 yards with the run. Ayoob scored on an option keeper on fourth down from the 1 to make it 14-0 midway through the second quarter. The Bears won only one more game after their 5-0 start in 1996, but three of the other seven times they won their first five games they went to the Rose Bowl, the site of this season's national championship game.

Sports Network: Golden Bears blank 'Cats again

Berkeley, CA (Sports Network) - Joe Ayoob threw two touchdown passes and also ran for a score as 12th-ranked California shut out Arizona, 28-0, at Memorial Stadium.  Ayoob was 14-of-20 for 137 yards with an interception for the Golden Bears (5-0, 2-0 Pac-10), who began a season with five straight wins for the first time since 1996 and extended their regular-season winning streak to 12 games. The school's last regular-season setback came on October 9, 2004 at Southern California.  Marshawn Lynch contributed 107 rushing yards and a touchdown in the win.  The victory also increased California's home winning streak to 10 consecutive games. In addition, the Bears extended their school-best conference winning streak to eight.  Richard Kovalcheck ended 19-of-36 for 169 yards with three interceptions for the Wildcats (1-3, 0-1), who have been shut out in consecutive years against California.  The Golden Bears took a 7-0 lead with 47 seconds left in the first quarter as Lynch capped an eight-play, 45-yard drive with a one-yard TD scamper. The march was set up by Tim Mixon's 27-yard punt return.  "I think we came out and did incredibly well," said Mixon.  California increased its advantage to 14 points as they drove 79 yards early in the second period. Justin Forsett rushed for 40 yards on the series, including a 23-yard burst, before Ayoob capped the 12-play series with a one- yard quarterback sneak on 4th-and-goal with 5:42 left in the half.  In the third quarter, the Golden Bears expanded the edge to 21-0 as Ayoob culminated a six-play drive by finding a wide open Robert Jordan for a 39-yard touchdown pass. On the play, Ayoob was pressured in the backfield and was able to elude several would-be tacklers before heaving up a pass to Jordan.  Arizona had a chance to get on the board in the waning minutes of the third period, but Kovalchek's fourth-down pass from the Bears four-yard line fell incomplete.

California capped the scoring with 1:51 left in the game as Ayoob hit Chris Manderino for a 10-yard score.

Game Notes

Cal's 12-game regular-season winning streak is the school's longest since winning 33 straight from November 1, 1947 to November 25, 1950...The Golden Bears' 10-game homefield winning streak is also the longest since the school won 21 straight home contests from 1948 to 1950...California is 2-0 in the Pac-10 for the first time since 1998...The 1996 team began 5-0 under head coach Steve Mariucci before ending 6-6...California's consecutive shutouts over the Wildcats marks the first time the school has blanked an opponent in two straight seasons since 1969-70 when the Bears did it against Washington State. Cal won last year's meeting with the Wildcats, 38-0...Arizona has lost three straight to the Golden Bears and trails the all-time series 12-11-2...Prior to the last two meetings, neither team had ever posted a shutout in the all-time series.

 

Tucson Citizen: 'Genius' label does fit Tedford

ANTHONY GIMINO

Tucson Citizen

A Google search for "Jeff Tedford" and "genius" returns about 780 hits. The same search in Mike Stoops' name finds about half of that. It's completely unscientific, of course, but Tedford, Cal's coach, does get put on high. Sometimes the references are not limited to genius. It's uber-genius. Or genius-in-residence. Stoops, Arizona's coach, is a whiz kid in his own right, but he is a former defensive coordinator in the Land of the Flying Pigskin. The pass-happy Pacific-10 Conference has half its teams averaging more than 43 points per game, and while those numbers are inflated by nonconference games against inferior foes, the pace might not drop off dramatically. "I don't think it will soon, the way these teams are going," Oregon State coach Mike Riley said. "There is some awfully good personnel and schemes going in this league. It will be some rough sledding for defenses in this league." As Stoops begins his second season of Pac-10 play - today against the genius who is Tedford - he and his defensive staff will have to outcoach, out-scheme and outwork some of the best offenses in the nation in order for the Wildcats to survive. Only three head coaches in the Pac-10 truly made their name on the defensive side of the ball - USC's Pete Carroll, Washington State's Bill Doba and Stoops. When Carroll started at USC in 2001, he had the benefit of offensive coordinator Norm Chow, perhaps "the greatest assistant coach in the history of college football," Carroll said. Together they constructed what Carroll now calls "the USC offense" ... or what everybody else calls it: "un-bleepin' believable." Doba was a longtime assistant coach under Mike Price, so when Price ill-fatedly left for Alabama, Doba just needed to do maintenance on the Cougs' proven one-back offense. Defensive man Stoops and his offensive coordinator, Mike Canales, have had to come the farthest. They took over a UA offense that had ranked last, ninth and eighth in scoring in Pac-10 games the previous three seasons. Meanwhile, Cal has averaged 34.6 points per Pac-10 game in three-plus seasons under Tedford, whose special brand of genius comes from superb play-calling, misdirection and disguising the same play for use by different formations. With Tedford, one play logically leads to another, which leads to another, which leads to another. "They do a lot of things to see how you react, to set you up," UA safety Darrell Brooks said.  So, give Tedford his genius due. But in the Pac-10, it's basically genius versus genius every week. Sometimes, the defensive genius wins.

 

 

Napa Valley Register: McHone home to play Cal

Former Brave suiting up for Arizona today

Saturday, October 1, 2005

By MARTY JAMES

Executive Sports Editor

Today is a homecoming of sorts for Garon McHone, a sophomore long snapper for the University of Arizona's football team. McHone, who played at Justin-Siena High School, will be in Berkeley to face No. 12 California in a Pacific-10 Conference game, which starts at  4 p.m. at Memorial Stadium and will be nationally televised by TBS.  It's McHone's first trip to the Bay Area.  It's also Arizona's Pac-10 opener. "I'm excited because I haven't been back to California in a long time," said McHone, 20. "There's a lot of people coming, family that I haven't seen in a while. It will be good to see them after the game, definitely. "It's a great feeling to know that I'll have people there supporting my team and me. I have been waiting for this for a long time to come back to California." It hasn't been an easy road for McHone. After earning First-Team All-Marin County Athletic League and All-Napa County honors, McHone walked on at Arizona. He redshirted his first year and was a back-up center in 2004. This year he's started each of the first three games for the Wildcats (1-2) as the team's long snapper on punts, field goals and PATs. "I was pretty excited to leave to go to a new place, to tell you the truth," McHone, a business management major, said in a telephone interview from Tucson, Ariz., Thursday night. "Some people might be scared but I was ready to go. "When I first got there, everybody on the team was a superstar from their high school, so you're playing with people that are just great football players. It was quite an adjustment to make. I had to put on the weight and the strength so that I could to match up with these people. "It was pretty hard. My first year I was kind of looked over. I've had some rough times, but I've hung in there. You just know you have to keep fighting -- it will all work out." McHone, listed at 6-foot-4, 269 pounds, won a starting job for Arizona in training camp. He's been happy with his snapping and the technique, timing, execution and blocking that goes into the special teams position, and is hoping that he can land a scholarship. McHone, who is from Suisun, said "there's a lot more pressure than people think" on the long snapper, particularly on punts, as he is also involved in coverage and trying to make the tackle. "You get down there, people are screaming sometimes, people are trying to get into your head and taunting you a little bit," he said. "It's pretty difficult. It's just a matter of being able to block everything out. "When I get out there I let my mind go completely blank and only focus on what I'm doing. That's something I've been working on for the past few years, and I've been able to do it finally." He was so happy and excited that he called Rich Cotruvo, Justin-Siena's head coach, when he first learned he would be starting. "He was excited to hear from me," said McHone. "I've been keeping up with (the Braves)." McHone, a junior academically and a sophomore athletically, works with the Wildcats' kickers and punters in practice. He said he's pleased with his overall play, especially since he hasn't had any mistakes. "It's going well right now. Hopefully it will stay that way. I'm pretty happy with it. I've got to stay healthy. Keeping the weight up is always a difficult issue, especially going through a season." McHone and the Wildcats face an undefeated and nationally-ranked Cal team today. The Bears (4-0) are seeking their first 5-0 start since 1996. "It is a challenge. It is a good challenge," said McHone. "They're ranked and they're a good, solid team. But I think we have a really good chance to beat them. I definitely think that if we are going to beat Cal it would be a very close game. "You've got to hold respect for your opponent every time you play them. I think that if we can play our game, mistake-free, which is a big part, then we definitely have a good chance."

Clarion-Ledger: California grounding it out at record pace

QB guru Jeff Tedford's Bears rolling to nearly 276 rushing yards per game

By Eric Gilmore

BERKELEY, Calif. — No one's calling Cal "Running Back U." No one's accusing coach Jeff Tedford, a renowned quarterbacks guru, of channeling Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. No one's calling running backs Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett "Thunder and Lightning" or Tedford the second coming of "Ground Chuck" Knox. Well, at least not yet. But it could happen if the Bears keep running over opponents at a school-record pace of 275.8 yards per game. It's not as if Cal has abandoned the pass or plans to run 70 times today against the Arizona Wildcats. Tedford still strives for offensive balance. Yet, you can't deny that it's reached the point where Cal has become a running juggernaut and that opposing defenses must think run first when they play the Bears. "When a team's backup runs for 235 yards and now we have the starter coming back, teams are probably going to worry a little bit about that and say, 'We need to stop the run and make them pass to beat us,"" Cal quarterback Joe Ayoob said. Forsett, subbing for an injured Lynch, rushed for 235 yards last week against New Mexico State and 187 two weeks ago against Illinois. Forsett gained those yards running behind a line missing two starters, left tackle Andrew Cameron and right guard Aaron Merz, both out with concussions.

Now Lynch appears ready to pick up where he left off three weeks ago when he broke a bone in his left hand against Washington. Cameron looks like a go today, and there's a chance Merz could play. The Bears have had a 100-yard rusher in 16 straight games, including third-stringer Marcus O'Keith's 103-yard effort against Washington. During the weekly Pac-10 football coaches' teleconference, Arizona coach Mike Stoops was asked to pinpoint the most impressive aspect of Tedford's offense. "Well, they're running the ball," Stoops said. "I think you've got to look at their ability to run the football with those three backs. "They've all rushed the ball well and all have tremendous ability. I think they're physical up front." In 2002, Tedford's rookie season at Cal, the Bears ranked just seventh in the Pac-10 in rushing at 108.0 yards per game. The next year Cal vaulted to No. 1 in the rushing race at 168.3 yards per game. Last year Cal retained its Pac-10 rushing crown with a gaudy 256.8 yards per game. J.J. Arrington led the nation in rushing with 2,018 yards. Lynch rushed for 628 yards, averaging 8.8 per carry. This year the Bears' running game has been even better. They're sixth in the nation in rushing and are on pace to break a school record (270) that has stood since 1948.  "We try to dominate the run game no matter who we play," Bears guard Erik Robertson said. "I'm sure it's in the minds of the defense and defensive coaches." No doubt. Opposing defenses have started putting more and more defenders close to the line of scrimmage in an effort to stop the Bears' running attack. Would anyone be surprised if Arizona put eight defenders in the "box" and dared Ayoob to beat them?

 

 

SF Chronicle: Bears brace for brunt of Pac-10 play

Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer

Cal's season is about to get tougher with Pac-10 play beginning in earnest.  The Bears, after having an unusually early conference game against Washington, host Arizona today, as it's all Pac-10 opponents from here on out.  The Wildcats are 1-2, their losses coming against good Utah (3-1) and Purdue (2-1) teams. In fact, their schedule has been tougher than Cal's, with the Bears beating four opponents who are a combined 3-13.  But for Cal, it's all worked out for the best, given a string of injuries and the team's collective youth.  "I think we've learned a lot over the last four games," said coach Jeff Tedford, noting the schedule has been particularly beneficial for his first-year players. "The primary lessons are how to travel and how to prepare, how to go in knowing you've got to study your stuff so you don't make mental mistakes on the field."  The Wildcats, in the second year of a rebuilding program under coach Mike Stoops, are learning as well. "It's just learning how to win and play better," Stoops said, referring to the progress made by the team that was 3-8 last year. "We fell short in some areas, but we're much more competitive. We're close. The difference between winning and losing sometimes is very minimal." The Wildcats are improving on defense, befitting Stoops' credentials as a defensive innovator. Arizona's needs are more acute on the other side of the ball, after finishing last in the conference in total offense last year. Stoops said that sophomore quarterback Richard Kovalcheck, who started the final four games last year, has made significant strides. He is 63-for-108 for 793 yards and seven touchdowns.   "Our quarterback play is much more solid and our receiver play has gotten better," Stoops said.  Plus, running back Mike Bell is averaging 88 yards a game.  One key matchup will involve Arizona's run defense, ranked last in the conference, against Cal's running game, No. 1 in the conference.  Tailback Marshawn Lynch, who missed the past two games with a broken finger, is expected to return. And he'll be spelled by Justin Forsett, who gained 422 yards in starting the last two games.  "If we're going to have success, we're going to have to tackle better than we have all year," Stoops said. "They (Lynch and Forsett) are very physical and they are very quick."  For Cal, the challenge is to play closer to its potential -- a constant theme with Tedford after each game. At the same time, he acknowledges the team's progress -- citing the Bears' 595 yards in total offense in last week's 41-13 win over New Mexico State.  "Six-hundred yards of offense and we walk away from there feeling like it's a downer," he said. "We've got to keep it in perspective. We're a young team and we're getting better. We're not going to be perfect."  O'Keith on mend: Tailback Marcus O'Keith, who missed last week's game with a thigh bruise, is probable for today's game.

 

 

San Jose Mercury News: Bears are not sitting back

LOOKING TO IMPROVE DESPITE 4-0 START

By Jay Heater

Knight Ridder

The statistics all look good, but for Cal Coach Jeff Tedford, the feel isn't quite right. ``I'm still trying to figure that part out,'' said Tedford, who has figured things out enough to post a 29-13 overall record in leading the Golden Bears. No. 12 Cal (4-0, 1-0 Pacific-10) hosts Arizona (1-2, 0-0) today at Memorial Stadium, and Tedford is hoping that his team puts together that complete effort he is seeking. The team is scoring 43.2 points per game and allowing just 13.2, yet it is evident Cal needs some fine-tuning to be successful in the Pac-10. ``It might feel a little different because we are running more than we have,'' said Tedford, who is breaking in a new quarterback in junior Joe Ayoob. As Ayoob continues to get comfortable with the offense, things will balance out, Tedford said. ``Joe is throwing with more authority and confidence,'' Tedford said. ``He is getting more of a feel for the process.'' Arizona Coach Mike Stoops says that his quarterback, sophomore Richard Kovalcheck, has acquired that comfort after struggling in 2004. Stoops said his team finally has a passing attack. In addition to Arizona's capabilities through the air, Tedford is concerned about tailback Mike Bell. ``We have to avoid the big plays throwing over the top,'' Tedford said. ``We have to stop Bell from breaking big plays. We have to make them earn everything they get.'' The Bears realize they will have to continue to raise their level of play to be successful in the Pac-10, rover Donnie McCleskey said. ``We need to tackle better and we have to eliminate those big plays,'' he said. ``And we have a lot of respect for Mike Bell. He has great vision and he keeps his feet going. He can hurt you.''

Kovalcheck has been hurting the Wildcats' opponents as well. He has thrown for 793 yards and completed 58.3 percent of his passes. Although the Bears have 10 sacks in four games, pressuring the quarterback appears to be an issue. ``You always need more pressure,'' McCleskey said. ``But I think, so far, our pressure has been great.'' McCleskey said that this season's defensive unit, which has seven new starters, has a chance to be even better than the 2004 version that helped the team to a 10-2 record. ``Our defense is a lot different'' in terms of personnel, McCleskey said. ``But we're faster and more athletic.'' Cal's defense will be without senior defensive end Tosh Lupoi, who should be back soon from a sprained knee. Sophomore Phillip Mbakogu is scheduled to start in Lupoi's absence. Arizona, which has allowed 202 yards rushing per game, will have to deal with Cal tailback Marshawn Lynch, who is expected to return today after missing two games because of a broken left hand. Cal's offense also gets a boost with the return of junior right tackle Andrew Cameron, who missed two games because of a concussion.