2007 California
Golden Bears
Recap:
It was a tale of two starkly different seasons for the Bears in 2007. In the
first, Cal beat Tennessee and Oregon en route to a 5-0 start and a No. 2
national ranking. In the second, Cal stumbled to a 1-6 regular season finish,
falling to seventh place in the Pac-10 and barely qualifying for a December bowl
game. To their credit, the Bears rallied to beat Air Force in the Armed Forces
Bowl, the only good news in Jeff Tedford’s toughest fall in
Berkeley.
Offensive Player of the Year: RB Justin Forsett
Defensive Player of the Year: LB Zack Follett
Biggest Surprise: Down 21-0 to a fired-up Air Force squad on New Year’s
Eve, Cal had the look of a team that was getting a head start on the offseason.
Instead, the Bears dug deep behind backup QB Kevin Riley, scoring six touchdowns
in the final three quarters for a 42-36 victory. Hey, it wasn’t the Rose Bowl
that this program craves, but it’s substantially better than heading into the
long break on a four-game losing streak.
Biggest Disappointment: After the Oregon win on Sept. 29, the offense
went AWOL, failing to score more than 28 points in seven consecutive games.
Although it didn’t help that QB Nate Longshore had a nagging ankle injury, the
Bears had too many weapons to be stonewalled by the likes of Washington and
Stanford.
Looking Ahead: The next few months should be interesting for Tedford, who
hasn’t faced this level of adversity, and has already begun to shake up his
staff. Can Riley unseat the unpredictable Longshore? That’s a question that’ll
be asked plenty between now and the opener with Michigan State.
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2007 Cal Preview
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2006 Cal
Season
2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 9-3
2007 Record: 7-6
Sept. 1
Tennessee
W 45-31
Sept. 8
at Colorado St
W 34-28
Sept. 15
Louisiana Tech
W 42-12
Sept. 22
Arizona W
45-27
Sept. 29
at Oregon
W 31-24
Oct.
13
Oregon State
L 31-28
Oct.
20 at
UCLA L 30-21
Oct.
27
at Arizona State
L 31-20
Nov.
3
Washington St
W 20-17
Nov.
10 USC L 24-17
Nov.
17 at
Washington L 37-23
Dec.
1
at Stanford
L 20-13
Armed Forces Bowl
Dec. 31 Air Force W 42-36 |
Dec. 31
2007 Armed Forces Bowl
California 42 ... Air Force 36
Air Force got the ground game going with 312 yards on the
ground and a 21-0 lead on short touchdown runs from Shaun Carney and Jim Ollis
and a seven-yard Travis Dekker catch. And then the Cal passing game showed up.
Robert Jordan and DeSean Jackson were suspended for the first quarter for
violating team rules, but they ripped up the Falcon secondary when they got in
with Jackson starting off the Cal scoring with an acrobatic 40-yard touchdown
catch fallowed up by a five-yard Lavelle Hawkins scoring grab. Jordan caught an
18-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, but two Ryan Harrison field goals
kept Air Force ahead until late in the third when Justin Forsett ran for the
first of two second half scores. With Carney out with a knee injury, the Falcon
offense wasn't nearly as crisp, but it was able to go on a late scoring drive to
pull within four. That was as close as the Falcons would get.
Offensive Player of the Game:
California QB Kevin Riley completed 16 of 19
passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns, and ran four times for 17 yards and a
score
Defensive Player of the Game: California CB
Syd’Quan Thompson made six tackles and three tackles for loss.
Stat Leaders: California - Passing: Kevin Riley, 16-19, 269
yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 23-140, 2 TD. Receiving: Robert Jordan,
6-148, 1 TD
Air Force - Passing: Shaun Carney, 5-8, 68 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Shaun Carney, 15-108, 1 TD. Receiving: Travis Dekker, 4-63,
1 TD
Thoughts & Notes ... Cal's win over Air Force was a textbook
definition of want-to vs. talent. Air Force came out roaring and with everything
working perfectly, and then the Bears turned up their skill level a few notches
and roared back for the win. ... Kevin Riley showed why he'll probably be Cal's
leader over the next few seasons. Getting time to throw, he worked perfectly
with his tremendous receiving corps to spark the comeback, and most importantly
once the momentum was all Cal's way, he didn't make mistakes and didn't turn the
ball over. ... The option works at the highest levels. Air Force was able to
move the ball, but it was the defense that proved to be the problem in the
second half. The offense did a nice job of keeping relative control when Cal
started bombing away. ... Where was this fight in Cal over the second half of
the season? If it had showed the fight and the efficiency it had in the last
three quarters against Air Force, it would've been in a much better bowl.
Dec. 1
Stanford 20 ... California 13
Stanford took advantage of several Cal mistakes and got just
enough scoring to hold on as Cal got Jordan Kay's second field goal with under
five minutes to play to pull within a touchdown. Nick Sanchez snuffed out a
final Bear drive with his second interception of the game to give Stanford its
first win over Jeff Tedford and send Cal reeling. The Cardinal started out the
scoring with a 28-yard Mark Bradford catch on the first play following a Nate
Longshore fumble, and got two field goals from Derek Belch and a one-yard Austin
Gunder touchdown grab. Cal only got in the end zone on a first quarter Robert
Jordan catch from 46 yards out.
Player of the game:
Stanford S Bo McNally made 13 tackles and 1.5
tackles for loss
Stat Leaders: California - Passing: Nate Longshore, 22-47,
252 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 19-96. Receiving: Lavelle Hawkins, 7-63
Stanford - Passing: T.C. Ostrander, 16-23, 151 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Jeremy Stewart, 24-70. Receiving: Mark Bradford, 5-84, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
disaster is complete. The Bears not only collapsed over the second half of the
year, but now they finished up with a loss to Stanford thanks to one of the
team's sloppiest performances of the season. Ten penalties, three turnovers, and
a slew of empty drives ended the regular season with a stunning thud. This is
too talented a team to be as awful as it turned out to be, and now it
desperately needs the practices and the time from the bowl experience to turn
things around going into 2008.
Nov. 17
Washington 37 ... California 23
Washington ran for 334 yards with Louis Ranking cranking out
224 with a five-yard touchdown. The Bears appeared to take control with three
first half Nate Longshore touchdown passes, but the Huskies rallied with a
12-yard Marcel Reece scoring grab with 12 seconds to play after getting a short
field following a fumble. And then the UW running game took over as it hung on
to the ball for close to 20 minutes in the second half with the scoring coming
from three Ryan Perkins field goals. In the loss, Thomas DeCoud made 16 tackles
for the Bears.
Player of the game:
Washington RB Louis Rankin ran 21 times for 224
yards and a touchdown
Stat Leaders: California - Passing: Nate Longshore, 20-28,
236 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 22-141. Receiving: Lavelle Hawkins, 6-58
Washington - Passing: Carl Bonnell, 7-19, 108 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Louis Rankin, 21-224, 1 TD. Receiving: Anthony Russo, 3-26
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... What
the heck is going on? Cal lost to Washington by getting pounded on up the middle
over and over and over again. The defensive tackles got erased but the UW
interior line, and the supposedly high-powered Bear offense never got on track.
Is the team really this bad, or is it a letdown factor with the season going
down the tubes? At the moment it's a little of both, but a win over Stanford
would put a Band-Aid on the situation and ensure a decent bowl since there
aren't going to be many eligible Pac 10 teams.
Nov. 10
USC 24 ... California 17
In a major downpour, USC got a three-yard touchdown run from
Stafon Johnson to break a 17-17 tie, and then the defense held on as
Lawrence Jackson snuffed out one drive with a fumble recovery, and
Terrell Thomas stopping another with an interception. The Trojans
ran for 239 yards, with Chauncey Washington running for 220
including a 36-yard touchdown dash in the second quarter. Cal also
ran well, tearing off 200 yards with Justin Forsett running for 164
and a touchdown. The two teams traded scores back and forth, with
Lavelle Hawkins tying it late in the third quarter on a 20-yard
catch. The Trojan final touchdown drive started on its own four,
going 96 yards in ten plays.
Player of the game:
USC RB Chauncey
Washington ran 29 times for 220 yards and a touchdown
Stat Leaders: California - Passing: Nate Longshore, 13-29,
199 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 31-164, 1 TD. Receiving: DeSean Jackson,
5-64
USC - Passing: John David Booty, 11-20, 129 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Chauncey Washington, 29-220, 1 TD. Receiving: Fred Davis,
4-54
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
The rain can't be blamed for the three
turnovers against USC, especially the two picks thrown by Nate
Longshore. Cal ran extremely well, but couldn't handle the Trojan
running game and offensive line. There was little pressure on John
David Booty, few plays at the point of attack, and not enough
game-changing moments on defense. Now the Bears have lost four of
five, has seen their season crash and burn, and now needs to beat
Washington and Stanford to get back up in the pecking order. Step
one to turning things around is to get the receivers more involved.
Justin Forsett running is nice, but DeSean Jackson has to get going.
Nov. 3
California 20 ... Washington State 17
Cal got touchdown runs from one and 44 yards from Justin
Forsett and two Jordan Kay field goals to plow its way to a tough
win. Washington State could only manage three
Romeen Abdollmohammadi
field goals before an 18-yard Charles Dillon touchdown catch with 19
seconds to play.
Player of the
game:
California RB
Justin Forsett ran 31 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Cal
was able to hang on to the ball for 37:27 by converting 12 of 19
third down chances, and allowing Wazzu to convert just four of 16
tries.
Stat Leaders: Washington State - Passing: Alex
Brink, 20-41, 280 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Kevin McCall, 17-50. Receiving: Brandon
Gibson, 4-136
California - Passing: Nate Longshore, 25-36,
205 yds
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 31-129, 2 TD. Receiving: Lavelle
Hawkins, 9-78
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... What
happened to the Cal offensive explosion? Nate Longshore was fine at
keeping the chains moving against Washington State, but the star
receivers weren't able to break out and put the game away with any
home runs. Justin Forsett got back on track after an average few
weeks. The defense came up with one of its best games of the year,
mostly because it wasn't on the field. It was able to do a great job
of stopping the Cougar running game and didn't allow any big plays
to turn the game around. Now comes the real test against USC. Win
that, and the season is turned around.
Oct. 27
Arizona State 31 ... California 20
Cal got out to 13-0 first quarter lead on a 13-yard Cameron
Jordan fumble recovery for a touchdown and two Jordan Kay field
goals, ASU got an 11-yard Dimitri Nance touchdown run, Cal answered
with a 21-yard DeSean Jackson touchdown catch, and then it was all
Sun Devils the rest of the way. Nance scored from two and eight
yards out, Thomas Weber hit a 47-yard field goal, and Kyle Williams
caught a 12-yard scoring pass as part of a 24-0 run. Cal's offense
sputtered in the second half, but ASU only outgained the Bears 363
yards to 359.
Player of the
game: Arizona State RB Dimitri Nance ran 21 times for 85 yards
and three touchdowns and caught three passes for 47 yards
Stat Leaders: California - Passing: Nate
Longshore, 18-36, 261 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 17-62. Receiving: DeSean
Jackson, 5-88, 1 TD
Arizona State - Passing: Rudy Carpenter, 17-29,
219 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Keegan Herring, 24-96. Receiving:
Chris McGaha, 4-58
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
running game has gone bye-bye. It didn't show up against UCLA and
went missing against Arizona State. Nate Longshore didn't get
sacked, but he was hit just enough to make him relatively
ineffective in the second half. The Cal defense was the Cal defense,
good at times, but unable to come up with the really big stops when
needed. On a three-game losing streak, now it's time for a big, easy
win over Washington State before dealing with USC. The season isn't
totally lost, even if the Rose Bowl is, but things could quickly go
into the tank with a home loss to the Cougars.
Oct. 20
UCLA 30 ... California 21
Down one late in the fourth quarter, UCLA got a 27-yard Kai
Forbath field goal for a 23-21 lead, but Cal got into instant
scoring range on a big Jahvid Best kickoff return. On third and five
from the UCLA 30, Nate Longshore got picked off by Alterraun Verner
for the second time of the day, but this time it went 76 yards for a
score. In the see-saw game, the Bruins got three Forbath field goals
and a trick touchdown on a 29-yard pass from WR Brandon Breazell to
Dominique Johnson, but the Bears kept pace with three Longshore
touchdown passes including two to DeSean Jackson.
Player of the
game:
UCLA DB Alterraun Verner made 4.5 tackles, two tackles for loss,
broke up three passes, and picked off two passes, taking one for a
game-sealing touchdown.
Stat Leaders: California - Passing: Nate
Longshore, 22-34, 232 yds, 3 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 25-76. Receiving: DeSean
Jackson, 9-136, 2 TD
UCLA - Passing: Pat Cowan, 18-27, 161 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Kahlil Bell, 22-142. Receiving: Joe Cowan, 7-39
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Where was the running game against UCLA?
The Bruin D is good, but it's not so great that Cal should've been
held to 67 rushing yards. Nate Longshore appeared to be a bit rusty
coming off his ankle injury, but the big issue late was hit reliance
on DeSean Jackson. The Cal offense hummed best when everyone got
involved, and even though Longshore spread things out relatively
well, Lavelle Hawkins and Jahvid Best each only caught three passes.
Now the key will be to get fired up again with a trip to Arizona
State up next. This once-promising season could quickly go in the
tank with a three-game losing streak if the Bears aren't sharp.
Oct. 13
Oregon State 31 ... California 28
Down ten in the final minutes, the Bears came up with a
thriller of an ending as Lavelle Hawkins took a Kevin Riley pass 64
yards for a touchdown to pull within three, and after the D held,
they got the ball on their own six with 1:27 to play. Riley almost
got sacked for a safety, and almost got stopped several other times
on the drive, but he got the ball deep into OSU territory helped by
a 37-yard pass to Robert Jordan and a pass interference call to get
it down to the 12. But with no timeouts left, Riley tried to run,
got stopped at the eight, and time ran out. It was a see-saw game
for the first 50 minutes, highlighted by a ten-yard Hawkins
touchdown catch, and for Oregon State, field goals from 22, 52 and
33 yards out and two one-yard Yvenson Bernard touchdown runs.
Player of the
game:
Oregon State LB Alan
Darlin made 14 tackles, one sack, and forced and recovered a fumble
Stat Leaders: Oregon State - Passing: Sean
Canfield, 18-33, 186 yds
Rushing: Yvenson Bernard, 18-33, 186 yds. Receiving:
Yvenson Bernard, 8-53
Cal - Passing: Kevin Riley, 20-34, 294 yds, 2
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 28-150, 1 TD. Receiving: Lavelle Hawkins,
9-192, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Number one was right there for the taking. Forever, Cal fans would
wonder what would've happened if Nate Longshore would've been
healthy for the Oregon State game, but Kevin Riley wasn't all that
bad, and he even added a little bit of mobility. Yeah, he shouldn't
have run at the end and made a mental error, but that's a young
player in the biggest of all pressure situations. The defense didn't
do enough to get pressure and force OSU QB Sean Canfield to screw
up, and the coaching staff didn't do enough to try getting the ball
in DeSean Jackson's hands. The season is hardly over, but now
there's no room for error.
Sept. 29
California 31 ... Oregon 24
Cal got 21 fourth quarter points on two Justin Forsett
touchdown runs and a 31-yard DeSean Jackson scoring grab, but it had
to hold on as the Ducks got in scoring range on the final drive, but
Cameron Colvin, diving for a possible score, lost the ball through
the end zone. After several minutes of review, it was ruled a
touchback and Cal was able to run out the clock. Oregon held a 10-3
after a defensive first half, highlighted by a five-yard Jonathan
Stewart touchdown run. Cal was able to tie it on a 25-yard Jackson
score, but Oregon responded with a 42-yard Colvin catch. Oregon
turned it over four times, with Dennis Dixon throwing two
interceptions, while Cal didn't give the ball away.
Player of the
game:
California WR
DeSean Jackson caught 11 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Oregon - Passing: Dennis Dixon,
31-44, 306 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Jonathan Stewart, 21-120, 1 TD. Receiving:
Cameron Colvin, 7-74, 1 TD
Cal - Passing: Nate Longshore, 28-43, 285 yds,
2 TD
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 23-101, 2 TD. Receiving: DeSean
Jackson, 11-161, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
The defense was supposed to be beaten up
and totally unable to stop the high-powered Oregon attack. While the
Ducks rolled for almost 500 yards, the Bears hit like a ton of
bricks, and forced four turnovers that proved to be the difference.
There was tremendous offensive balance, with Nate Longshore playing
a gutty game, keeping things moving late despite being hurt. After a
win like this, now the spotlight will really be on. This was the
official announcement that Cal is a real deal national title
contender.
Sept. 22
California 45 ... Arizona 27
Cal was cruising to an apparently easy win, as Justin Forsett
and Jahvid Best each ran for short scores, LaVelle Hawkins caught an
18-yard touchdown pass, and Tyson Alualu recovered a fumble for a
touchdown as part of a 28-point first quarter. The Bears were up
38-10 early in the third, but Arizona came back with 17 straight
points to pull within 11 with 13 minutes to play. Playing with a
banged up thigh, Forsett came off the bench to lead the way on a
game-clinching drive, finishing up with a three-yard touchdown run.
Player of the
game:
Cal RB Justin
Forsett rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
Stat Leaders: Arizona - Passing: Willie Tuitama,
42-61, 309 yds, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Rushing: Nicholas Grigsby, 13-42, 1 TD. Receiving:
Mike Thomas, 12-105, 1 TD
Cal - Passing: Nate Longshore, 16-30, 235 yds,
1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 23-117, 2 TDs. Receiving:
Lavelle Hawkins, 6-95, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Will
the team be able to maintain its focus for a full season? It's still
early, and already the defense has suffered second half lapses,
while the offense hasn't been able to keep its foot on the gas
against a good team. 14 penalties for 121 yards, and too many
misfires in the second half, helped make things closer than they
should've been against Arizona. The lack of a the home run from
DeSean Jackson, or anyone else, isn't a concern considering how
balanced the offense was. However, to beat Oregon, Cal needs that
explosion back.
Sept. 15
California 42 ... Louisiana Tech 12
Cal jumped out to a quick lead after LaVelle Hawkins returned
the opening kickoff 90 yards for the touchdown, and then the running
game took over as Justin Forsett scored from two and 39 yards out. A
Crag Stevens 17-yard touchdown catch at the end of the first half
made it 28-6 Bears, and after Tech started off the second-half
scoring with a five-yard Patric Jackson catch, the Cal offense went
back to work going 47 yards in just over two minutes with Jahvid
Best catching a 16-yard scoring pass. Forsett put it well out of
reach with a one-yard run.
Player of the
game:
Cal RB Justin
Forsett rushed 23 times for 153 yards and three touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Louisiana Tech - Passing: Zac
Champion, 18-32, 149 yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
Rushing: Patrick Jackson, 18-68. Receiving: Joe
Anderson, 5-31, 1 TD
Cal - Passing: Nate Longshore, 22-33, 230 yds,
2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 23-152, 3 TDs. Receiving:
LaVelle Hawkins, 7-87
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Cal
knows the passing game is solid, and it didn't have many problems
against Louisiana Tech, but this win was all about the running game.
The offensive line dominated the Bulldog defensive front, and Justin
Forsett took advantage with a sensational day, averaging 6.6 yards
per carry. The defense that's struggled so much so far had few
problems getting into the backfield and blowing up plays, but there
were still a few too many decent runs. That's nitpicking. The team
isn't razor-sharp, but it's playing well going into the Pac 10
opener against Arizona.
Sept. 8
California 34 ... Colorado State 28
Helped by a 73-yard DeSean Jackson touchdown run off a
reverse, Cal got out to a 34-14 lead, but had to hang on as Colorado
State scored on a 66- yard Damon Morton punt return for a touchdown
and a three-yard Kyle Bell scoring run in the final four minutes.
Cal was able to run out the clock after the Bell score, but it had
to sweat. Benn ran for two scores on the day, and Caleb Hanie added
a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, but Cal tore off a
20-point run, helped by a 64-yard touchdown dash from Jahvid Best to
get the lead for good.
Player of the
game:
Cal WR DeSean
Jackson had five catches for 42 yards, two carries for 78 yards and
a touchdown, and a pair of punt returns for 24 yards.
Stat
Leaders: Cal
- Passing:
Nate Longshore 19-29, 146 yds
Rushing:
DeSean Jackson, 2-78, 1 TD. Receiving: LaVelle Hawkins, 5-43
Colorado State
- Passing: Caleb Hanie, 21-29, 301 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing:
Kyle Bell,
26-102, 2 TDs. Receiving: Damon Morton, 5-116, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
There was bound to be a bit of a letdown after the emotionally
charged win over Tennessee, but Cal will have to be wary all year
long of letting down in games. It was a breather with about five
minutes to play, and then the Bears took their foot off the gas and
it became way too close. As explosive as the Cal offense is, it's
going to have to keep pushing and keep going for the big plays until
the defense can prove it can stop someone.
Sept. 1
California 45 ... Tennessee 31
In a wild game with a variety of big scoring plays, Cal kicked
things off with a 44-yard Worrell Williams fumble return for a
touchdown, got a brilliant 77-yard punt return for a touchdown from
DeSean Jackson, and got two scoring passes and a two-yard touchdown run
from Nate Longshore. Tennessee hung tough in a wild first half, and
pulled within seven by the fourth quarter with a five-yard touchdown
catch from Chris Brown and a 41-yard Daniel Lincoln field goal. Just
when it seemed like the Vols had the momentum, Cal went on a 70-yard
scoring drive finishing up with a 13-yard touchdown run from Justin
Forsett. Despite playing with a broken finger on his throwing hand,
Tennessee QB Erik Ainge threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns.
Player of
the game ...
California RB
Justin Forsett ran 26 times for 156 yards and a touchdown
Stat Leaders: California - Passing: Nate
Longshore, 19-28, 241 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Justin Forsett, 26-156, 1 TD Receiving:
Lavelle Hawkins, 7-90, 1 TD
Tennessee - Passing: Erik Ainge, 32-47, 271 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Arian Foster, 13-89 Receiving:
Chris Brown, 7-54, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
defense couldn't handle the Tennessee passing game, a horrible sign of
things to come in Pac 10 play, and the run defense didn't do too much,
but the explosive offense, and the wonderful punt return for a score
from DeSean Jackson, helped Cal get one of its biggest wins in school
history. Now there will be a national buzz about the Bears all year
long. Everyone will want to see what Jackson does on a weekly basis, and
everyone will want to see if the offense can keep up the excitement. If
the defense can start to generate some semblance of a pass rush,
something it didn't do enough of against the Vols, this will be a
dangerous team in the national title chase.
Sept. 1 - Tennessee
Offense: The return of David Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator
made a night-and-day difference in the passing game. Now he needs to get
the running game to do more, and there needs to be even more from QB
Erik Ainge after a nice bounceback year. The receiving corps loses the
top three targets and the line loses the two best players, so it'll be
up to the trio of Arian Foster, LaMarcus Coker and Montario Hardesty to
carry the running game and the offense. Ainge has to make everyone
around him better until new producers at receiver emerge.
Defense: Is there a defense in America that's produced less with
so much promise and potential? The Vols have a who's who of top high
school prospects that haven't quite panned out, and now that has to
change to have any hope of winning the SEC East. Jerod Mayo will move
from the outside to the middle and Jonathan Hefney returns at free
safety to give the Vols two All-America caliber defenders to build
around. Now there needs to be more of a pass rush after coming up with
an inexcusable 17 sacks, and the new starting tackles have to quickly
emerge. The secondary has to replace three starters, but should be fine
in time, while the linebacking corps, if healthy, will be among the
SEC's best.
Sept. 8 – at Colorado State
Offense: There's no reason for the Ram offense to be far, far
better. Nine starters are back, led by the return of power back Kyle
Bell from a knee injury to save a ground game that was among the worst
in America. Caleb Hanie is a veteran passer with one of the Mountain
West's best receiving corps at his disposal. It all comes down to a line
that gets the interior back, but has to find consistent tackles who can
protect Hanie. Keeping Bell healthy is also vital. There was no rushing
production two years ago when he wasn't on, and there was nothing
happening last year with him on the sidelines.
Defense: A veteran defense returns with everyone back except the two
outside linebackers. With all the experience, there has to be more
pressure in the backfield and more big plays against the pass after
coming up with just 27 sacks and seven interceptions. There aren't any
superstars, but there are several very good players who know what
they're doing. Undersized tackle Blake Smith might move to end to
provide the pass rusher the team desperately needs, and the secondary
should benefit.
Sept. 15 - Louisiana Tech
Defense: 2006 was expected to be a year of transition, but yeesh.
The D was the worst in America allowing 483 yards and close to 42 points
per game, and it was simply awful from start to finish. Step one for the
new coaching staff is to find a way to get into the backfield after the
Bulldogs finished dead last in sacks and tackles for loss, and it'll
alternated between a 3-4 and a 4-3 to try to get some production. The
linebacking corps should be decent, the secondary can fly, and the
defensive line is full of decent-sized veterans. Now there has to be
come semblance of production.
Offense: It's not like the offense was awful last year, but it
wasn't consistent and it didn't do enough to keep in all the shootouts
created by its defense. Enough talent returns to look for more overall
production, especially in the running game where Patrick Jackson should
shine behind a big, veteran offensive line that can block, but can't
pass protect. The quarterback situation will be worth watching with Zac
Champion likely to get the job to start the season, but will be pushed
by Michael Mosley and Ross Jenkins for time.
Sept. 22 - Arizona
Offense: After averaging a 100th place finish in total
offense over the last three years, Mike Stoops has handed the unit off
to former Texas Tech coordinator Sonny Dykes. Dykes has learned from
the likes of Mike Leach and Hal Mumme over the last decade, so expect to
see a rejuvenated Willie Tuitama in the shotgun, putting the ball up a
ton more than last season. The Wildcats’ quest to stretch defenses
vertically and horizontally in the spread offense will hinge on their
ability to develop dependable receivers other than junior Mike Thomas.
The beleaguered offensive line is a year older, intact and poised to
benefit from a system that forces the quarterback to make quick passes
and even quicker decisions. Sophomore Eben Britton is on the brink of
becoming a prodigy at right tackle.
Defense: With the return of ten starters and an all-star caliber
player at each unit, Arizona should be even stingier than 2006, when it
led the Pac-10 in turnover margin and allowed fewer than 20 points a
game. The headliner once again will be senior Antoine Cason, one of the
smoothest corners in America and a leading candidate for the Thorpe
Award. Led by underrated senior Spencer Larsen, the linebackers are a
no-name crew that just goes out and makes a bunch of tackles every
Saturday. The onus for jump starting the pass rush falls squarely on
the shoulders of senior Louis Holmes, a massive talent that
underachieved in his first season out of junior college.
Sept. 29 – at Oregon
Offense: As usual, Oregon gobbled up a ton of yards in 2006, but
lacked efficiency most of the year and imploded under the weight of its
turnovers in the second half of the season. So when offensive
coordinator Gary Crowton left for LSU, Mike Bellotti turned to New
Hampshire’s Chip Kelly to get the offense back on course. A spread
offense guru, Kelly will have a few new bells and whistles in his
toolbox, including greater use of the no-huddle and increased reliance
on superstar back Jonathan Stewart. The key for the offense, and
probably the entire team, will be the development of senior quarterback
Dennis Dixon, who became the poster boy for the Ducks’ collapse late
last year. He’ll get adequate protection from Max Unger and the boys up
front, but needs more consistency from a receiving corps that misplayed
too many balls in 2006.
Defense: Defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti isn’t shy about
bringing pressure with his wave of good athletes, and now has a couple
of quality corners to marginalize the risk of selling out. Jairus Byrd
and Walter Thurmond, Freshman All-Americans in 2006, join standout rover
Patrick Chung to give the Ducks their feistiest secondary in years. The
front seven, however, is far less stable. After finishing ninth in the
Pac-10 in run defense, Oregon needs to shore up the middle of its
defense and develop an end or two that can consistently create
pressure. Redshirt freshman Brandon Bair is one possibility that has
the staff cautiously excited about the defensive end spot. In a league
filled with strong-armed hurlers, that promising secondary will pay the
price if opposing passers are given too much time to throw.
Oct. 13 - Oregon State
Offense: While the Beavers regularly skip using a fullback in
favor of a third receiver, they’re a balanced offense that’ll run it as
much as they throw. When you’ve got a back as talented as senior
Yvenson Bernard, that’s called using your resources wisely. Bernard has
run for more than 1,300 yards in each of the last two seasons behind a
nasty, no-nonsense line that welcomes back all but one starter. Senior
split end Sammie Stroughter is an open field dynamo coming off a monster
season in 2006. What he can do for an encore depends in large part on
how well one of two sophomore quarterbacks adapts to a full-time gig.
Hard-throwing lefty Sean Canfield is the acknowledged favorite to
supplant Matt Moore, but Lyle Moevao sent a message this spring that he
won’t go away quietly.
Defense: Much of the unit that led the Pac-10 in takeaways and
sacks is back in Corvallis for 2007. The front seven, in particular, is
rock solid and made up entirely of seniors. The best of the bunch is
outside linebacker Derrick Doggett, who has the range and long stride to
literally make plays anywhere on the field. After bagging a team-high
nine sacks as a reserve in 2006, end Dorian Smith is a sleeper with a
chance to shed his anonymity this fall. Whether the Beaver D can get
from really good to impervious in 2007 depends on the development of a
suspect secondary that allowed 223 yards a game a year ago. Junior
corners Keenan Lewis and Brandon Hughes are moving in the right
direction, but you don’t get better by losing long-time patrolman Sabby
Piscitelli.
Oct. 20 – at UCLA
Offense: Tired of his feeble offense and conservative play
calling, Karl Dorrell is turning the unit over to Jay Norvell, a
Nebraska import who’ll be calling plays for the first time in his
career. With him comes an up tempo version of the West Coast offense
that’ll be rooted in high percentage passes and the occasional use of
the shotgun. Norvell’s triggerman will be lefty Ben Olson, who’s held
off the challenge of Patrick Cowan, and is still waiting for a
breakthrough season five years after being a ballyhooed BYU recruit.
Although 12 players with extensive starting experience return, only
guard Shannon Tevaga and running back Chris Markey can be considered
bona fide threats for all-league honors. To help get Olson where he
needs to be, a playmaker or two needs to emerge among a pedestrian
receiving corps.
Defense: Kudos to defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, who did
the improbable in 2006 by whipping a sorry Bruin defense into shape.
Ten starters are back from that unit, which finished No. 2 in the Pac-10
in total defense and tops against the run. One All-American rush end,
Justin Hickman, has departed, but one, Bruce Davis, returns to wreak
havoc on league quarterbacks. Although the linebackers look nothing
like the ones across town at USC, they’re fast, instinctive and a nice
fit for Walker’s defense. Middle linebacker Christian Taylor is the
definition of a hard-working college athlete that makes a ton of plays,
but likely won’t be wearing pads beyond 2007. The secondary is an
enigma that’s loaded with returning talent, yet still vulnerable through
the air. Strong safety Chris Horton laid the groundwork last year for
what should be a terrific final season at UCLA.
Oct. 27 – at Arizona State
Offense: Arizona State really wasn’t Arizona State in 2006, but
with ten starters returning, there’s reason to believe that the Sun
Devils will score in bunches this year. Dennis Erickson brings a
balanced and unpredictable system that’ll use multiple formations and
plenty of shotgun, yet still lean heavily on the running game. The
success of the unit hinges on the play of quarterback Rudy Carpenter,
who looked destined for stardom as a freshman before suffering through a
humbling sophomore season marked by turnovers and lapses in confidence.
His supporting cast is headed by Ryan Torain, one of the nation’s best
backs that no one outside the Pac-10 has seen. With six seasoned
linemen back, he’s destined to become the first Sun Devil in over 30
years to go for more than 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Although
Carpenter’s receivers did nothing to help him out of his slump in 2006,
they’re now awash with the kind of speed and playmaking potential that’s
customary in Tempe.
Defense: Six starters return to a defense that improved in 2006,
yet still allowed more than 40 points in four of the final ten games.
The Sun Devils will continue to run out of a 4-3 base while asking their
linebackers and safeties to freelance and make plays all over the
field. There are building blocks—and question marks—at each unit
heading into 2007. Tackle Michael Marquardt and Dexter Davis have
all-league potential, but both are going to need support from a couple
of new starters. Although the linebackers have considerable upside, the
man in the middle, Morris Wooten, is a first-year player. And while
safety Josh Barrett and corner Justin Tryon will play on Sundays, the
pass defense is in deep trouble if the other cornerback gets routinely
exposed. The net result? A nice collection of talent that’ll still
allow plenty of yards to the Pac-10’s finer-tuned
offenses.
Nov. 3 - Washington State
Offense: Washington State won’t abandon the run by any means, but
this is an offense that’s traditionally wide-open and run out of
three-wide sets. The engineer of the attack will be fourth-year
starting quarterback Alex Brink, who enters his senior season with a
real nice complement of receivers, led by all-Pac-10 candidates Brandon
Gibson and Michael Bumpus. Although the offensive line welcomes back
four players that started games a year ago, both tackles will be new, a
big concern heading into the season. If they’re overmatched, the ripple
effect will reverberate throughout the entire offense.
Defense: Expect some subtle changes as head coach Bill
Doba steps in to coordinate the defense in 2007. He’d like to utilize
more man coverages and blitz packages, both of which could be suicide
for a secondary that’s been gutted by graduations and is in dire need of
a couple of reliable cornerbacks. The Cougars are going to give up
plenty of yards and points, but if they can create turnovers and sack
the quarterback, like last year, there’s hope that the breakdowns can be
managed. The defense is loaded with big, agile bodies up front, but
there’s a catch—serious injuries are mounting and could bleed into the
start of the season. While there’s no quick fix for the pass defense,
junior college transfer Terry Mixon has the potential to be a star from
the moment he steps foot in Pullman.
Nov. 10 - USC
Offense: Does anyone in the country reload faster than the
Trojans? While there’ll be new faces on the line, at wide receiver, and
at offensive coordinator, the high-powered results that have become
commonplace in the Pete Carroll era aren’t about to change. Of course,
it helps to have at the controls strong-armed senior John David Booty,
one of the early favorites to add a fourth Heisman Trophy to Heritage
Hall in the last six years. He’ll be surrounded by an absolutely
decadent amount of skill position talent, but most of the receivers lack
experience at this level. In this case, talent will overcome
inexperience in a rout. At 6-5 and 220 pounds, junior receiver Patrick
Turner has the imposing size and sticky fingers to conjure up images of
Mike Williams and Dwayne Jarrett, and have a breakout year. Although
the line is going to miss the presence of center Ryan Kalil, returning
two-time All-American Sam Baker to protect Booty’s blindside will help
cushion the blow.
Defense: The Trojan offense is good. The Trojan defense is scary
good. Backed by a Who’s Who of future first-day NFL Draft choices, USC
is ready to unleash the nastiest and stingiest unit of the Pete Carroll
era. Led by Sedrick Ellis at the nose, Keith Rivers at middle
linebacker, and Terrell Thomas at cornerback, the Trojans boast seven
players capable of making a run at All-America honors in 2007. Yeah, a
few more sacks and takeaways would be nice, but this is as close to a
flawless unit that there is in the country. From front to back, they’re
aggressive, experienced and fast enough to create a swarming effect on
the ball carrier. Although the Trojans will give up yards to teams
playing from behind, scoring meaningful points on them in the first
three quarters is going to be a year-long nightmare.
Nov. 17 – at Washington
Offense: All eyes in Seattle will be fixed on the debut of
hot-shot rookie quarterback Jake Locker, but if there’s one priority for
Tyrone Willingham in 2007, it’s to get more consistent on the ground.
Conservative by Pac-10 doctrine, the third-year coach wants to pound it
between the tackles to set up the pass. Top back Louis Rankin is more
of an outside runner, putting the onus on 210-pound sophomore J.R. Hasty
to start realizing his vast potential. While Locker has all the tools
for stardom, he’ll spend most of the upcoming season adapting to his new
role as the face of the program. His big-play target will be senior
Marcel Reece, a Mike Walker clone poised to make a salary run.
Defense: Even with a slight improvement in 2006, the Husky pass
defense ranked among the nation’s worst for the second straight year.
With no stars and two new starters, expect more of the same in 2007.
The problems in the secondary will again overshadow a sneaky good front
seven that features four returning starters on the defensive line and a
group of young, dynamic linebackers, including sophomores E.J. Savannah
and Donald Butler that could evolve into playmakers. Defensive ends
Greyson Gunheim and Daniel Te’o Nesheim are a couple of warriors that
combined for two dozen tackles for loss last fall. At 6-5 and 265
pounds, Gunheim runs like a gazelle, making him a magnet for NFL scouts
visiting the Northwest.
Dec. 1 –
at Stanford
Offense: Jim Harbaugh wants to attack defenses with an up tempo offense
that’ll feature lots of pre-snap motion and a ball control element that harkens
back to the Bill Walsh days of the West Coast offense. It worked swimmingly at
the University of San Diego for the past couple of years, but this is Stanford
where ten points and less than 250 yards a game was the norm last year. The
Cardinal is experienced everywhere and pretty deep at the skill positions, but
none of that will matter unless the offensive line does a complete 180 off last
year’s atrocious performance.
Defense: New defensive coordinator Scott Shafer is scrapping the 3-4 this
year in favor of an attacking 4-3 that is designed to create more turnovers and
more plays for negative yards. The Cardinal is open to suggestions after
finishing last in the Pac-10 in just about every defensive category in 2006.
There are holes, to be sure, but Shafer will also inherit some exciting young
talent at each unit, such as sophomore tackle Ekom Udofia, sophomore linebacker
Clinton Snyder and junior cornerback Wopamo Osaisai. Above all else, the
defense has to find some answers against the run after being humiliated for more
than 2,500 yards and nearly five yards a carry a year ago.
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