California
Golden Bears
Preview 2009 -
Defense
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2009 California Preview
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2009 Cal Offense
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2009 Cal Defense
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2009 Cal Depth
Chart
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2008 Cal Preview
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2007 Cal Preview
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2006 Cal
Preview
What you need to know:
Outstanding defensive play is not the first thing that comes to
mind when Cal football is the subject. Maybe it should be.
Without much national pub, eighth-year coordinator Bob Gregory
has done a fantastic job with this unit. A year ago, he
installed the 3-4, which was an unbridled success. The
Bears ranked no lower than 26th nationally in run
defense, pass efficiency defense, and scoring defense. Much of
that group returns, including a top-flight defensive line and
one of the country’s most aggressive defensive backfields. The
lone concern will be a corps of linebackers that lost
Zack Follett, Worrell
Williams, and Anthony Felder to graduation. Mike Mohamed is the
next big thing at the position, but he’ll need plenty of help
from a quartet that’s expected to roam the field and make plays
wherever they’re needed.
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Returning
Leaders
Tackles: Mike Mohamed, 87
Sacks: Tyson Alualu, 6
Interceptions: Syd'Quan Thompson, 4
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Star of the defense:
Senior CB Syd’Quan Thompson
Player who has to step up and become a star:
Junior LB Mike Mohamed
Unsung star on the rise:
Sophomore LB Mychal Kendricks
Best pro prospect: Junior DE
Cameron Jordan
Top
three all-star candidates: 1)
Thompson 2) Senior DE
Tyson Alualu 3) Mohamed
Strength of the defense: The
defensive line, pass defense, creating turnovers, stuffing the
run
Weakness of the defense:
Turnover at linebacker, lapses away from home
Defensive Line
Projected Starters:
All three starters return from last season, giving the defense a
solid base up front. The ends, in particular are going to be
among the best in the Pac-10. Senior
Tyson Alualu is coming off a breakthrough, All-Pac-10
season, his second as a regular. At 6-3 and 295 pounds, he’s an
end in a tackle’s body, he’s strong up top, uses his hands very
well, and will not be out worked. An outstanding run defender,
he stepped it up as a pass rusher in 2008, collecting 62
tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and six sacks.
On the other
side is 6-4, 287-pound junior
Cameron Jordan, who’s on the brink of becoming a
nationally-known defender. He only scratched the surface of his
potential a year ago, cracking the lineup early on and making 47
stops, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks. At his size, he
possesses the burst and quickness that’s usually seen in outside
linebackers.
The lone inside guy in this defense will be
6-2, 302-pound junior NG
Derrick Hill, who sat out spring to rehab a nagging knee
injury. A blue-chip recruit from the 2006 class, he moves well
for a big lineman, shedding blockers, shooting the gaps, and
disrupting plays behind the line. As a starter last year, he had
29 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, while often occupying
multiple blockers.
Projected Top
Reserves: One of the best stories of the offseason has
been the play of 6-2, 300-pound redshirt freshman
Kendrick Payne, who
took full advantage of the absence of Hill. He made play after
play in April, sometimes commanding double-teams and always
catching the eye of the coaching staff. A slam-dunk part of the
rotation, he gives the Bears much-needed depth inside.
While it’ll be an on-going competition, 6-3, 293-pound sophomore
Trevor Guyton has
nudged ahead as the first defensive end off the bench. Although
he played sparingly in 2008, he did earn a letter and grew as a
player. Much like Alualu, he’s the type of strongside end,
who’ll hold up well on running plays, yet still be able to get
penetration in the backfield.
Watch Out For…
Jordan. He just looks and performs like a next-level player.
That combination of size and athleticism hasn’t been lost on pro
scouts, which could make for a difficult decision when the
season is finished. If he can tap into Alualu’s drive and work
ethic, he’s good enough to extend his brand outside the Pac-10’s
borders.
Strength: The
ends. With Alualu on one side and Jordan on the other, opposing
tackles will have a devil of a time keeping these two from
mauling the quarterback. It used to be that teams could send
extra resources in Alualu’s direction. If they do that now, you
might as well pencil in Jordan as the Pac-10 player of the week.
Weakness:
Proven depth. Payne and Guyton looked terrific in practice, but
that was practice. How would they hold up if thrust into a key
moment in a game in September? No one knows for sure, which is
one of the few concerns about this unit.
Outlook: The
pieces are in place for this to be the most talented and
productive Cal defensive line in years. Alualu and Jordan form
an all-star bookend, and Hill and Payne will plug holes in run
defense from the middle. If Jordan really blows up, as expected,
there’ll be few answers for containing this line.
Rating: 8.5
Linebackers
Projected Starters:
When you employ the 3-4 defense and lose three All-Pac-10
linebackers to graduation, there’s just cause for concern. No,
the Bears aren’t destitute at the position, but there’ll be no
easy way to replace the production of Zack Follett, Worrell
Williams, and Anthony Felder. Taking over for Follett as the
leading man is 6-3, 237-pound junior
Mike Mohamed, the fourth starter in last year’s
lineup. More than just a size-speed guy, he plays with
outstanding field awareness and has the instincts to freelance
at more than one position. He’s ready to take off after making
87 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, three picks, and
a couple of fumble recoveries.
Next to Mohamed on the
inside is 6-0, 230-pound sophomore
Mychal Kendricks,
who had 15 tackles as a backup and special teamer a year ago.
One of the fastest and most disruptive athletes on defense, he
can make plays from sideline to sideline and is a natural to be
turned loose on the blitz. Once he gains the experience and gets
the cerebral side of the position down, look out because he’s a
bona fide playmaker.
A couple of seniors, 6-1, 239-pound
Devin Bishop and
6-0, 239-pound Eddie
Young, are slated to man the outside spots. The physical and
excitable Bishop has yet to fulfill lofty expectations since
arriving from San Francisco Community College, but that’s partly
due to the logjam at the position. Although he had just 13
tackles a season ago, he now has an opportunity to produce so
much more in his final year of eligibility.
Young is
neither the biggest nor the quickest of the linebackers, but
he’s the type of heady veteran, who always seems to know where
he belongs. He started eight games on the outside last year,
making 40 stops and 1.5 tackles for loss. He’s not going to make
a lot of game-changing plays, but he’s also not going to hurt
you.
Projected
Top Reserves: The third option on the inside will be
6-1, 250-pound sophomore
D.J. Holt, who has considerable upside, but has fallen
behind Kendricks in the battle for Williams’ old job. Where
Kendricks is the better athlete, he has more size and is a
better run stuffer. He’ll improve on last year’s 14 tackles,
even if he has to come off the bench to do it.
The
veteran reserve from outside linebacker will be 6-1, 232-pound
junior Charles Johnson,
who played in 13 games and had seven tackles in his debut out of
Saddleback (Calif.) Community College. While not in the same
class as Young and Bishop, he’s physically up to the challenge
of being more than just a special teams contributor.
Watch Out For…
pressure. One of the reasons why you go with the 3-4 is that it
puts an additional athlete on the field to generate heat on the
quarterback. The linebackers, especially the outside pair, are
expected to use their speed and agility to blitz liberally and
disrupt the other team’s passer.
Strength: Run
stuffers. Take a look at the size of the primary linebackers,
who average around 6-1 and 230 pounds. They’re tough, squat, and
able to shed blockers en route to the ballcarrier. The Bears
allowed just 122 yards a game on the ground last year, in part
because of the run-stopping ability of that second line of
defense.
Weakness:
Playmakers. While Mohamed meets the stress test and Kendricks
has the potential to disrupt, they’ll be hard-pressed to match
the playmaking ability of Follett, Felder, and Williams. As a
whole, this group isn’t nearly as dynamic as its predecessor.
Outlook: While
you certainly don’t get better by losing three-fourths of the
starting lineup, Cal still has a solid base of linebackers, with
Mohamed as its newest All-Pac-10 contender. The key will be for
the rest of the group, namely Bishop and Kendricks, to step up
and deliver the best seasons of their careers.
Rating: 7.5
Secondary
Projected Starters:
All but one of the 11 letterwinners who helped Cal to a No. 6
ranking in pass efficiency defense are back. Yippee. Senior CB
Syd’Quan Thompson
flirted with the idea of leaving early for the NFL before opting
to return for his final season of eligibility. He’s come a long
way since a rocky sophomore year, turning 70 tackles, 7.5
tackles for loss, two sacks, four picks, and 14 breakups into a
spot on the All-Pac-10 first team. One of the nation’s few bona
fide lockdown cornerbacks, he’s far more physical than his 5-9,
191-pound frame might indicate.
It took a couple of
years, but 6-0, 186-pound junior
Darian Hagan has started
to perform like the can’t-miss prospect of the class of 2006. He
really began to blossom in 2008, making 56 tackles, 2.5 tackles
for loss, three interceptions, and a school-record 15 pass
breakups. After sitting out part of spring to concentrate on the
books, he’s expected to return to action when summer camp starts
in August.
The steadiest of the safeties is 5-11,
219-pound senior Marcus
Ezeff, who’s added more muscle in preparation for his second
season as a full-timer. He performed well in all phases a year
ago, making 66 tackles, picking off three passes, and breaking
up six others. More than just one of the hardest hitters out of
the defensive backfield, he also has good range and quickness.
Rounding out the starting secondary is another senior, 6-1,
194-pound Brett Johnson.
While always known for his big sticks, he also made strides as a
pass defender last year, further solidifying the secondary and
his role within it. In the most extensive action of his career,
he chipped in with 43 tackles and had a pair of interceptions.
Projected Top
Reserves: In this program, junior CB
Chris Conte is a
reserve. In most others, the 6-3, 205-pounder would be a
starter. A smooth athlete and arguably the best combination of
size, speed and agility, he’s a luxury to have coming off the
bench. He had 28 tackles and seven breakups in 2008, biding his
time and learning multiple positions until a job opens up in
2010.
The top backup at safety is 6-2, 206-pound
sophomore Sean Cattouse,
a big hitter with surprisingly good cover skills. He appeared in
11 games as a freshman, including two starts, and made 13
tackles, picked off three passes, and broke up five others. With
Ezeff and Johnson in their final seasons, he’s just a year away
from being in the lineup.
Watch Out For…
a ton of batted balls. The Golden Bears broke up 73 passes in
2008, most of which came from this crew. With the same cast back
in Berkeley, you can bank on more of the same and plenty of
chances for interceptions.
Strength: Ball
skills. What happens when your secondary is flush with really
gifted and instinctive athletes? They tend to get their hands on
the ball a lot. And when they do, they’re often headed in the
opposite direction, which the Bears did a Pac-10 best 24 times
last season.
Weakness: Size. If there’s a knock on this group, it’s
that its members aren’t particularly big. When Conte and
Cattouse aren’t on the field, they average less than 6-0, which
makes the defense very vulnerable against tall wide receivers.
Outlook: Give
a ton of credit to Al Simmons, who has done a magnificent job of
molding this unit into a bunch of feisty playmakers. The way Cal
gets after the passer and covers receivers, it’ll once again be
extremely difficult to break through this secondary. Thompson
and Hagan give the Bears one of the best corner tandems in
America and plenty of confidence when they blitz a safety.
Rating: 8