Panda Sees All: Cal Preview
Our 2009 football previews have three parts: 1) A review of last year’s predictions. 2) Four bold predictions for 2009. 3) Who’s Your Panda? — the player who will emerge as a fan favorite like the Giants’ Pablo Sandoval. Hence the name.
WHAT THEY SAID LAST YEAR ABOUT CAL
ESPN.com: “Bears, you must prove last year’s slide from second-ranked to utterly rank was simply a fluke. And, please, figure out who your quarterback is.”
How’d that work out?: The Bears’ inconsistency at quarterback was one of the main reasons for their 9-4 record. Kevin Riley (221 passing attempts, nine starts) and Nate Longshore (164 attempts, four starts) bounced back and forth at the position, and the Bears finished with the country’s 83rd-ranked passing offense.
Chronicle: “The defense lost its leading tackler in safety Thomas DeCoud, and it also switched to the 3-4 scheme. It’s a move that gets the best athletes on the field, but it’s also a complete overhaul that hasn’t been tested.”
How’d that work out?: With Cal’s talented linebackers leading the way, the Bears held USC to 17 points and Oregon to 16, and the Bears finished 26th in the nation in total defense.
Cal Golden Blogs: “Many people are focusing on the lack of experience at WR. And assuredly, there are some concerns there. But I really think Morrah is going to have a huge year at TE.”
How’d that work out?: Cameron Morrah (above) did indeed turn into a weapon for Cal’s offense. Morrah set a team record for touchdown catches by a tight end in a season, with eight, and was Cal’s second-leading pass-catcher. First was Nyan Boateng, a transfer from Florida who was a question mark heading into the 2008 season but proved to be a reliable option in the Cal attack.
SI.com: “(Alex Mack) is one of the nation’s fiercest blockers. Mack combines toughness, power and intelligence to defeat opponents. He will be the first center selected, possibly late in round one.”
How’d that work out?: After a stellar senior season, Mack was the first center selected in the draft when he went 21st overall to the Cleveland Browns. He is currently battling for the starting job in Cleveland.
Merc: Cal predicted to finish fourth. “The Bears are much better off with low/mild expectations, and that’s what they have in ‘08.”
How’d that work out?: Pretty much right on. The Bears overperformed slightly, finished fourth in the Pac-10 and beat Miami in the Emerald Bowl. Now it’s back to big-expectations time…
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By Peter on Friday, September 4th, 2009 at 12:00 pm.
Tags: Cal Golden Bears
September 20th, 2009 at 6:11 am
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