Cal Bears Football

After suffering an unexpected loss in their season opener against Nevada, the Golden Bears will look to this weekend’s game at the Horseshoe.

The Ohio Stadium is by no means an easy place to play, its inhabitants having played in front of 100,000-strong audiences for the past 72 matches.

Ohio State heads into this encounter as considerable favourites, but California has the weapons to stage an upset that few will be expecting.

Keenan Allen

Regarded as a five-star asset in his recruitment, Keenan Allen is a victim of position with the Golden Bears, who have a more seasoned running platform.

Cal is relying heavily on freshmen input in the passing game, making Allen’s Junior experience all the more vital to the team.

Allen has been decent so far this season, but there is certainly more that the 20-year-old can bring to the table, and Ohio State would be the prefect time to unlock that kind of potential.

OSU has been offensively inspired in the current campaign and is currently averaging about 43 points a game.

As a result, this weekend’s meeting will almost certainly not rely on preventing points as much as both teams will simply strive to outscore their opponent. This sport isn’t so complex after all.

In last week’s fixture against Southern Utah, Allen showed what he’s capable of from the punt return, and will need to put that kind of show on again against Ohio State.

The 6’3”, 210-pound receiver is bound to be one of Cal’s main attacking options, and OSU isn't going to sit on their laurels around the starlet, making it all the more important that he reaches his peak on the day.

Isi Sofele

Another vital component in the Golden Bears offense will be Isi Sofele, who needs to show his superior experience and lead from the front against OSU.

The 21-year-old Senior averaged over 5.4 yards per carry against Southern Utah, scoring one TD in the process.

While those kind of numbers might sound quite impressive, an Ohio State defence that has allowed just 26 points this season will require an altogether stronger performance to unlock.

Sofele rushed for more than 1300 yards in the last campaign, telling us that he’s got the ability to explode when the occasion calls for it.

In this first meeting between California and Ohio State in 40 years, the occasion will undoubtedly play on the minds of the younger players.

MercuryNews.com report senior linebacker, Rob Mullins, as saying:

"Getting caught up in the hype can be kind of venomous for some guys," Mullins said. "The first priority is to play. Hoo-rah has never gotten anyone a tackle or a touchdown.

"Be excited, be very excited because it's going to be a really great atmosphere. But understand what's important."

This merely emphasises just how important it will be that the Golden Bears veterans play to their optimum, of which Sofele is one.

Zach Maynard

Of course, Zach Maynard is always going to feature on a list of this variety, considering there won’t be a game this season where he won’t threaten the opposition.

On his day, the Golden Bears’ leader-in-chief can be very effective—it’s just a matter of finding those days.

Inconsistency is a blight that has plagued the careers of many a quarterback, and you wouldn’t be far off the mark for suggesting that Maynard falls into that category.

You can bet that Braxton Miller will be doing his bit for OSU, so it’s important that his opposite number steps up to the plate if the Golden Bears are to have any luck on Saturday.

In Cal’s final two regular season games of 2011, Maynard completed over 70 percent of his passes, throwing for 517 yards and three touchdowns.

If the QB can rediscover that kind of form, he’ll surely cause trouble for OSU, who have built one of the best front seven units in the country.

With the aforementioned Allen likely to figure largely for the visitors, it’s just a matter of Maynard getting the ball to him.

You can follow Tom on Twitter @TomSunderland_ 

Cal came into the 2012 season looking to exceed expectations and have a successful season.

So far, not so good.

Cal fell to Nevada in their season opener and held off Southern Utah 50-31 in their second game of the season, and they now stand at 1-1. Even though Cal managed a win over the Thunderbirds, Bears fans shouldn't be impressed.

The Golden Bears weren't able to stop Nevada's pistol offense, and Southern Utah managed a good amount of points against them. The Thunderbirds scored on a Hail Mary, and Cal's secondary had some problems against a team that got blown out by Utah State in Week 1.

With Ohio State and USC coming up on the road, Cal certainly has a lot to do in practice. If they have the same philosophy, commit a million penalties a game and play sloppy football, both teams will blow them out and send them back to Berkeley with a record of 1-3.

And I can guarantee you Jeff Tedford and his team don't want that to happen.

Tedford has coached some decent teams, and with him as coach, Cal has won a share of the Pac-12 title and they almost made the Rose Bowl. In 2007, the Bears were ranked second overall. However, now, the Bears and their fans just have to accept being a mediocre team.

Cal won't be elite this year, and that's a guarantee. Their defense, which consists of lots of young talent, couldn't contain the pistol offense of Nevada and even the offense of Southern Utah. It will take awhile for them to get used to playing with each other, although they could dominate at the end of the year.

But for now, the Bears' defense will struggle. And, unfortunately, Ohio State has a great running quarterback.

Oh, and did I mention that Matt Barkley might be the first pick in the 2013 NFL draft?

The Golden Bears have to improve on a lot of things if they even want to reach a bowl game. Sure, they have talent on both sides of the ball. But if they're not coming up with key plays and not doing what it takes to beat good teams, they can kiss a bowl game goodbye.

Cal has to play Oregon, Washington, Ohio State, USC, Stanford, UCLA and other tough teams this year, and they'll all challenge and most likely beat Cal. Sure, the Bears have most of those teams at home, but they didn't exactly do too well at home in the first two weeks of the season.

If Cal can patch up their issues quickly, or if they can come up with a key win over Ohio State and USC, they'll be alright. However, Cal has committed an atrocious number of penalties so far, and that will cost them against better teams.

Jeff Tedford has done a nice job patching up issues in the past, but he has a lot to do this year. If he can't get a hold of his team and put a stop to those unforced and forced errors, Cal will be in for a long, long season.

And Tedford may not have a job. 

California opened the season with a disappointing defeat against Nevada. The Golden Bears were sluggish in the first quarter, falling behind 14-0, and the defense wasn't able to make enough stops to finish off the comeback.

The team will look to get back on track against FCS opponent Southern Utah in Week 2. The Thunderbirds are coming off a loss of their own against Utah State and shouldn't pose much of a threat to a more talented Cal squad.

Here's a look at all the vital information for Saturday's game followed by a couple things to watch for during the likely one-sided encounter.

Where: California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif.

When: Saturday, Sept. 8 at 3 p.m. ET

Watch: Pac-12 Network

Listen: KSUU 91.1 FM (Southern Utah) or KGO AM 810 (California)

Live Stream Audio: Bears All Access

Betting Line: TBA

Injury Report (via USA Today)

Southern Utah: No injuries listed

California: Stefan McClure (out, knee), Khairi Fortt (out, knee), Mustafa Jalil (out, knee) and David Wilkerson (out, ankle)

Key Storyline: Can Cal rebound quickly?

Even though the Golden Bears would have loved to start the season with a victory, they must quickly turn the page and start looking to the future. They can't let their disappointment linger with so many key games on the schedule.

Luckily, Southern Utah doesn't have enough playmakers to challenge Cal. So the team should be able to get in the win column before a couple straight games against ranked opponents. It will be a game that's more about building momentum than anything else.

Top 25 Implications

It's pretty safe to assume the Golden Bears are off the Top 25 radar following the loss to Nevada. Since they do have four games against currently ranked teams on the schedule, including two with teams in the top five, there's still a chance to make an impact down the road.

It's not something Cal should be thinking about for the foreseeable future, though. The team just has to focus on every game and, if it can pull off a couple upsets along the way, the voters will eventually take notice of the progress.

What They Are Saying

Zach Maynard was forced to start the game on the sidelines due to disciplinary action and the Cal quarterback said it had an impact on his performance, according to Yahoo! Sports.

"Anytime you come into the game a little cold and not knowing when you’re going to come into the game, it takes the rhythm away from you a little bit."

Southern Utah Player To Watch: Fatu Moala

Moala was a rare bright spot in Southern Utah's loss to Utah State in the opener. The junior wide receiver caught five passes for 68 yards, making him the most productive member of the offense with most players struggling.

He'll once again serve as the go-to option for quarterback Brad Sorensen, who isn't likely to get relief from the pressure he was under for most of the Week 1 game. The Cal defense will be looking to have a more complete performance.

Since the Thunderbirds fight to play from behind for most of the game, Moala should see a lot of targets and could actually have a pretty nice game overall.

California Player To Watch: Zach Maynard

The Golden Bears were expecting Maynard to have a major impact on the team's offense after transferring from Buffalo a couple years ago. Instead, he's been plagued by inconsistency, only showing flashes of his potential.

He can't be blamed for the opening week loss, however. He threw two touchdowns and no interceptions to help lead the comeback charge, but the defense just couldn't slow down Nevada. Maynard should be in line for another good game against Southern Utah.

Road games against Ohio State and USC will be the best test to see exactly how far he's come during the offseason. As long as he can stay out of the doghouse, of course.

Key Matchup: Southern Utah Rush Defense vs. Cal Running Game

Southern Utah allowed Utah State to gain nearly 300 yards on the ground in its opener. That means the Cal offensive line should have no trouble opening up running lanes for C.J. Anderson and the rest of the Golden Bears running backs.

It's really a chance for the entire team to work out the kinks that were clearly in place against Nevada. The result shouldn't be in question by the time the second quarter begins. With a couple marquee games coming up, the Cal offense must be in top form.

Look for the Golden Bears to rotate in several different backs en route to a terrific performance on the ground and, more importantly, an easy victory.

Prediction

California 56, Southern Utah 7

Keenan Allen is the best 2013 NFL draft eligible wide receiver that doesn't have questions about rehab from an injury.

Is he the best 2013 NFL draft eligible wide receiver, period? Let's take a closer look at the big Golden Bear pass-catcher.

Tools

Allen's size is going to be an asset at 6'3", 210 pounds. He is not a super-sized wide receiver like, say, Calvin Johnson, but his long limbs and better than average-sized frame should make him a tough draw for smaller cornerbacks.

Allen has speed, but it is build-up speed. He does not get up to top speed right out of his break, but given time to ramp up, Allen can run away from defensive backs.

He is very quick and sudden for a large wide receiver, and Alen is an explosive leaper. He can hang in the air higher and longer than cornerbacks, and he is also athletic enough to do this in stride:

Routes

Allen hasn't been asked to run many nuanced routes at Cal. He is targeted on a lot of slants and screens. His breaks aren't especially sharp, and Allen sometimes doesn't give his route his full attention, although the quality of his quarterback could have something to do with that. 

His quickness can serve Allen well when it comes time to defeat the jam and get a clean release, and he also has a knack for sitting down in the dead spots of a zone or instinctively finding open space in a defense.

Allen also understands how to use his big frame to make the slant more successful. He naturally angles his body to be in between the defender and the ball in flight:

Hands/Ball Skills

When it comes time to catch the ball, Allen is a mixed bag. His hands are not 100 percent reliable, and he will drop easy catches. Allen tends to body catch and will double-clutch the ball at times. He does not naturally pluck the ball out of the air like a natural hands catcher.

On the other hand, Allen does have a big catch radius, and his athleticism allows him to adjust to poorly thrown balls (which were frequent last season). There is one situation where he becomes a strong natural hands catcher.

Allen is excellent at timing his leaps to "high point" the ball—that is, catch it at the highest possible point, which is almost always going to be beyond the cornerback's reach:

After the Catch

This is where Allen shines, which is surprising because he is a big receiver. Allen is aggressive running after the catch. He takes on a running back mentality and will lower his shoulder at the end of a run. He is a strong runner who can break tackles, with suddenness in the open field, and Allen knows how to use a stiff arm. 

Allen has a terrific feel for weaving in and out of traffic, and he generally senses oncoming tacklers. He can literally fake guys off of their feet, and Allen always has a move loaded up when he encounters a defender. Check out this sequence:

Allen stands up to set up the defender the way a matador sets up a bull:

When the corner charges, Allen gets low and sticks his foot in the ground:

And unleashes on a spin move that belongs on Dancing with the Stars:

Intangibles

There is a little too much looseness to Allen's game at times. He can leave the ball out where it can be easily stripped, and he can forget where the sideline is at times:

Still, overall, he is a clutch player who rises to the occasion on big downs and late in the game. He can bail out his quarterback with acrobatic catches, and by moving around with him when the play breaks down. Allen is tough, not shying away when he knows he is going to have to take a hit to make a catch. He plays fast, but almost always under control.

On the whole, Allen seems to get the most out of his considerable abilities.

Bottom Line

Allen needs to demonstrate more mastery of the route tree, but his combination of size, quickness, ups and toughness look like the stuff NFL No. 1 receivers are made of. Put him in your 2013 first round.