Entering his 11th year at the helm of the California Golden Bears, HC Jeff Tedford has cemented his reputation as a guru of QBs, with 6 of his guys being first round selections, including GB QB, Aaron Rodgers. That is why it is so surprising to see such inconsistent play from the QB position at Cal over the past few years. Will things turn around in 2013? Lets take a look.
Embattled SR QB Zach Maynard is the likely starter this season for Cal. He has played before, but he has been somewhat inconsistent. He did finish 2012 on a strong note though, so it is possible he could be in a position for a nice improvement. He will have talent around him which certainly can help. SR RB Isi Sofele is a very quick back, if not slight in stature. He broke 1300 yards last year, and he could improve on that total this season. The wide outs are quite young, but they are led by one of the best in the business in JR Keenan Allen. Allen has first round potential, and I would not be surprised to see him top his 1300 yards from a year ago. The big guys up front are also in a position to have themselves a very nice year. If SR OT Matt Summers-Gavin can show he is healthy, he could absolutely be a second or third round consideration in the upcoming draft. Also, FR Freddie Tagaola has been hyped up, and if he can live up to it this will make for very nice bookends.
The defense to me is less impressive than the offense. The fellas on the defensive front are very strong, but it takes more than strength to be a solid lineman. JR DE Deandre Coleman is a massive DE, and he demonstrates exceptional agility for a man his size. If he can live up to his potential, he could be a very difficult defender to block. The linebackers are very inexperienced, especially after losing LB Mychal Kendrick to the NFL. With four SOs starting, they will have to learn quickly if this team will be able to hang with the likes of Oregon, USC, and Stanford. In the secondary, there is some real experience, but no star power. The CBs, JR Steve Williams, and SR Marc Anthony are both quality ball players, but neither stand out as a potential star. Still, the Golden Bears traditional play very well as a unit, and this group should be no exception.
Much of the 2013 success for the Cal Bears will depend on the consistency from the QB position. If Tedford can work his magic, this team will put up a lot of points this year. The defense may need to step it up, but if they do, Cal should at least match last year's 7 win total.
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