Sept. 13, 2010
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This Week In Cal Football
Coaches Pick up Defensive Staff FootballScoop.com Award (Sept. 15)
Mohamed Named Lott IMPACT Player of the Week (Sept. 14)
Tedford Press Conference Video (Sept. 14)
Riley Press Conference Video (Sept. 14)
Holt Press Conference Video (Sept. 14)
Weekly Press Conference Quotes (Sept. 14)
Tedford: Formula for Success (Sept. 14)
Mohamed is California Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week (Sept. 13)
Chris Guarnero: Focused and Centered (Sept. 13)
Four Earn CFPA Honors (Sept. 13)
Cal Returns to National Rankings at No. 24 (Sept. 12)
Cal-Colorado Postgame Quotes (Sept. 11)
Cal vs. Colorado Football Postgame Notes (Sept. 11)
Riley Spurs Golden Bears Past Buffaloes, 52-7 (Sept. 11)
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2010 Nevada Football
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2010 CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL
Friday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. (PT)
California (2-0, 0-0 Pac-10) vs. Nevada (2-0, 0-0 WAC)
Mackay Stadium, Reno, NV
Live Coverage
TV: ESPN2 - Mark Neely (Play-By-Play), David Norrie (Analyst) Cal Commercial Radio: KGO 810 AM (San Francisco) - Joe Starkey (Play-By-Play), Troy Taylor (Analyst, Pregame Show), Todd McKim (Pregame Show, Sideline), Lee Grosscup (Postgame Show), Kate Scott Postgame Show)Each broadcast begins with a 60-minute pregame show, with Todd McKim hosting the first 30 minutes live from Maxwell Family Field adjacent to Memorial Stadium for home games. The postgame show includes reaction from the Bears' locker room and the "Postgame at the Paragon" program from the Paragon Bar & Cafe at the Claremont Resort & Spa hosted by Lee Grosscup and Kate Scott. ISP Sports/Cal Radio Network Affiliates: KESP 970 AM (Modesto), KGIL 1260 AM (Los Angeles), KPRZ 1210 AM (San Diego), KTKZ 1380 AM (Sacramento). Cal Student Radio: KALX 90.7 FM (Berkeley) - Danny Freisinger, Elliott Schwimmer. Sirius XM Satellite Radio: The Nevada broadcast feed of the game can be heard on Sirius XM Satellite Radio on Sirius channel 122 and XM channel 143.
CalBears.com: Visit CalBears.com for complete coverage of Cal football, including a live play-by-play update via Gametracker.
Cal Coaches Corner: Wide receiver Marvin Jones and placekicker Giorgio Tavecchio will appear on this week's Cal Coaches Corner, which airs Monday from 6-7 p.m. on KNEW Radio (910 AM) live from the Paragon in the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley.
Cal Sports Report: Host Todd McKim and reporter Francesca Weems will bring viewers the latest in Cal Athletics each week on the Cal Sports Report airing on CSN California each Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. PT unless pre-empted by a live sports event and replayed several times each week.
GOLDEN BEAR FACTS
Head Coach: Jeff Tedford
Alma Mater/Year: Fresno State/`83
Record at Cal/Years: 69-35/9th
Career Record/Years: Same
Football SID: Kyle McRae
Phone: 510-219-9340
Email: mcrae@berkeley.edu
Secondary Contact: Anton Malko
Phone: 510-501-9555
Email: amalko@berkeley.edu
Credentials: Herb Benenson
Phone: 510-642-0515
Email: benenson@berkeley.edu
Ticket Info: 800-GO-BEARS
SERIES FACTS
Games Played: 24
Series Record: Cal leads series, 22-1-1
First Meeting: 11/15/1899, 24-0 Cal
Last Meeting: 9/21/96, 33-15 Cal
Current Streak: Cal win 12
Tedford vs. Colorado: 0-0
Kickoff - California at Nevada (Fri., Sept. 17, 7:00 p.m.)
California (2-0, 0-0 Pac-10) visits Nevada (2-0, 0-0 WAC) in a matchup of unbeaten teams in a nationally televised ESPN2 game at Mackay Stadium on Friday, Sept. 17 (7:00 p.m. PT). The Friday contest is the first road game of 2010 for Cal and marks the first time the Golden Bears have played a regular-season game on a day other than Saturday since their 41-13 victory at New Mexico State on Friday, Sept. 23, 2005. Friday's forecast in Reno is calling for mostly sunny weather conditions, no chance of rain, a high of 82 degrees and a low of 50. Both teams have started their 2010 seasons with back-to-back blowout victories at home. Cal knocked off Football College Subdivision opponent UC Davis in the season opener, 52-3, before taking down future Pac-10 opponent Colorado of the Big 12 last Saturday, 52-7. Reno's season-opening win came against FCS foe Eastern Washington, 49-24. The Wolf Pack racked up 631 total yards in a 51-6 rout of Colorado State last Saturday.
Sustaining Success
Cal has averaged 8.4 wins per season in the first eight seasons under head coach Jeff Tedford and now has 69 victories since his arrival in 2002 to rank second among Pac-10 teams behind only USC with 68 during that period.
Cal-Nevada Series Notes
Cal leads the all-time series with Nevada, 22-1-1, not including an additional 7-1 mark against the Wolf Pack from 1906-14, when both schools played rugby instead of football. The teams have played only once since 1945, a 33-15 Cal win in Berkeley on Sept. 21, 1996. Cal has won 12 straight in the series since a scoreless tie between the schools on Nov. 3, 1923. The Golden Bears' unbeaten string in the series stands at 19, dating back to Nevada's 6-2 win in Berkeley on Nov. 7, 1903 (not including a 3-0 rugby win by Nevada in Berkeley on Nov. 3, 1906). The only time the Bears have made the trip to Reno for a football game was nearly 95 years ago, when Cal was an 81-6 winner Nevada on Nov. 20, 1915. They did travel their once for rugby as well, winning 29-0 on Oct. 7, 1911.
Cal against the WAC
Cal has an all-time record of 60-12-1 in 73 all-time games against schools currently in the Western Athletic Conference. Here's the breakdown against the seven teams from the conference the Bears have played: Fresno State (0-2), Hawai'i (2-2), Idaho (4-0), Louisiana Tech (1-1), Nevada (22-1-1), New Mexico State (3-0) and San Jose State (29-6). Cal has never played Boise State or Utah State. Head coach Jeff Tedford has a 4-0 record against teams currently in the WAC, with all four wins blowout victories. The Bears have defeated New Mexico State three times under Tedford, winning 34-13 (Sept. 7, 2002) and 41-14 (Sept. 11, 2004) at home and once on the road with a 41-13 final in Las Cruces on Sept. 23, 2005. Cal also has a 42-12 home victory over Louisiana Tech (Sept. 15, 2007) during Tedford's tenure.
Cal Returns to National Rankings at No. 24
Cal is in the national rankings for the first time in 2010 at No. 24 with the release of the week three USA Today Coaches' Poll on Sunday. The last time the Bears were nationally ranked was heading into their 2009 regular-season finale at Washington (No. 19 AP, No. 19 BCS, No. 22 USA Today). The Bears have now been ranked among the nation's top-25 teams at one point in each of the last seven seasons and eight times in nine campaigns since head coach Jeff Tedford's arrival in 2002. The Bears, who were among teams receiving votes (10) in the week two USA Today Coaches' Poll released last Tuesday, received 131 votes in Sunday's week three poll. Cal is also the fourth team listed among those receiving votes outside the AP Top 25, picking up 45 to mark the first time this season the Bears been among those receiving votes from the AP. In addition, Cal is making its first appearance of the season this week in the ESPN.com Power Rankings at No. 24 and in the ESPNU Fan Rankings at No. 25.
Cal Picked Seventh in Pac-10 Preseason Media Poll
After being picked to finish second in the Pac-10 preseason poll of media members who regularly cover the league five of the previous six years, Cal was chosen seventh in 2010. Defending Pac-10 champion Oregon narrowly edged USC as the choice to win the 2010 Pac-10 title. The Ducks received 15 of the 25 first-place votes, snapping USC's eight-year run at the top, and were chosen to win the conference for only the second time (also in 2001) in the second-closest voting since the poll began in 1961. USC was tabbed to finish second in the poll and was followed by Oregon State, Stanford, Arizona, Washington, Cal, UCLA, Arizona State and Washington State. Each of the top eight teams other than Cal received at least one first-place vote as a record seven teams received at least one first-place vote in the balloting. Each of the top eight teams other than Cal received at least one first-place vote as a record seven teams received at least one first-place vote in the balloting.
Tedford Becomes Cal's All-Time Games Coached Leader
Ninth-year head coach Jeff Tedford became Cal's all-time leader in games coached when he manned the sidelines for the 104th time for the Golden Bears in a 52-7 victory over Colorado at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 11, 2010. Tedford, who is now 69-35 (.663) at Cal, passed legendary head coach Pappy Waldorf's previous record of 103 games coached after having passed Waldorf as the school's modern-era win leader with a victory over UC Davis in the season opener on Sept. 4, 2010. Waldorf compiled a record of 67-32-4 (.670) and took the Bears to three Rose Bowls during his 10 years as the team's head coach from 1947-56. Tedford now ranks third on the school's all-time win list, five victories behind leader Andy Smith (74, 1916-25) and four shy of James Schaeffer (73, 1909-15). In addition, Tedford has led his teams to a current string of seven consecutive bowl appearances (2003-09) to set a school record and eight straight winning seasons (2002-09) to tie another school mark. He is one of only eight current FBS coaches to have an active string of at least eight consecutive winning seasons. In addition, his teams won a school-record four bowl games in a row (2005-08), are 5-2 overall in bowls and have registered a 7-1 mark in Big Games to equal Waldorf's seven victories over Stanford. His win totals for conference games (41) and road contests (23) are already the most ever by a Cal coach.
Most Wins in Cal History
Coach Record Seasons
Andy Smith 74-16-7 1916-25
*James Schaeffer 73-16-8 1909-15
Jeff Tedford 69-35-0 2002-Current
*Note: Cal played rugby instead of football from 1882-85 and 1906-14
Cal Features 2009 Statistical Leaders
Cal has its leading rusher, receiver, passer and tackler from last year's squad all back in 2010 in tailback Shane Vereen, wide receiver Marvin Jones, quarterback Kevin Riley and linebacker Mike Mohamed.
After Jahvid Best suffered a season-ending injury against Oregon State, Vereen became the team's primary ball carrier over the final four games of 2009 and rushed for 566 yards and six touchdowns on 108 carries during that stretch, averaging 141.5 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry. Vereen earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors and finished the 2009 campaign as Cal's leading rusher with 952 yards on 183 carries. He also tied for the team lead with 12 rushing scores, equaling the total posted by Best. Among the Pac-10's per-game leaders, Vereen finished sixth in rushing yards (73.23), tied for sixth in all-purpose running (135.15), tied for 10th in scoring (6.46) and 15th in total offense. He was also sixth in the league in kick return average (23.0 ypr), leading Cal in that category as well as with 1,757 total all-purpose yards (952 rush, 244 receive, 10 punt return, 551 kick return).
Jones paced the club in receptions (43), receiving yards (651) and receiving touchdowns (6). He had at least one reception in all 13 games and ended the campaign with four receptions or more in each of the final four contests, including career highs of six receptions and 107 receiving yards at Washington in the regular-season finale.
Riley completed 209 of 382 passes (54.7%) for a career-high 2,850 yards, which ranks as the fourth-best single season in school history. He finished fourth in the Pac-10 in passing average (219.2 ypg) and passing touchdowns (18), as well as sixth in pass efficiency (128.7) and total offense (223.2 ypg).
Mohamed was a first-team All-Pac-10 and postseason Phil Steele All-Pac-10 first-team selection after leading the conference with 112 tackles, 16 more than the 96 posted by USC's Taylor Mays. Mohamed also earned District 8 All-Academic first-team honors from CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine for the first time and Pac-10 All-Academic first-team honors for the second year in a row.
The quartet is part of a total of 19 players returning that started at least five games and 54 letterwinners that return in 2010.
Anger, Miller, Mohamed and Riley Preseason All-Americans
Punter Bryan Anger, tight end Anthony Miller, linebacker Mike Mohamed and quarterback Kevin Riley were named preseason All-Americans by at least one media outlet prior to the start of the 2010 season to lead Cal's preseason honors. A full listing of all 2010 honors and rankings for Cal players can be found on the sidebars of pages two and three of game notes.
Mohamed was the most decorated Cal player prior to the 2010 campaign, having been selected to the prestigious Playboy All-America team, while also earning a second-team nod by The Kickoff, third-team honors from NationalChamps.net, Phil Steele and Rivals, and honorable mention from the College Football Insiders and Consensus Draft Services. He is also on 2010 preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, The Lott Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award, in addition to being listed as a preseason favorite for the College Football Performance Awards Linebacker Trophy.
Anger also earned several preseason All-America honors, including a third-team selection from Phil Steele and honorable mention recognition from the College Football Insiders and NationalChamps.net.
Miller was an honorable mention choice of the College Football Insiders, while Riley was picked as an honorable mention selection of Consensus Draft Services. The preseason All-America nods were the first for both players.
14 Pick Up 2010 Preseason All-Pac-10 Honors
Preseason All-America honorees Bryan Anger, Anthony Miller, Mike Mohamed and Kevin Riley were joined by 10 teammates that also notched preseason All-Pac-10 honors, including Sean Cattouse (Jr., DB), Chris Guarnero (Sr., OL), Derrick Hill (Sr., DL), Marvin Jones (Jr., WR), Cameron Jordan (Sr., DL), Mychal Kendricks (Jr., LB), Jeremy Ross (Sr., WR/RET), Mitchell Schwartz (Jr., OL), Matt Summers-Gavin (So., OL) and Shane Vereen (Jr., TB).
Defense Leads Nation, Pac-10
Cal leads the nation in total defense through the first two games of season under first-year defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, allowing only 161.0 yards per game in home victories over UC Davis and Colorado. The Bears also lead the Pac-10 in pass defense efficiency (No. 3 NCAA, 67.6), rushing defense (No. 3 NCAA, 44.5 ypg), sacks (No. 5 NCAA, 4.0 spg) and turnover margin (No. 6 NCAA, 2.50 pg, +5, 6 gained, 1 lost) and red zone defense (50.0%, 1 of 2 scores, 1 touchdown). The Bears' defense is also second in the Pac-10 and fourth nationally in scoring defense (5.0 ppg), with their 10 points allowed the least since Cal's "Bear Minimum" defense allowed only seven points in its first two games of the 1968 season. Cal had not previously held opponents to less than 10 points in back-to-back games since 2004, when the Bears shut out Arizona, 38-0, in Tucson (Oct. 23) and Arizona State, 27-0, in Berkeley (Oct. 30). The last time Cal held opponents to less than 10 points in three straight games came during the first three games of the 1968 season, when the Bears defeated Michigan (21-7), Colorado (10-0) and San Jose State (46-0).
Defensive Details
Cal allowed only 81 total yards of offense (14 rushing, 67 passing) in a 52-3 victory against UC Davis on Sept. 4, marking the first time the Bears had held an opponent to fewer than 150 yards of total offense since San Jose State totaled 147 on Oct. 1, 1994. The Aggies managed only four first downs and averaged just 1.8 yards on 45 plays. The Bears surrendered a first down to UC Davis on the first play of the game, then didn't give up another one until the Aggies' first drive of the third quarter. UC Davis' four total first downs tied for the third fewest ever by a Cal opponent and is the lowest total since San Jose State had just one in 1968 against Cal's "Bear Minimum" defense. The Bears followed that performance by limiting Colorado to 241 yards of total offense (75 rushing, 166 passing) in a 52-7 victory against the Buffaloes on Sept. 11.
Cal Defense Outscoring Opponents' Offenses
The Cal defense has put up more points (12) than the 10 it has allowed to the two offenses it has faced this season. The Bears have a pair of defensive touchdowns this season on a 41-yard interception return by Mike Mohamed and an 82-yard fumble return from Darian Hagan, both against Colorado. The Bears have a total of 38 points after forcing turnovers this season, picking up 31 against Colorado after producing seven against UC Davis.
Offense Also Producing
Cal has scored 50 or more points in each of its first two games for the second consecutive season under second-year offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig with a 52-3 victory over UC Davis and a 52-7 win over Colorado. The point totals also increase the number of 50-plus point games under head coach Jeff Tedford to 11 and run Cal's string of victories when the team scores at least 30 points to 30 in a row. The last time the Bears lost a contest when scoring at least 30 points came when they were defeated 47-40 at UCLA on Oct. 8, 2005. Cal's 517 yards of total offense against UC Davis - equally balanced with 287 passing and 230 rushing - were the most since the Golden Bears amassed 559 against Washington State on Oct. 24, 2009.
Fast Starts
Under head coach Jeff Tedford, Cal has averaged 45.4 points per game in its first two contests each season. The Bears scored the most points in the Tedford era when they put up 70 in his first game vs. Baylor in 2002. Over the 18 games marking the first two contests of his nine seasons, they have scored at least 50 points eight times and at least 40 on 12 occasions, including 52 points in both games this season.
Lopsided Numbers
Here's a quick look at some key lopsided numbers on Cal's cumulative stats through the first two games.
Category CAL OPP
Points 104 10
First Downs 44 21
Rushing Yardage 389 89
Passing Yardage 415 165
Total Offense 873 322
Turnovers 1 6
Possession Time/Game 33:06 26:54
Sparkling First Two Games for Keenan Allen
True freshman wide receiver Keenan Allen made one of the most memorable debuts in Cal football history against UC Davis when he caught four passes for 120 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown reception. His 120 receiving yards were the most by a Cal wide receiver since LaReylle Cunningham had 138 yards at Maryland on Sept. 13, 2008, and only 10 shy of the single-game true freshman school record set twice by DeSean Jackson at UCLA (Oct. 8, 2005) and in the Las Vegas Bowl versus BYU (Dec. 22, 2005). Allen also had three rushes for 38 yards, including one on an option in which he reversed field and went 18 yards for a score after the play had broken down, as well as another on a 17-yarder that was ruled a lateral. He added one kick return for 18 yards. He followed that performance by leading the team with five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown against Colorado, adding a rush for six yards and a kickoff return for 17. Through the team's first two games, Allen paces the squad with 177 yards receiving, a 19.7-yards-per-catch average and 256 all-purpose yards, while co-leading the team along with Marvin Jones with nine catches and two touchdown receptions. Shane Vereen also has a pair of scoring grabs.
Riley Rules
Kevin Riley leads the Pac-10 and is third in the nation with a passer efficiency rating of 205.27, having completed 29-of-44 (65.9%) passes for 455 yards and a Pac-10 co-leading seven touchdowns with no interceptions. Riley completed 15-of-24 passes for 197 yards and a career-high-tying four touchdowns against Colorado for a 186.45 efficiency rating. Against UC Davis, he completed 14-of-20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns for a 227.86 rating. Riley has now thrown three or more TDs in a game on seven occasions. Riley also continues to climb Cal's career record book. He is now fourth in passer efficiency (133.8), sixth in touchdown passes (44), ninth in passing yardage (5,228) and 10th in 250-yard games. Riley continues to lead the Pac-10's active quarterbacks in career victories (17-8 in 25 starts), touchdowns and games played (tied with Washington's Jake Locker at 30).
Vereen Tied for Fifth Nationally in Scoring
Tailback Shane Vereen has continued to find the end zone in the team's first two games, with five touchdowns for 30 points and a 15.0-points-per-game scoring average that ranks him tied for second in the Pac-10 and tied for fifth nationally in scoring, including three on the ground and two on scoring catches. He had three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) during the team's season opener against UC Davis, equaling his previous career game high of three (all rushing) against both Eastern Washington and Stanford in 2009. He came back with two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) against Colorado. He now has 19 career rushing touchdowns and is in sole possession of ninth place on Cal's career list for rushing touchdowns, one behind the 20 scored by eighth-place J.J. Arrington (2003-04). He has a career total of 144 points, adding five rushing touchdowns to his 19 on the ground. He has scored multiple touchdowns in games six times, including four of the last five contests. Last year, Vereen equaled the 12 touchdowns scored on the ground by Jahvid Best and added another two on scoring grabs. Vereen also has at least one catch in all 28 of his collegiate contests.
Mohamed Has Big Game, Continues Move up Tackles List
Preseason All-America linebacker Mike Mohamed equaled a career-best with 14 tackles against Colorado and also returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown. Mohamed moved up two spots into eighth place on Cal's all-time tackles list with a new career total of 266. He is Cal's active career leader in tackles, interceptions (7) and interception returns for a touchdown. The 2009 Pac-10 leader in tacklers is currently fifth in the conference and No. 29 nationally with an average of 10.5 stops per game. His 0.50 interception average has him tied for third in the Pac-10 and tied for No. 26 nationally.
Backup Backs Have Big Games
Backup tailback Isi Sofele had the biggest rushing game of his Cal career in the season opener versus UC Davis, setting new single-game highs with nine carries and 58 yards rushing. Dasarte Yarnway also rushed five times for 23 yards in his first collegiate contest. Against Colorado, Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson rushed for 31 yards on only four carries, popping off runs of 10 or more yards on three consecutive runs during Cal's final drive.
Jones Off to Great Start
Marvin Jones, the team's leading receiver last year, is tied for the team's lead in receptions and touchdown catches with Keenan Allen as both players have nine catches and two for scores through the first two games. Jones is also second on the club behind Allen with 167 receiving yards and an average of 18.6 yards per reception. Jones also has the two longest catches of his career this season, with a 62-yarder against Colorado after having hauled in a 51-yard catch despite a defensive pass interference call on the play vs. UC Davis. Ironically, neither of the catches were for touchdowns, with his two scores coming on a 13-yarder against UC Davis and a four-yarder vs. Colorado. His game-by-game totals were five catches for 81 yards against UC Davis and four for 86 vs. Colorado.
Sweeney's Significant Stats
Backup quarterback Beau Sweeney had the biggest day of his college career against UC Davis after entering the game for the second series of the second half. Sweeney completed 6-of-8 attempts for 29 yards and added six carries for 34 yards and his first career touchdown, all single-game career highs. He played again against Colorado but did not attempt a pass and was sacked for a four-yard loss in his only rushing attempt.
Tavecchio Ties Career Mark
Placekicker Giorgio Tavecchio tied a single-game career high by converting all seven of his extra-point attempts in each of his first two games. He's also made both of his field goals, added a 23-yard field goal against UC Davis and a 31-yarder vs. Colorado. The 10-point efforts mark the fourth and fifth time in his career he has reached double digits. In addition, Tavecchio's 17 kickoffs this season have reached an average of the five-yard-line, a marked improvement from last season, when his average kick landed near the opponents' 12.
Action Spread Around
Cal's cumulative stats through two games include 11 players that have rushing stats, 12 that have caught at least one of the team's 35 pass completions, 35 that have made a tackle and three quarterbacks that saw action among the 77 players that have participated, including 23 for the first time in their collegiate careers.
Success in Even-Numbered Years
Cal has had big seasons in each of the previous three even years on the calendar, posting records of 10-2 (2004), 10-3 (2006) and 9-4 (2008). After victories in its first two games of 2010, Cal is now a combined mark of 31-9 (.775) over the last four campaigns occurring in even years. The Bears are a perfect 21-0 at home during the period with a 5-0 record at Memorial Stadium in 2004, followed by 7-0 marks in both 2006 and 2008, and a current 2-0 tally in 2010.
One Rushing Streak Ends, Another Trend Continues
Cal's string of seven straight seasons in which a running back gained over 1,000 yards ended in 2009, but the Bears did have two players rush for 600 or more yards for the sixth time in the last seven seasons in a testament to the program's two-tailback philosophy. Shane Vereen led the team with a career-high 952 yards on the ground, while Jahvid Best added 867 despite missing the final four games due to injury. Cal's top two rushers through the first games of 2010 are Shane Vereen (30 carries, 126 yards, 3 TDs) and Isi Sofele (13 carries, 62 yards).
Bears Coming Off Best Road Record Since 2004
Cal hits the road for the first time in 2010 at Nevada on Friday, Sept. 17, in a nationally-televised ESPN2 contest. Last year, the Bears posted a 4-2 record in true road games to register its best mark in those contests since 2004. Cal won at Minnesota (Sept. 19), UCLA (Oct. 17), Arizona State (Oct. 31) and Stanford (Nov. 21), with the two losses coming at Oregon (Sept. 26) and Washington (Dec. 5). The 2004 squad was 5-1 in true road contests. Prior to 2009, Cal hadn't posted a winning road record since 2005, when the Bears were 3-2 in true road games.
Big-Play Bears
Cal has been known for big plays and the 2010 team has been no different. The Bears have come up with 12 plays of 20 more yards, including eight from the line of scrimmage by the offense, with seven of those plays passes by quarterback Kevin Riley. Riley's longest two connections of the season have come with wide receiver Marvin Jones for 62 (Colorado) and 51 (UC Davis) yards for the two longest catches of Jones' career. Riley has hit Keenan Allen three times for over 20 yards, including a career-high 48-yard TD against and another 45-yarder against UC Davis. Jeremy Ross (27 yards vs. Colorado) and Shane Vereen (23-yard TD vs. UC Davis) have been his other completions for at least 20 yards. A 23-yard gain on a reverse by Jones is the team's only rush for 20 or more yards. The team's biggest play of the season is an 82-yard fumble recovery touchdown return by Darian Hagan against Colorado, while Mike Mohamed brought an interception back 41 yards for a score vs. the Buffaloes. Jeremy Ross also has two punt returns for more than 20 yards, bringing one back 37 yards against UC Davis and another 23 yards vs. Colorado.
On the Tube
Cal has appeared on live television 46 times in its last 47 contests with the lone exception the Bears' home contest vs. Washington State on Oct. 24, 2009, snapping a string of 38 straight games on television. A total of 87 games have been televised over the last nine seasons during the Jeff Tedford era. Cal had every game of a season televised for the first time in 2007 and then repeated the feat in 2008.
Home Field Advantage
Cal has posted an overall record of 35-6 (.850) at Memorial Stadium over its last 41 games dating back to the final two home contests of 2003. In fact, Cal is a perfect 35-0 at home over this period against teams other than Oregon State (0-4) and USC (0-3), who have combined to go 7-0 at Memorial Stadium since the Bears knocked off the Trojans at home in 2003. Cal has been unbeaten at home in a season three times (2004, '06, '08) under head coach Jeff Tedford. The Golden Bears' appeal is shown by a current streak of 39 games with at least 50,000-plus fans in attendance at Memorial Stadium (every contest over the last seven seasons), including 58,040 in its 2010 season opener against UC Davis and 55,440 vs. Colorado. Cal just missed averaging a home crowd of 60,000 or more fans per game for the fifth time in six years in 2009 with its average crowd of 59,472 over six dates. The team's best attendance numbers during the Tedford era came in 2006, when the Bears drew 450,223 fans and averaged a record 64,318 spectators per contest. The Bears most recent sellout was a crowd of 71,799 vs. USC on Oct. 3, 2009.
Looking for School Record Ninth Winning Season in a Row
Cal is looking for its ninth consecutive winning season in 2010 to establish a school record. The Bears current run of eight straight winning seasons from 2002-09 has tied an 85-year-old school mark that was set 1918-25 under head coach Andy Smith. The Bears did record 10 straight winning seasons from 1907-16 but those were split between rugby (8, 1907-14) and football (2, 1915-16).
Bowling Bears
Cal has played in a bowl game for each of the last seven seasons to set a school record, recording a 5-2 record in those contests and winning a school record four in a row from 2005-08. Head coach Jeff Tedford is the only Cal coach to have ever won more than two bowl games. Each of Cal's seven bowl appearances under Tedford are listed below.
Year - Bowl (Result)
2003 - Insight Bowl (Cal 52, Virginia Tech 49)
2004 - Holiday Bowl (Texas Tech 45, Cal 31)
2005 - Las Vegas Bowl (Cal 35, BYU 28)
2006 - Holiday Bowl (Cal 45, Texas A&M 10)
2007 - Armed Forces Bowl (Cal 42, Air Force 36)
2008 - Emerald Bowl (Cal 24, Miami 17)
2009 - Poinsettia Bowl (Utah 37, Cal 27)
Being the Best, Beating the Best
The Bears are 15-8 when playing as a top-10 team and 36-20 when the club is ranked in the top 25 of at least one set of rankings since head coach Jeff Tedford took over in 2002. Cal has played 27 nationally ranked teams during the Tedford era and posted a 13-14 record in those contests. In 2009, the Bears recorded back-to-back wins in consecutive weeks over nationally ranked teams - defeating then-No. 18 Arizona (Nov. 14) and then winning at then-No. 14 Stanford (Nov. 28) - for the first time since 1950.
Turnover Margin a Key
Cal currently leads the Pac-10 and ranks No. 6 in the nation in turnover margin with a +2.50 per-game average. Winning the turnover battle has been emphasized since Jeff Tedford's arrival in 2002 and the Golden Bears had another excellent season in 2009 with a +.31 per-game margin (21 takeaways, 17 turnovers). The Bears are 39-4 when committing fewer turnovers than opponents during the Tedford era, compared to 16-9 when tied and 14-22 when opponents win the battle. In Pac-10 games, the stats are even more decisive as Cal is 23-2 with a positive margin in turnovers, 10-6 when the turnover table is tied and 8-19 with a deficit. Cal forced five turnovers and did not give up any in its most recent game against Colorado after both Cal and UC Davis had one in the season opener. The five turnovers against the Buffaloes were the most a Cal team has forced since the Bears also forced five (all interceptions) vs. Washington on Oct. 21, 2006.
Coaching Changes
Cal has two new coaches on board in 2010 with the addition of defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast and special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Jeff Genyk. Pendergast is in his 20th season of coaching at either the professional or collegiate level in 2010, including the last six campaigns as an NFL defensive coordinator with Kansas City (2009) and Arizona (2004-08). He served as the defensive coordinator for the 2008 Arizona team that reached Super Bowl XLIII after capturing the NFC title. Genyk is in his 19th season of collegiate coaching in 2010, most recently having served as a head coach at Eastern Michigan from 2004-08. He previously had a 12-year stint as an assistant at Northwestern from 1992-2003.
Lots of New Faces
Cal has had five players make their first collegiate start and four true freshman play in the 2010 season opener vs. UC Davis, including wide receiver Keenan Allen who became the first true freshman to start in his first game at Cal since wide receiver DeSean Jackson in 2005. Others making their first collegiate start vs. the Aggies were Marc Anthony (So., CB), Ernest Owusu (Jr., DL), Brian Schwenke (So., LG) and Eric Stevens (So., FB). True freshman that have played in 2010 in addition to Allen have included linebackers Nick Forbes and David Wilkerson, and tight end Jacob Wark. A total of 23 players have seen their first action at Cal in 2010, with the four true freshmen being joined by Mark Brazinski (RFr., OL), Dan Camporeale (RFr., LB), Austin Clark (RFr., DL), Deandre Coleman (RFr., DL), Ryan Davis (Jr., LB), Sam DeMartinis (Jr., OL), Nico Dumont (RFr., FB), Coleman Edmond (Jr., WR), Tyré Ellison (So., DB), Steven Fanua (RFr., LB), Justin Gates (Jr., OL), Spencer Hagan (RFr., WR), Alex Logan (RFr., DB), Dash Oliver (Fr., DB), Clark Porter (Jr., LS/LB), Tyler Rigsbee (So., OL), Charles Siddoway (RFr., OL), Steve Williams (RFr., DB) and Dasarte Yarnway (RFr., TB).
More Notes from the Colorado Game
Colorado became the first team to score a touchdown on Cal in 2010 when they reached the end zone with 2:37 remaining in the third quarter, marking the end of more than 102 minutes of football Cal played without allowing a touchdown to open the 2010 campaign.
Cal had two defensive touchdowns in the game on an 82-yard fumble return by Darian Hagan and a 41-yard interception return from Mike Mohamed.
Cal's five turnovers were the most the Bears had recorded since picking off five passes against Washington on Oct. 21, 2006. In addition to the turnovers recorded by Hagan and Mohamed, the others were on the first career interceptions by Bryant Nnabuife and Steve Williams, as well as a fumble recovery by Mychal Kendricks. The two forced fumbles were credited to Jarred Price (Kendricks) and Robert Mullins (Hagan).
Academic Prowess Continues
Cal players have earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors 83 times in the past eight years from 2002-09 under head coach Jeff Tedford, second-most in the conference during that span. Nine Cal players were recognized on the 2009 Pac-10 All-Academic team. Mark Boskovich, Alex Lagemann and Mike Mohamed were first-team selections. Ernest Owusu, Matt Summers-Gavin and Giorgio Tavecchio were named to the second team, while Skylar Curran, Chris Guarnero and Mitchell Schwartz received honorable mention recognition. Boskovich and Mohamed also earned CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District 8 first-team honors, while Syd'Quan Thompson was named one of 22 national winners of the Academic Momentum Award as part of the Scholar-Baller Program, in conjunction with the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS). After a period on academic probation following his first year at Cal, Thompson's GPA improved to 2.995 during the spring of 2009. In 2008, Alex Mack earned the Draddy Trophy (later renamed the Campbell Trophy) honoring college football's top scholar-athlete. Of the 163 seniors who have played for Tedford, 144 (88%) have earned their degrees and/or gone on NFL careers. The Cal football team was second in the Pac-10 in the most recent Academic Progress Rates (APR) released in June of 2010.
Final Season in Current Memorial Stadium Configuration
The 2010 season will be Cal's final campaign in the current configuration of Memorial Stadium. Cal will host its 2011 home schedule at San Francisco's AT&T Park, playing its home games away from Memorial Stadium for the first time ever since the facility opened in 1923. Cal will return to a renovated and retrofitted Memorial Stadium in 2012.
Memorial Stadium Retrofit and Renovation
Since it opened in the fall of 1923, California Memorial Stadium has generated scores of unforgettable memories for generations of Golden Bears. From the Wonder Teams of the 1920s to the Pappy Waldorf years mid-century to the current success attained under head coach Jeff Tedford, the venerable facility has treated fans of all ages to many of the greatest games in the history of Cal football.
Now, work is underway to retrofit and renovate the historic building, bringing it up to modern standards and creating a facility that will significantly reduce seismic risk and create a more enjoyable environment for the hundreds of thousands of fans who attend games every year - all while maintaining the architecture and character of the celebrated structure.
Construction on the $321 million project began in earnest in early June 2010 and is expected to be completed in time for the 2012 season opener. After playing in the current configuration of Memorial Stadium one last time in 2010, the Golden Bears will move to temporary quarters at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 before returning to campus for the following campaign and providing new generations of Cal fans the opportunity to treasure the venue for years to come.
Student-Athlete High Performance Center
The Student-Athlete High Performance Center, under construction since late 2008, is scheduled to open prior to the 2011 football season and will become a modern new home for approximately 450 student-athletes in football and 12 other sports to use on a daily basis. The 142,000-square-foot facility will house locker rooms, offices and meeting rooms, as well as areas for strength and conditioning, sports medicine, nutrition and academics.
The building is the physical manifestation of Cal's High Performance Initiative, a nontraditional approach to excellence that challenges conventional ways of thinking about and delivering high performance in an intercollegiate setting. In an effort to take Cal to the highest level, the HPI applies worldwide best practices in sport and human performance to all aspects of the athletic department. This commitment creates and sustains high performance across Cal Athletics and maximizes the potential of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff.
The High Performance Initiative has three primary objectives - to maximize competitive advantage, to efficiently use available resources and to optimize the student-athlete experience - which will be attained primarily through applying a different mindset to intercollegiate athletics and by delivering world-class advanced support services and facilities.
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