2007 California Bears College Football Picks & Predictions
June 5, 2008
Cal will have a veteran starting quarterback for the first time since 2004. Junior Nate Longshore will be asked to make big plays, and avoid big mistakes, in the handful of games that will shape the season. His experience will surely help matters. Longshore struggled at Tennessee and USC last fall, but should be ready for both teams when they visit Memorial Stadium. Cal returns its to three receivers for Longshore. Lavelle Hawkins, Robert Jordan and the wondrous DeSean Jackson, the league’s to playmaker. Jackson averaged 18 yards per catch last season while scoring nine receiving touchdowns.
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Cal’s biggest loss is obviously Marshawn Lynch in the backfield. Shifty Justin Forsett gained 626 yards in spot duty last season and he will be the starter this year. The Bears believe Forsett, despite his 185-pound frame, can handle 18 to 20 carries per game. Forsett will run behind a line that replaces both starters on the left side. Mike Gibson, the right tackle last season, will switch to the left side to patch it up a bit. Craig Stevens is one of the league’s top tight ends and will be returning for his senior season.
The Bears will have to replace three first-team all-conference defenders, one at each level of the defense. The line loses the league’s best tackle, but will turn to junior Mike Kane and freshman Derrick Hill for the answer. The secondary is a major concern, even though the Bears have three returning starters. They have to replace Daymeion Hughes, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Robert Peele and Charles Amadi are the top contenders to replace Hughes. Look for the Bears to try a number of players throughout the season before they finally get it right. A slew of returning playmakers at linebacker should offset the departure of middle man Desmond Bishop, who led the league in tackles. Junior Worrell Williams will get his shot, but he’ll have plenty of support from veterans Anthony Felder, super reserve Zach Follett, along with Greg Van Hoesen and Justin Moye.
Can this be the year for Cal to finally overtake USE and reach the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1959? Probably not, but the Bears should be good enough to win nine or 19 games and possibly reach Pasadena as an at-large team if the Trojans play the BCS title game. There is more than enough firepower offensively to overcome the loss of several defensive playmakers heading into the 2007 Cal Football season.
