Category: Cal Bears

Cal’s offense shutdown in lopsided loss to Washington 38-7

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Washington’s Dante Pettis (8) is brought down near the end zone by California’s Camryn Bynum in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, in Seattle. Washington won 38-7. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

By Morris Phillips

Cal’s offense was so meager on Saturday night at Washington, the numbers didn’t add up.

Literally.

After quarterback Ross Bowers was sacked seven times, Chase Forrest once, and the Bears’ running game featuring Patrick Laird got stuffed, the Bears rushed for minus 30 yards, the third fewest number of yards rushing ever allowed by a Washington defense.

Cal’s total offense was totaled, just 93 yards, the lowest figure posted by a Bears’ offense in 18 seasons.

And after the game’s final play–a botched field goal attempt that lost 41 yards when the ball was fumbled–the Bears were declared a statistical nightmare in a 38-7 loss to the No. 5 Huskies in Seattle.

Afterwards, Coach Justin Wilcox tried to tie it all together, but couldn’t get past how poorly his Cal team played.

“That’s a really good football team,” Wilcox said. “I think we have a chance. But when you go out and play like that, you don’t give yourself a chance.”

The Bears lost for the third consecutive week after opening 3-0. And the theme in all three losses was ineffective pass protection that left Bowers flat on his back 17 times over that span. But even that didn’t absolve the quarterback of a significant portion of the blame.

“There were some things that showed up tonight that he could have done much better,” Wilcox said of Bowers. “Then we’ll see on the tape; that will paint the clearest picture, but Ross has to continue to play better.”

As do Bowers’ teammates.

 

Cal Bears Football Podcast with Michael Duca: Bears face 5-0 Huskies in what could be one of Cal’s toughest challenges of the season

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California quarterback Ross Bowers, left, is sacked by Oregon’s Henry Mondeaux during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Chris Pietsch)

On the Cal Bears football Podcast:

1 Oregon had lost of injuries in their win over Cal (3-2) on Saturday and the Oregon Ducks are down to their third string quarterback for this coming Saturday

2 Despite the loss the Ducks three key players including their starting quarterback Justin Herbert were out after the first half Saturday. With the loss of three players the Bears still couldn’t take advantage and lost by three touchdowns

3 The Bears are in Seattle to face the Washington Huskies (5-0) this Saturday. The University of Washington was fined $25000 from last Saturday’s game when the fans ran onto the field after the game each fine increases for a second infraction it goes up to $50000 and for a third $100000. The NCAA has a new policy that states no school will allow the fans onto the field or onto the court (basketball) when the game is over. Traditionally fans always run onto the field or court after clinching a championship or a big victory. Last Saturday was a big victory as Washington got an upset victory over the USC Trojans 30-27.

4 Michael talks about the late scheduled starts due to television. It’s a choice to play earlier and miss out on the TV revenue or play late and get paid more for your game

5 Taking a look at how Cal quarterback Ross Bowers will do against the Huskies defense

Michael Duca does the Cal Bears podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Cal Bears Podcast with Morris Phillips: Cal heads to Washington to face 5-0 Huskies

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California quarterback Ross Bowers, left, looks down field under pressure from Oregon’s Justin Hollins as he battles California’s Patrick Mekari, right, during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 230, 2017, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Chris Pietsch)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Morris Phillips

1 All three of the Oregon Ducks key players went down to injuries Saturday with quarterback Justin Herbert, running back Bryce Freeman, and wide receiver Dillon Mitchell.

2 Oregon Ducks head coach Willie Taggart said that was the most injuries he seen in one game

3 What was amazing is how the Ducks were able to win the ball game quite handedly inspite of the injuries by a wide margin in fact 45-24

4 Cal Bears (3-2) quarterback Ross Bowers threw for three touchdowns but it wasn’t enough offense as the Ducks won by three touchdowns

5 Cal sets sail for their next game in Seattle with the Washington Huskies on Saturday the Bears are looking to pick up their fourth win of the season

Morris does the Bears podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

NCAA Football Podcast with Daniel Dullum: Cardinal get a comeback on ASU; Hebert gets broken collarbone in Ducks win; Saban: taking a knee is not disrespectful

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csnnw.com still photo: Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Hebert talks to the media, Hebert will be out of action due to a broken collar bone from Saturday’s home game in Eugene against the Cal Bears

On the NCAA Football Podcast with Daniel:

1 Stanford rebounds against Arizona State

2 Cardinal’s Love rushes for 1,000 yards in first five games

3 Injury-riddled Oregon holds off Cal including Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert with a broken collar bone

4 Troy knocks off No. 25 LSU

5 Nick Saban: NFL player protests not meant to offend vets

Daniel is filling in this week for Michelle Richardson on the NCAA Football Podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Injury-plagued Ducks hand Golden Bears second Pac-12 loss 45-24

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Sep 30, 2017; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) scores a touchdown during the first half against the California Golden Bears at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports(Photo: Troy Wayrynen, Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, September 30, 2017

Despite a chronic case of the injury bug, Oregon still played well enough to knock off California 45-24 Saturday night in Pac-12 football at Eugene in front of a enthusiastic crowd of 55,707.

Justin Herbert threw one touchdown pass and ran for another before he suffered an injury in the first half, along with fellow Ducks running back Royce Freeman and wide receiver Dillon Mitchell. “I thought that was a big team win and considering all the injuries,” Oregon coach Willie Taggart said afterward. “That’s something I’ve never been a part of, that many (injuries). That was crazy but you know what, the good lord doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle. We’ll find a way, which we did.”

That wasn’t all. Backup quarterback Taylor Alie was injured and left the game in the fourth quarter. None of the Oregon injuries were specified.

The Ducks (4-1 overall, 1-1 Pac-12) were led by running back Kani Benoit, who racked up 138 yards and two touchdowns, including a career-long 68-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

Cal quarterback Ross Bowers threw three TD passes for the Golden Bears (3-2 overall, 0-2 Pac-12). One of those scoring strikes went to Kanawai Noa, who finished with seven receptions for 126 yards. Bowers threw for 255 yards.

An interception by Jordan Kunaszyk of an Alie pass set up the Golden Bears’ first score. On first down, Bowers fired an 18-yard TD pass to Jordan Veasy, cutting Cal’s deficit to 17-7.

Oregon pulled away early in the third quarter on Benoit’s 1-yard touchdown run. After the Bears responded with a 75-yard TD pass from Bowers to Noa, Ducks’ kicker Matt Anderson booted a 36-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

The Ducks extended their lead to 38-17 on a 5-yard touchdown run by Tony Brooks-James.

Cal’s final tally came on scoring pass of 28 yards from Bowers to Vic Wharton III.

Next Saturday, the Golden Bears travel to No. 6 Washington.

Cal Bears Football Podcast with Morris Phillips: Cal’s Wilcox was familiar with USC’s Darnold and coaching staff being a former Trojan assistant

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Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold (14) game stats 26-38-1 int and 2 TD get flush out of the pocket for a long yard gain during the NCAA Football game between USC Trojans and the California Golden Bears 30-20 win at California Memorial Stadium. Thurman James / CSM (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

On the Cal Bears Podcast:

The early gambling pressures worked against the USC Trojan quarterback Sam Darnold whose probably the best player in the Pac 12 and a huge NFL prospect. He was without his starting tailback and one of his to receivers it was really tough on USC to get their offensive attack going with the Cal Bears going and making defensive plays and remember these coaching staffs know each other very well.

Bears Head coach Justin Wilcox was an assistant coach at USC in 2010 and 2011 and it was basically the same coaching staff at that point and they were coaching under former Trojan head coach Steve Sarkisian. Clancy Pendergast is the current Trojans defensive coordinator. The coaches know each other and there’s not a lot of secrets according to some guys I talked to that covered USC it’s a combination of Wilcox’s defenses and how they worked at and how they were deployed.

Morris has more Bears coverage check out the podcast each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

14 losses and counting: Cal mistakes undo upset bid against No. 5 USC

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Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold (14) scrambles from California’s Alex Funches, right, and James Looney, left, during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–The list of things the Golden Bears did well on Saturday afternoon against mighty USC was lengthy, longer than any pundit who picked the Bears 12th in the Pac-12 could have envisioned.

The Bears were engaged and prepared with Justin Wilcox and defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter creating an aggressive attack that had Heisman hopeful quarterback Sam Darnold on his heels. Cal’s running game was effective in both halves. Ross Bowers made some big throws. Receiver Kanawai Noa had his coming out party. Devante Downs’ play continued at an all-conference level.

And the scoreboard remained manageable through the first half, and into the scoreless third quarter.

But a missed field goal, a glut of late USC interceptions doomed the Bears, who fell 30-20, their 14th consecutive loss to the Trojans, dating back to 2004. For the Trojans, it was a second straight great escape, as they emerged 4-0 and squarely in the national title picture.

“They’ve been a rough two games but we’re 2-0 in that stretch and that’s all that matters to me, and that’s all that matters to this team,” Darnold said referencing USC’s thrilling overtime victory over Texas last week.

Darnold was pressured frequently as Cal threw all their attention towards USC’s best player, who was minus tailback Ronald Jones and receiver Steven Mitchell, Jr. Wilcox, the former USC assistant, proved his familiarity with the Trojans’ attack by shutting down the run game early. Against the pass, Wilcox masked his familiarity to the USC coaches by deftly throwing in wrinkles presumably cooked up by defensive coordinator DeRuyter, who was previously the head coach at Fresno State.

That mix proved Cal to be well-coached and prepared, but over the course of 60 minutes, the superior talent of USC turned the tide. Nothing new for the Trojans, who took control of games against Western Michigan and Texas, after uninspired play through three quarters.

Cal Bears Podcast with Morris Phillips: As USC heads to Cal Bears getting ready to step up their play

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AP File Photo: Cal Bears Head coach Justin Wilcox during the NCAA Football game between Weber State Wildcats and the California Golden Bears 33-20 win at California Memorial Stadium. Thurman James / CSM (Cal Sport Media via AP Images

On the Cal Bears podcast with Morris:

1 Cal Head coach Justin Wilcox said it was a team effort for Cal to win last Saturday against Ole Miss

2 The Bears success has been on depending on each other to back each player up

3 Morris talks about the chemistry of the Bears and how they’ve been so cohesive through these first three games

4 Number four USC comes to Cal on Saturday at 12:30PM Morris tells us how much of a show down will this game be and could there be an upset?

Morris Phillips does the Cal Bears podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Bears shut out Ole Miss in the 2nd half, move to 3-0 on the season

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California quarterback Ross Bowers (3) runs against Mississippi during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–The Ole Miss Rebels started fast, but ended slow, and the Cal Bears’ unheralded defense rightfully could claim authorship to their opponents’ surprising about-face.

That’s because apparently it’s not a phase, but a pattern. The line drawn in the sand by the Bears at the half is familiar. This is the third, consecutive week the Bears trailed at halftime, but won the game. According to head coach Justin Wilcox, it took a bunch of contributors to make that happen.

“I commend our players for never losing the faith and staying together, and it took so many guys,” Wilcox said. “You’re going to look throughout the stat sheet, but special teams, guys who made blocks and tackles, guys who came in and stepped up when guys got dinged and we needed everybody, that was the ultimate team win.”

Cal’s 27-16 win over favored Mississippi sets up an early-season showdown with No. 4 USC on Saturday in Berkeley. Television has endorsed the meeting of old rivals with a juicy 12:30pm start time on ABC. The Trojans barely managed to stay perfect themselves, coming up with a game-tying field goal to end regulation, and then squeezing past Texas, 27-24 in two overtimes.

So how did Cal get to this point–an unlikelihood for a team with a new coach, and so many new faces at key positions?

Under Wilcox, it’s been defense, running the ball, and a healthy slice of resilience. Quarterback Ross Bowers, who really picked it up after throwing a hurtful interception after halftime, explained.

“We just don’t flinch, whether we could be down, we could be up,” Bowers said. “This team is always prepared. We’re waiting for the adversity because that’s when we play our top game.”

Adversity was immediate for the Bears on Saturday as Mississippi exploited their size and speed at the wide receiver spots in the opening drive. Three of the Rebels’ first four plays–all passes–went for 9, 19 and 45 yards. Early in the second quarter, Mississippi’s Shea Patterson had added 71 and 72-yard touchdown passes to establish a 16-7 lead.

Down nine, the Bears’ response was three-and-outs on their two, ensuing possessions. But as things looked as if they were falling apart, Cal was actually putting them together. As Wilcox described, the strategic changes were subtle, and the contributions came from a bunch of different places.

“We played better,” Wilcox explained. “We didn’t install a new defense at halftime. We played it better. We changed up kind of what they were doing, who they were trying to isolate. A lot of the same calls, same coverages and our guys went out and executed better.”

 

Cal Bears Podcast with Morris Phillips: Bear’s Patrick Laird will see more playing time, especially after last performance

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AP File Photo: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA – Patrick Laird (28) of California move the ball against Cole Holcomb (36) of North Carolina. The North Carolina Tar Heels hosted the California Golden Bears at the Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Saturday, September 2, 2017. California won 35-30. (Credit Image: © Fabian Radulescu via ZUMA Wire) (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

On the Cal Bears Podcast with Morris:

1 Weber State was no push over Saturday at Memorial and that’s the reason why Cal got it together fast with two fourth quarter touchdowns by running back Patrick Laird

2 Laird is third on the Cal depth chart with four touchdowns and two of those TDs were rushes for 50 yards or more

3 How much impact does a back like Laird make in helping the club get to 2-0

4 Laird has set the tone and he has tuned vital for Cal’s offense he’ll be valuable this season going forward

5 How big of a transformation did Cal make under new head coach Justin Wilcox

Cal Bears Podcast with Morris appears each week on http://www.sportsradioservice.com