By Morris Phillips
Brandon McIlwain did some good things. McIlwain also did some stuff that didn’t turn out good at all.
What didn’t turn out included the final score as the sophomore transfer’s first start fell short in a 24-17 loss at Arizona. Painful was the fact that the Bears had the ball, down three points with three minutes remaining when Scottie Young Jr. picked McIlwain for the game deciding touchdown.
“We gave them two touchdowns and we can’t do that,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “We’re going to play in tough environments and it’s unacceptable to play like that. We have smart guys so we have to play smarter. We can’t make dumb mistakes like that.”
McIlwain became the third quarterback to start for Cal this season on Saturday night after he played in a platoon role with Chase Garbers the three previous games. The South Carolina transfer was again dynamic running the football (20 carries, 107 yards, 2 touchdowns) but faltered ever so slightly in throwing the ball 43 times, completing 32 for a career-best 315 yards.
With the Bears trailing from the first quarter on, but buoyed by a defense that stiffened considerably over the final three quarters, the close game hinged on McIlwain and the Bears constructing one big drive or a game-changing pass play. But due to McIlwain’s inability to stretch the defense, and numerous penalties, the Bears spent more than half the ballgame trailing by fewer than seven points but unable to assume the lead.
“We made a lot of plays and did a good job moving the ball between the twenties, but we just need to finish better,” McIlwain admitted. “I need to personally be able to get rid of those turnovers and take care of the ball a little better, but in general, we just need to finish.”
Cal fell to 3-2, 0-2 in Pac-12 play and failed to fully take advantage of a schedule that had them matched with three, beatable opponents following their lopsided, home loss to Oregon.
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