#24 Cal Bears will need to be patient against Arizona State Sun Devils

(AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

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Tuesday's media luncheon is drawing fewer scribes despite their #24 BCS standing. Even so, a Jeff Tedford press conference still brings in the local media and their questions.

One of the most intriguing questions is whether or not this Golden Bears team is one of the Pac-10 elite, or just one of the also-rans. Up until now, Cal hasn't shown to be any better than the latter of those two.

"It's the biggest game so far this year," said starting quarterback Kevin Riley. "Like I said, since the bye week, this will show us how much we've grown as a team."

Mike Mohamed agreed. "Every game here on out is important," he said. "We're trying to finish 10-2 now, win out the rest of the Pac-10. Yeah, it'll be good to get a more quality opponent and see what we're all about."

In order for the Golden Bears to come out on top when they visit Arizona State, they'll have to do what they weren't able to do against either Oregon or USC--establish the run. "I look at it as a great opportunity to show that our run offense is still able to kick some butt," said Mike Tepper, who's in his sixth season as a Golden Bear.

The problem with Cal establishing the run will be the Arizona State defense. Currently, they are tied for sixth in the nation against the run and second in the Pac-10 to USC. On the year, they are allowing only 2.7 yards-per-carry and 83.4 yards-per-game.

"You're going have to stay patient and there's going to be some two-yard gains and some eight-yard gains and some zero-yard gains, and you have to stay patient and hopefully leave yourself in situations where you can convert third downs," said head coach Jeff Tedford. "It's going to be that type of game. I don't foresee this being where you're just going to rip off huge gains in the run game."

Remaining patient could be a tall order to fill for the Golden Bears. Big plays are a staple of the Cal offense, and really has been for much of the Tedford era. Last week against Washington State, they had at least five big plays in the first quarter alone.

Cal's offense has lived off the big play so often that it's attributed to their ninth-ranked time of possession average in the Pac-10. Per game, the Bears average 28:23 with the ball in their hands. For most teams, that would be a problem, but for Cal it's just standard operating procedure.

For a team ranked first in scoring offense, you'd expect plenty of redzone opportunities. Not with Cal. Only Washington State (17) and UCLA (20) have fewer redzone opportunities than Cal (23). The question is, how well can the Golden Bears play in a game where they must grind it out?

Tepper is ready for it. "It doesn't shock me that this game might go to the last couple of minutes of the fourth," he said. "We always expect every game's going to be a battle, even if it's not. So, it doesn't faze me."

Obviously, anything in life is easier said than done. That's why Tedford and company will have to prepare the team to be patient and grind it out on Saturday.

"We have to educate them to [staying patient]," said the head coach. "Make sure we know who we're playing. Know ourselves, know who we're playing, know what these guys are all about. They're going to be watching tape all week long, so it's not going to be a surprise, but it's something we've got make sure, that our mindset is right and that our mindset is that we're playing a very difficult defense."

Arizona State's defense won't be the only good defense on the field Saturday. Cal's defense ranks fourth in scoring and fourth in rush defense in the Pac-10--right behind ASU's. If there was an achiles heel for Cal's defense, it would be their passing defense, which allows 271 yards-per-game.

That pass defense is partially due to Cal blowing out their opponents, but then how good would the defense be if it were a tight game? Against USC they allowed 174 yards on the ground and against Oregon, they were run over for 236.

What helps Cal's defense is for the offense to get them a lead. "I think [a lead] helps us play looser," said Mohamed. "When we have the comfortable lead, guys aren't so uptight about making mistakes because we know we have a little bit of a cushion, but we don't let up. It seems to motivate us more, as strange as that sounds."

Luncheon Notes:

• Coach Tedford said that Syd'Quan Thompson is 'touch and go' right now while suffering with a hip injury. He won't know if the star corner will play Saturday until later this week.
• Derrick Hill (sprained shoulder) is day to day and will also be monitored throughout the week. After the game Saturday, Hill said that he thinks he'll be fine for this coming game.
• Depending on how Thompson and Shane Vereen feel, Jeremy Ross could be taking over in both punt and kick returns. Tedford was non-committal on who will handle those duties.
• For those of you wondering if Mike Tepper could be brought in as an eligible tackle--meaning that he'd be an eligible receiver--Tepper said that there is a play for that, but that it hasn't been done since 2003, when Mark Wilson caught a touchdown. When asked if he'd lobbied for a chance to play receiver after his hurdle against USC, Tepper responded, "Hopefully, my performance exemplified what kind of athlete I am, and maybe they're thinking about it, but I wouldn't take the bet to Vegas. Stay at home."
• Redshirt freshman Matt Rios said that he hasn't had a bad snap this year and he'd like to keep it that way. Rios, from Arizona, said that ASU never contacted him during recruiting, but that Arizona did after he'd committed to Cal. "I didn't sign anything yet, but I told them, I was like, 'I'm a man of my word,' and since I already told them I'd come here, that was the deal."
• When Rios does go back home, he heads over to Ben Bernard who was his offensive line coach in high school. Bernard was also former Cal long snapper Nick Sundberg's coach as well. Rios' visit to his former coach isn't social. It's to get better. Rios described snapping weighted footballs, medicine balls, and other drills that sounded pretty demanding. "So usually, that's when we work the hardest, when we go back home as far as our stuff."
• Some defensive linemen play angry. I don't think Cameron Jordan will be accused of that. "Honestly, I have fun at all games," said Jordan. "Anytime I'm allowed to hit somebody and laugh at them while I'm hitting them, it's awesome for me." Asked if that's what he does all the time, Jordan said, "Pretty much. Especially when it's like a mismatch, like a running back or something like that. Like anytime I can fully hit a running back while he's like in a pass-blocking stage, it's so funny." So what happens when Jordan is laughing at a player he's just blown up on the field? "You know, there's different types. It's usually--if I can put them on their back, I'm laughing for the whole play, and probably the next couple plays." He wouldn't give an exact example, but he did say that there was a back that had a few choice words for him recently. "I can't say if it was this weekend or last weekend, but it was one of the two. It was recent."
• Jordan is a big-time comic enthusiast and a gamer who holds his PS3 near and dear to his heart. Right now, he's playing NCAA 10. He's playing as Cal and he's controlling himself in the game. He said that he's switched from defensive end to middle linebacker in the game. "I think the video game version is better than I am because I feel like I'm unstoppable in that game. Like I'm swimming past people, I'm dropping into pass coverage, it's ridiculous at what I'm doing with myself." And he didn't change his speed attribute in the game.
• Mike Tepper does not like the Arizona State fans. At least it doesn't seem like it. Here's a transcript of his exchange with reporters about them:

Question: What do you expect from the crowd?
Tepper: From what I remember of '07, I remember it was one of the Polynesian guys on our team, his mother got spit on. It ended up that like most of the Polynesian clan came out and was about to brawl in the parking lot. So, I expect at Sun Devil Stadium--it's a hostile environment. I think it's probably the most hostile environment that I've ever played in. Their fans are ruthless. They have no problem saying something to your face. It's just expected though. You know it's gonna' come.
Question: Think it will be loud?
Tepper: It'll be loud. It always will be. They have good fans.
Question: Different feel at 12:30pm than a night game?
Tepper: No, they'll be up at 9am drinking.
Question: As opposed to noon?
Tepper: Yeah exactly. No, they'll be up and ready to go. I know they will be. I personally don't like day games. High school football, you play evening sometimes, that's kinda' what you grew up doing. I always liked night games.
Question: Could the hostility be a little less since it's a day game?
Tepper: I don't think so. I think it'll be there. I think they'll come out roaring, throwing bottles.

• Don't know if Riley feels the same way about ASU fans, but he did say this about them: "I think they've got some obnoxious fans. Arizona State people know about it, but it's going to be a fun game to play. It's a cool place to play."

For more selected quotes from Cal's media luncheon, click here.

Cal's game notes for their upcoming contest here.

Jahvid Best will be chatting on ESPN.com Wednesday 12:30pm PST

Tired of not getting your Jahvid Best questions asked? This is your chance to ask them yourself. Best will be doing a live chat on ESPN.com, answering as many questions as humanly possible. For more information on this, go to calbears.com by clicking here.

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