Cal football alive and well in Berkeley, but it's still a work in progress

September 4, 11:57 PMCal Bears ExaminerRob Calonge

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The Bears look good, but have more to prove
Photo courtesy of Mark Dell/Flickr Taken by Jason
Chiou. The State News

The last time so many young players on the Cal football team were getting opportunities to play was probably in coach Jeff Tedford's second season (2003) where he rotated between Aaron Rodgers and Reggie Robertson at the quarterback spot.  Even then, it's probable that the 2003 team was still a little older.  Their quarterbacks were definitely not Sophomores.

After watching, re-watching, and re-re-watching the Michigan State game, I realized why I'm not a football coach.  Quite a bit of stuff goes on every play!  In all seriousness, it was surprising the more I watched the game how the optimism that I had after the game on Saturday began to slowly fade.  It didn't completely fade mind you, but it was tempered with a dose of reality about the team.  Thankfully, they are young and it will only get better from here on out.

I've broken down the play of the team, not to call anyone out or to make fun of anyone, but to identify the strengths and the weakness of the team as they played in the game.  Missed assignments or poor decisions are what draw most of my criticism than ability, but ability does play a role.  The players not mentioned either didn't play, didn't make a solid impact or detraction, or simply canceled good plays with bad ones, but not good or bad enough to warrant mention.

Pro Ready - These are the guys that played like they will warrant consideration next year for playing on Sundays.

Syd'Quan Thompson - Does a player get any more pro ready than this guy?  He's come a long way from his first game a couple of years ago where he was the weak link in the secondary.  One play that stands out as his worst was exactly what you expect from your shut-down corner, he went for the ball instead of the man and it cost the Bears a touchdown in the fourth quarter.  The problem with the touchdown is that he should have had 'over the top' coverage from his safety and didn't.  That sort of makes it hard to blame Thompson too much for that.

Alex Mack - Alright, so maybe you can get more pro ready than Thompson.  If he continues to do what he's been doing, he'll go from being a day one pick to a top ten pick.  I tried to find faults in his game, I really did, but besides some of the most ardent attempt to nit-pick him, I couldn't.  He's just that good.

Marcus Ezeff - In the first quarter, you saw him all over the place.  In the second quarter you saw him less and less.  In the second half, you barely knew he was playing.  That's because the Spartans stayed away from him.  He did get beat on a Javon Ringer goal red zone touchdown, but it wasn't because he wasn't prepared.  Those things happen and sometimes you have to tip your hat.

Kevin Riley - I wasn't going to put him here.  I couldn't justify putting a guy in this spot in only his second start, but watching his play from the middle of the third quarter to the middle of the fourth was too good to leave him out of this section.  He continues to make plays that any avid football fan knows shouldn't be made.  Even on the few poorly advised throws, he caught defenders not keeping an eye on the ball.  He completed passes in the grasp of defenders, he made throws that a rare few quarterbacks can make, and above all he continued to make critical plays that Cal needed time and again.  Give this kid some time, and he'll be the number one pick of the 2010 draft.

Will Ta'ufo'ou - Shane Vereen's 81 yard touchdown run doesn't happen without his block.  Many of Jahvid Best's gains were due to a block by the Senior fullback.  Ta'ufo'ou was there to save Riley at times too.  If it was just his blocking, he would probably still be rated this high, but he also had a touchdown catch and when he was in the game he just looked like he was faster and stronger than whoever he was up against.  At 5'11" and 253 lbs, he might be too.

Game Ready - These are the guys that played well on Saturday, but had some part of their game detract from their overall performance.

Zack Follett - He played in the middle most of the game and usually rushed on a delay.  It's unfortunate that Cal's best playmaker on defense wasn't able to showcase his talents, but when the opportunity was there he delivered.  There's no doubt that he's pro ready, but Cal needs to feature him a little more like they did in the latter stages of the game.

Sean Young - Alright, everyone wants to bash the receiving corps for the Bears.  It just so happens that Young had a good game.  His highlight reel sideline catch in the second quarter was clutch.  He made several other catches, but even at his worst during the game, he was still solid.  My only real criticism of Young is in the return game.  CALL A FAIR CATCH BEFORE YOU GET YOURSELF KILLED!  Now that I'm done with that public service announcement...

Worrell Williams - Against the pass and when he's rushing the passer, he's as good as you'd expect.  He needs to work at getting off of blocks when facing the run.  He was in on many plays, never seemed to be out of position, and didn't look bad the whole game.

Tyson Alualu - I couldn't leave this guy out.  He was a dominant pass rusher and at times able to get in and break up running plays.  Too often though, his aggressiveness took him out of running plays.  If he can learn to play the run as well as he can play the pass, he could be something special.

Derrick Hill - This guy is a force in the middle.  He gets a really good push up the middle and was in the backfield often putting pressure on the quarterback.  He's active on every play and at times, he should've been taken out of the play, but his motor was always on and somehow would get himself back into the mix.

Kendrick Payne - I kept thinking he was Hill.  Does that tell you anything?  Cal has a great defensive line if these guys keep playing like they did last Saturday night.  Just a sidenote, have you ever seen a football player with a better name for football?

Jahvid Best - He played well.  He will definitely get better.  On his touchdown scamper around the right end of the line he showed how good he could be.  There was definitely nobody faster on the football field Saturday.  When he's able to keep his balance a little better and break a few more long runs during a game, the Heisman hype will begin.  The only play that I didn't like from Best was when he returned a ball from the end zone to the 18 yard line, but that's probably just me, nit-picking.

Shane Vereen - You can't leave a guy out that breaks a game wide open when he ran free for an 81 yard touchdown.  As with Hill and Payne, it was difficult to spot many differences between Vereen and Best.  Once again, Cal is loaded at the running back position.

Darian Hagan - Being the OTHER corner can't be easy, but if he's going to bookend Thompson he's going to get all of the competition he can handle.  He played very well, but he did let up a long reception where he was beat and got beat on another that the quarterback overthrew.  He got robbed on an interception and came very close on two others.  If he continues to get better, it's going to be nearly impossible to pass against the Bears.

Brett Johnson / Bryant Nnabuife - Let me apologize if I'm getting this wrong because I do not have the video with me at the time of this writing, so if I'm giving the wrong person credit for the punt block someone let me know.  The block by Johnson and the subsequent touchdown by Nnabuife is enough to show their game readiness.  I thought that Thompson blocked it, but after looking at play-by-play recaps, I'm seeing Johnson did.

Practice Ready - These guys still need some work.  They weren't bad enough that they shouldn't play, but their improvement would only help the program.

Bryan Anger - His first two punts were the type of punts that make you recall a punter like Ray Guy.  They were long and they were high, making him a lethal weapon on special teams.  After he let the snap go through his hands and got his punt blocked, he became a different kicker.  He's a Freshman so it's understandable that his confidence was shaken a little, but he needs to not let his talent go to waste and regain the form he had the first two punts.  Another great football name too.

Eddie Young - It was his first start and he wasn't bad, but he was too mechanical and got beat on a couple of pass plays.  He really got lucky on one pass to Javon Ringer, which was overthrown.  He'll be good, but it might take him some time.

Michael Mohamed - Like with Young, he wasn't bad, just a step behind on many plays that he was in on.  He needs to get better, but he's not lost.

Mitchell Schwartz - It was his first start and at times he looked very good, mostly on running plays.  Other times, he looked a little slow and sometimes lost.  He's young and has talent so he'll only get better.

Bench Ready - In some cases, they've already been benched, but the way they played Saturday will probably merit consideration for the bench if they haven't been put their yet.

Nate Longshore - When Longshore entered the game and opened up the offense, it was easy to remember why Joe Ayoob was booed so often a couple of years ago.  Longshore looked brilliant his first three passes and then...he showed us all why it was so easy to boo him last year.  I don't know if it's his vision, his arrogance, or his nerves, but you can't keep throwing in triple and quadruple coverage and expect to start on a Div I team, let alone a football powerhouse.

Giorgio Tavecchio - Notice there is no link under his name.  He doesn't have a profile page yet.  After Saturday's performance, I wonder if he'll get one.  There are four place kickers on the roster, so I assume he beat them all out for kickoffs, but he was not very good.  By the second half, Seawright had assumed the kickoff duties.  

Noris Malele - For a Senior, I would expect so much better than what we saw of Malele on Saturday.  When he did make his blocks they were marginal, and when he didn't it hurt the offense.  Too often, he wasn't able to handle his man and that's mostly why Best averaged less than 6 yards per carry.  This guy could be the odd man out if/when starting left tackle Mike Tepper returns.

Nyan Boateng - Two chances, two drops.  He was disappointed about not being named a starter, but he has yet to show where the source of that disappointment is coming from.

That's it for now.  Check back later.  I'm still putting the game preview together for tomorrow's game against Washington State.  If you have a take and want to make yourself heard, you can be on the Cal Bears Examiner.  Just send your news, analysis, or commentary to bearsexaminer@gmail.com.