Cal football ready to peak in 2009

January 12, 10:20 AMCal Bears ExaminerRob Calonge

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California's Jahvid Best (4) leaps into the endzone to
score against Washington in the first half of an
NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008,
in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Next season, the California Golden Bears' football team should go into the season at the very least, on the cusp of the rankings.  Judging by where they finished this season, they should probabaly be ranked since they'll have answers for every loss to graduation.

Their biggest losses will be at linebacker, but instead of looking for three pro-ready linebackers, they'll need to find two that can man the middle of their attack.  From all reports, and from what we saw this season, they are already pretty much set there.

It's looking like their defensive line will need a guy to eat up space like Mika Kane was able to do so many downs this year.  They have the talent and the size to fill that spot.

The Bears are also loaded at defensive back.  Syd'Quan Thompson would be the only defensive back that would possibly leave for the pro's, but he'd be better off staying for his senior season.

With Mike Tepper coming back for a sixth year of eligibility, the losses of Alex Mack and Noris Malele will be offset greatly.  The line had trouble this season blocking for the run at times and protecting the passers, but with most of them coming back with experience, the Bears can expect to be much improved.

Will Ta'ufo'ou is leaving some pretty big shoes to fill.  Four fullbacks are returning for next season, and that is one position that the Bears have gotten used to being very good at.  Something tells me that someone on the roster will be able to adequately take that spot.

With Kevin Riley getting more time to fine-tune his skills and continuity with his offensive coordinator, we should see some improvement from the play at quarterback.  An improvement from that position and the seasoning of his receivers should give the Bears a much needed passing game for 2009.

Leaving the Best for last, Jahvid Best that is, the Bears' running game will again produce.  Being a Heisman hopeful, shouldn't limit Best from dazzling the nation next year.  What was so impressive about the running game this season is that once they got rolling, they couldn't be stopped.  In the Emerald Bowl, it didn't matter if it was Best or his trusty backup, Shane Vereen, the Miami defense couldn't stop the power running to the right side, which gave the Bears plenty of offense.  If Frank Cignetti can develop the rest of the gameplan as well as that one play, you could see an offense as explosive as the one that took the field two years ago.

A look at their schedule shows home games agains USC and Oregon State in the Pac-10.  Their conference road games look pretty tough.  They'll have to go on the road against Oregon, UCLA, Stanford, and a Halloween trip to Arizona State.  They play three non-conference games, two at home and one on the road.  They'll get a chance at revenge against Maryland at home and also take a trip to Minnesota to play the Golden Gophers.  Here's the tentative schedule, but it's subject to change.  Note that you don't see any bye weeks.

Last season was a rebuilding year of sorts.  The team was very young and it was the first time that Jeff Tedford left the offensive playcalling in someone else's hands.  Even so, the Bears should've been ranked higher in both closing polls.  In the USA Today Coaches Poll, they were ranked 25th, while being ranked in the AP poll 26th.  What is odd to me is that a 9-4 Michigan State was ranked ahead in both polls.  I guess head-to-head games don't account for much.

Here are the end of season polls: