Other valuable Bears that missed the top 10 - part two

June 29, 2:33 PMCal Bears ExaminerRob Calonge

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Can Mohamed help the Bears move on from losing three
of four starting linebackers?

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This is the final part in a two-part story detailing players that could have easily made the list of top 10 MVB's for 2009.  In part one, Shane Vereen, the starting fullback, and the starting tight end were three of six players that nearly made it in.

And now, on to part two.

Mike Mohamed (ILB) - After backing up all four linebacking spots last season, Mohamed will get the opportunity to shine as an inside linebacker this season.  What gets him close to being on the list really comes down to two things: the amount of field experience that the Bears lost and the amount of field experience he has.

Cal will be counting on the redshirt junior to be an instant leader in the middle, while he teams up with true sophomore Mychal Kendricks in an attempt to replace Worrell Williams and Anthony Felder.  That's a tall order, but both linebackers flashed plenty of talent last season, leading most to believe that it will be a smooth transition.

For 2008, Mohamed accumulated three interceptions for 30 yards and one touchdown, one fumble recovery and one forced, 87 tackles (51 solo), three sacks, two passes defensed, and three quarterback hurries.

Mohamed's job this season will require him to make plays - especially against the run.  He's listed at 6'3" and 237 lbs., which is a little light for a middle backer.

What Mohamed doesn't have in size, he surely makes up for it in speed and awareness.  When he played last season, he seemed to always be around the ball -- much like Zack Follett.  So much did he remind me of Follett that I truly expected he would step into Follett's old job this season.

I'm not saying that being on the inside is less important than being on the outside, but he's already proven to me that he can get the job done.  What nearly put him on the list is the bevy of newcomers to Div I and redshirt sophomore D.J. Holt as depth in the event that he gets hurt.  That lack of experience behind him makes him a very valuable player for Cal, but it just wasn't enough to crack the list.

Mike Tepper (LT) - By nearly every account, there are big things on the horizon for the sixth year senior lineman.  Tepper, who missed his redshirt-freshman and senior seasons due to injuries, is back and ready to lead the Bears' line by protecting the quarterback's blindside.

It's true that nobody may be more important in the passing game than the blind tackle.  How well the tackle plays can have ramifications on the confidence of the quarterback, therefore playing a role on how well that quarterback plays.

The last time that Tepper played, he was a right tackle on a line that allowed a Pac-10 best 11 sacks on the season - ranking them third in the nation for 2007.  If he stays healthy, the rest of the line will become much improved over the 2008 line that suffered through injuries and position changes.

Those injuries and position changes are why Tepper didn't make the list.  While the line didn't perform as well last season, many returning players received plenty of experience, and that only creates more depth.

In the end, that depth helped push him down the list.  It was after looking at the stats from last season -- second in the Pac-10 in passing scores -- that caused me to drop Tepper from the list.

Most talented lineman?  I think so.  Important?  Yes.  Even though his absence would hurt, much like it did last season, Cal should be alright if everyone else remains healthy.

Marcus Ezeff (S) - Safeties aren't normally thought of as the most valuable on their teams.  In some schemes their importance may be limited, but I've never been a subscriber that they aren't valuable.  When your safety records the fifth-most tackles (66) on the team, it's only a good indication that the guys in front of him were doing their jobs.

Ezeff isn't asked to play in the box often and his primary job isn't to stop the run.  What he is asked to do is provide great coverage in the secondary -- which he does very well.  Last season, along with his tackles (36 solo), six passes defensed, three interceptions for 78 yards, and a touchdown off one of those interceptions.

The Bears are just too deep at the safety position for Ezeff to merit much consideration on the MVB list.  If he wasn't as good as he is, he wouldn't have been in consideration.

Alright folks, I'm done for now.  The MVB list is in the books and it won't be back for another year -- when the dog days of summer arive again.  With a little less than 70 days before the season and another 30 or so until training camp starts, I'm sure I'll come up with something else before then.