Shaw: Both teams have motivation

Cal might be expected to have a motivational advantage over Stanford in Saturday’s Big Game.

The Bears are playing at home and have an Axe to grind, pardon the pun, having lost eight straight in the series.

But Cardinal safety Malik Antoine isn’t so sure about such an edge.

“We know every time we play Cal, it’s going to be a very emotional game,” he said Tuesday.

Whether one team has an inspirational edge quickly becomes a moot point, Stanford head coach David Shaw said.

“After the game starts, all that stuff goes away,” he said. “Now both teams are fighting and scratching and trying to play. They were a motivated team a year ago (in Stanford’s 17-14 win).

“I thought for the majority of the game, they outplayed us, flat out. They took the fight to us. I thought they were more physical. I think it took our guys a while to realize we needed to, at the very least, match their intensity.”

Stanford should have leading receiver JJ Arcega-White back after he missed Saturday night’s Oregon State game with a sore ankle. But starting guard Nate Herbig and backup Drew Dalman will be out, and possibly Devery Hamilton as well. As a result, the Cardinal again might be down to fourthstringer Dylan Powell at right guard, with Nick Wilson part of the rotation.

This will come against the Pac-12’s second-ranked defense in both points and yards allowed. The Bears are tops against the pass and lead the conference in interceptions with 14.

Shaw said he could see big improvement on the horizon for the Bears’ defense as soon as Justin Wilcox got the headcoaching job two years ago. Shaw was impressed by his work as defensive coordinator at two of his previous stops, Washington and USC.

“He makes it difficult to game-plan against,” Shaw said. “They have a lot of variety in fronts and blitzes and coverages. The guys play with a lot of effort, a lot of enthusiasm. They have a lot of pride in what they do. … They’re on the attack at all times, and they try to keep offenses on their heels.”

Inside linebackers Jordan Kunaszyk and Evan Weaver are the second- and third-leading tacklers in the conference. Shaw credited the Bears’ line

“The guys play with a lot of effort, a lot of enthusiasm. They have a lot of pride in what they do.” David Shaw, Stanford head coach, on Cal’s defense

with setting up those tackles.

“Football starts up front. What they do up front from their Bear-structured fronts, the ‘46,’ the Buddy Ryan-structured fronts, the movement, the slants, the games that they play — that helps all the other guys make plays.

“You see the backers scraping over the top because the three interior guys are eating up the three interior offensive linemen . ... They all play hard, and they all play well together.”

In injury news, outside linebacker Joey Alfieri, who has missed the past three games, will be back in practice for Stanford this week and might play. Kicker Jet Toner is a question mark; backup Collin Riccitelli missed an extra-point try in each of the past two games.

Meanwhile, tailback Bryce Love is getting better each week, and with the expected return of Trevor Speights, Stanford should have its full stable of running backs for one of the few times this year. Briefly: Shaw said he expects to burn freshman defensive end Andres Fox’s redshirt year. He has played in the maximum four games allowed for a redshirt, but the team has needed help in the line. “We think his ceiling is very high,” Shaw said. On the other hand, the team plans to protect wide receiver Connor Wedington’s redshirt year. He has played in three games, so he gets only one more this year before losing his redshirt status.