Grin & Bear it: 5 things to know as Cal begins long rebuild
No shortage of questions entering the Wilcox era
BERKELEY » A new chapter in the 135-year history of Cal football unfolds Saturday when the Bears take on North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
It won’t be a surprise if the season’s storyline meanders off course at times.
New coach Justin Wilcox and his staff have their hands full. Picked to finish last in the Pac-12 North, the Bears face major questions throughout the lineup and must try to rebuild as the conference enjoys a robust phase.
By the middle of October, Cal will have faced three conference teams ranked in the AP preseason Top 25. No. 14 Stanford awaits on Nov. 18.
This is not a team for those seeking instant gratification. Wilcox is trying to create a new culture within the program and establish a foundation for the fu- ture. It will take time.
Here are five things to know about the Bears: 1. QUARTERBACK QUESTIONS » Perhaps all we need to know about the quarterback position is that a competition involving two players in the spring expanded to four during fall camp before Wilcox announced Monday that red-
shirt sophomore Ross Bowers had won the job.
There are impossibly big shoes to fill. In three seasons with Jared Goff at the helm and last year with Davis Webb, Cal quarterbacks threw for more than 16,000 yards with 133 touchdowns. Bowers has never thrown a pass in college.
Bowers beat out true freshman Chase Garbers and junior Chase Forrest in a competition that also included South Carolina transfer Brandon McIlwain, who continued to get practice reps despite the fact that he isn’t eligible.
Wilcox said Monday the job belongs to Bowers. But as recently as a week earlier, when asked if more than one quarterback might take snaps this season, he said, “Everything’s really on the table.” 2. THE O-LINE IS GREEN » The Bears’ level of inexperience is comparable at offensive line, where center Addison Ooms accounts for 12 of the combined 16 career starts by this group. Two redshirt freshmen — guard Valentino Daltoso and tackle Jake Curhan — form the right side of the line.
Junior guard Patrick Mekari understands the line shoulders a huge responsibility and must provide energy for everyone.
“We need to be the backbone of this team,” he said. 3. BEARS AWAIT BIG SEASON FROM TRE WATSON » Cal wants to identify its strengths and play to them. That will mean feeding the ball to Watson, a senior running back who last season totaled 950 yards and eight TDs rushing and receiving.
Wilcox sees a player who embraces the opportunity.
“We need Tre, big-time,” Wilcox said. “He’s a talented guy. We’re going to need him to make big runs for us and big catches and protect.
“That’s part of the maturation process, taking the next step in his game. He comes out with a good energy and a good attitude. We need him to step up and be a good player and be a good leader for us.” 4. DANGEROUS DEMETRIS » The Bears’ biggest talent is sophomore wide receiver Demetris Robertson, who last fall broke Cal freshman records set by current NFL players Keenan Allen for most catches (50) and DeSean Jackson for receiving yards (767). He scored seven TDs and had at least one catch of 32 yards or longer in seven games.
“He obviously can take the top off,” Wilcox said of the deep-ball threat Robertson poses.
Wilcox has been impressed by Robertson’s desire to separate himself and the work he’s willing to do to get there.
“You see the weekly growth and understanding the offense and becoming an expert at his position,” Wilcox said. “The great thing is he’s hungry for it. It matters to him and the team matters to him. Definitely, a very, very high ceiling. Absolutely.” 5. SECONDARY WANTS TO BECOME PRIMARY » On a defense that consistently failed to hold up its end of the bargain the past four seasons, no unit has been more picked on — literally and otherwise — than the Bears’ secondary.
Over that span, Cal allowed opponents to virtually pass at will — nearly 8½ miles through the air, including an FBS record 42 TD passes surrendered in 2014.
“I’m here now. That’s all I’m worried about,” senior cornerback Marloshawn Franklin said. “I expect great things.”
There is better depth and talent this season, with highly-touted freshman Elijah Hicks pushing for a starting job at corner. Franklin said the defensive backs won’t shrink from the challenge.
“We like to think we are the position of the team,” he said.