With a preseason ranking in the top 15 of the coaches’ poll, the
Cal football team has earned the respect of pundits nationwide.
Now the Golden Bears have an even tougher task ahead of
them.
Now they have to earn the respect of their own classmates.
SAN FRANCISCO –– With a preseason ranking in the top 15 of the coaches’ poll, the Cal football team has earned the respect of pundits nationwide.
Now the Golden Bears have an even tougher task ahead of them.
Now they have to earn the respect of their own classmates.
In the past, making Berkeley students get excited about football has been like making them get excited about the Republican Party.
Even during Cal’s thrilling, three-overtime upset over USC last fall, there wasn’t complete unity in the student section.
“That was about as good an atmosphere as we get,” said quarterback Aaron Rodgers at Monday’s Bay Area College Football Kickoff Luncheon. “But I guarantee there were still a lot of students cheering for USC.
“It’s frustrating sometimes. That’s why I prefer playing on the road.”
After that win over the eventual co-national champions, though, there were some signs of progress.
According to senior All-American wide receiver Geoff McArthur, “that weekend had the most exciting parties I’ve ever seen around campus.”
And after the Bears won five of their last six, including a bowl victory over Virginia Tech, that excitement picked up even more.
“I’ve never seen it like this,” senior defensive tackle Lorenzo Alexander said. “We’ve always had a good group of students behind us, but now it seems like there’s more of them.
“People are actually asking me about football every once in awhile.”
McArthur, the nation’s leading returning receiver (115.7 ypg), said he notices the difference, too.
“I think a lot more people around campus respect us,” he said. “We like we earned that respect and we’re going to continue to work hard to keep it.”
Rodgers, billed as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the country, said he hopes the enthusiasm is sustainable.
“I hope the fans come out of the woodwork this year, because this is going to be a special team,” he said. “They better get on the bandwagon now before it’s too late.”
With the start of fall practice a week away, coaches and players from Cal, Stanford and San Jose State gathered at MoMo’s Restaurant in San Francisco Monday to discuss the upcoming season.Here’s a brief look at the area’s trio of Division I teams …
California
Coach: Jeff Tedford (3rd year, 15-11)
2003 record: 8-6 (5-3 Pac-10)
Returning starters: 16 (7 off., 9 def., 0 ST)
Positives: QB, WRs, D-Line
Cause for concern: O-Line, high expectations
Worth noting: Under Tedford, Cal posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 12 years … Under Tedford, Cal’s season-ticket sales have doubled from 16,000 to 32,000 … The Bears play four of their first five games on the road … McArthur needs just 51 catches and 406 yards to become the program’s career leader in both categories.
Worth quoting: “We know we’re loaded at every position on offense and defense. I think the general sentiment is to get right to the season and get this thing started.”
– Cal free safety Ryan Gutierrez on his team’s high hopes
Stanford
Coach: Buddy Teevens (3rd year, 6-16)
2003 record: 4-7 (2-6 Pac-10)
Returning starters: 15 (5 off., 9 def., 1 ST)
Positives: First four games at home, nine returning starters on defense
Cause for concern: First four games include BYU, Washington and USC, nine returning starters on defense
Worth noting: Stanford has no senior offensive lineman and the starters will include four sophomores and one junior … Out of 96 players on the roster, 45 are either true or redshirt freshman … Teevens’ Fun ‘n Gun offense produced less than 17 points a game last year … The Cardinal defense gave up 434 yards a game in 2003, including a league-high 296 through the air … Stanford plays its first four games at home for the first time since 1949.
Worth quoting: “He’s fine right now. He’s about 15 or 18 pounds heavier than what he was. His confidence is stronger and he’s throwing the ball effectively.”
– Teevens on his projected starting quarterback, Trent Edwards, who started four games last year before injuring his shoulder.
San Jose State
Coach: Fitz Hill (4th year, 12-24)
2003 record: 3-8 (2-6 WAC)
Returning starters: 7 (2 off., 4 def., 1 ST)
No worries: Hey, Hawaii is a road game this year
Cause for concern: Replacing basically the entire offense
Worth noting: According to Hill, senior Dale Rogers is the favorite to replace Scott Rislov at quarterback heading into fall practice … He’s also a candidate for punting duties … Defensive end Sean McNamara, a Gilroy High grad, led the Spartans in sacks (5) last year … After six years as a defensive coordinator at USC and Arkansas, Keith Burns was named to the same post at San Jose State. His last job was head coach at the University of Tulsa (2000-02).
Worth quoting: “I know we’re going to be so much better on defense, because of our depth and the leadership of coach Burns.”
– Head coach Fitz Hill on the prospects of his beleaguered defense
